Since 1987, GIFs have been the gifts that keep on giving.
The A-Z of the GIF’s history
The acronym ‘GIF’ stands for G raphics I nterchange F ormat, and was created by the team at CompuServe, an online service provider. Steve Wilhite, who was at the helm of the team in 1987, created the GIF to help computers quickly display color images without taking up too much bandwidth.
The comeback of the GIF (with a hard G)
Evolution, as with all things but particularly when it comes to technology, means the predecessors get trampled over. And when Flash and HTML5 came onto the scene, it was the GIF’s popularity that fell.
How to use GIFs today: In a feature release post
According to research undertaken by Neilsen, 27% of consumers report they wish more products would make their life easier. If you’re operating in the SaaS space and releasing new features and product updates, you’re aiming to do exactly that — make things easier.
- Reduce churn by re-engaging users that are evaluating competitors or unsatisfied with existing limitations.
- Improve loyalty by proving to your existing users that you are listening to their needs and moving quickly.
- Boost retention by getting users hooked on a feature that helps them become more successful .”
How to use GIFs today: In email marketing
GIFs, being the versatile creatures they are, can be used in a variety of ways when it comes to email marketing.
- 6% increase in open rate.
- 42% increase in click rate.
- 103% increase in conversion rate.
- 109% increase in revenue.
How to use GIFs today: In social media
If you’re active on Twitter, LinkedIn, and the like, you already know that GIFs are used in abundance on social media. But did you know that 65% of people are visual learners, making the GIF the perfect medium for presenting information quickly, and especially on platforms where users are putting out material at breakneck speed?
How to easily create GIFs with Zight (formerly CloudApp)
First, download Zight (formerly CloudApp) from getcloudapp.com (or Apple’s App Store or the Microsoft Windows Store, depending on the devices you use).