GIFs are an excellent tool that, if used wisely, will add value to your clients and encourage the visibility of your business.
Did you know that businesses are throwing away the old thought that GIFs are “unprofessional”.
Yup.
And, in fact, we’ve been using them all the time and everyone loves them!
This guide will review what GIFs are and how it affects SEO and engagement.
How do GIFs affect SEO?
GIFs are just like any form of content.
They could be bad or good for SEO depending on what you want to do with them.
The first obvious optimization would be to make sure that you’re getting your alt-text right with them. Some experts even add a keyword or two when they do this, and as long as it isn’t spammy, you could get it to be accepted by the SERP overlords.
Now, the question here is will it slow down your site.
Over the past years, search engines have been placing an emphasis on site speed, rewarding sites with better rankings if people can view content faster.
If you start using “heavy” GIFs, you run the risk of your page loading slowly and that could affect SEO by a little bit.
However, GIFs are usually lighter files and there are a lot of tools out there that will help with compression and whatnot.
Why should you use GIFs?
We have seen Graphical Interchange Format (GIF) in much content online.
This was created by Steve Wilhite.
GIFs are images or videos that will show without the reader having to press or click any buttons.
Just like how keywords are essential, GIFs are just the same. GIFs can be made to be easy to find when doing a search. All you have to do is set it up with tags so that it can be searched as well. You can take your GIFs to catch the prospects’ eye or draw out emotion.
Use GIFs strategically, and viewers will see that you are taking extra time to add value to them, whether through content or by creating an ambiance of your site that they can enjoy. GIFs can be a warm welcome to your content online.
There are many benefits to having GIFs with your article, and many industries have started using them.
Here’s the thing.
Over the past few years, content has become more fun.
In fact, adding a joke here and there is becoming the norm.
Increase Engagement with GIFs
GIFs on your articles can be shared on many different platforms. So imagine sharing a picture depicting your core values and sharing that on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
GIFs can also help build that connection. Imagine using GIFs in personalized emails for those on your subscription list. What an excellent way to start the day with an email with a humorous GIF or motivational quote.
Besides using GIFs in emails, you can also put GIFs to link them to profiles. These profiles could be directors from your company, additional stakeholders, or even charities that you support.
Here are 11 Social Media Metrics You Should Be Tracking Today!
Use GIFs as Content Separators
Everyone uses photos to break text, but one way to break down the text in an engaging manner is to use GIFs.
GIFs play a role in helping create, build, and sustain momentum especially in content.
They create an engaging break as opposed to normal photos or media.
Use a GIF to draw attention to your message, advocacy, or solution. Pictures can create a clear statement without many words.
GIFs give viewers a break from lengthy paragraphs or word content. Okay, let us admit it. We all have experienced scrolling down and up an article to decide whether we want to tackle a bunch of words.
Some of us prefer to scroll before committing to reading such a lengthy article. Images have a way of drawing us in or helping us capture key insights to determine that the article has the content we are looking for. Viewers might feel intimidated to read if there were no GIFs to help encourage them to do so.
It may also be a challenge to convey emotion at times. With a GIF, readers can see themselves through the image and what their reaction could be. Emotions such as shock, irritation, or joy can be quickly seen through the GIF. This is great because it is then a style that makes it easy to portray an emotion that viewers can quickly grasp and understand.
You can add memes, jokes, or even just a loop of your product.
Instructions as GIFs!
GIFs could be a nice touch to show off your product, instructions, etc. without being too pushy. Sometimes a GIF will come with a title that will help the viewer better understand the content.
Instead of having multiple screencaps or having to embed video. You could use a GIF!
Using a GIF for this step-by-step process may benefit all, primarily visual learners. This type of GIF makes it easy to read and follow versus a long article with lengthy sentences or too many details.
Sometimes it might be challenging to get a response, and there might be a reason. But how do you stay engaged with prospects without overwhelming them with reminders? A GIF constantly playing on your page is a straightforward way to get their attention without being annoying.
How to use GIFs in SEO
Consider the page load time. Images such as charts, tables, videos, or GIFs will affect the page load time. If photos or GIFs are too large, they might take a long time to load, and hence, you will not be able to reach your goal of becoming visible to prospects.
Too bad for you, but Google will put you at the bottom of the SERPs.
Yikes.
Look at the size of your image. To combat the delay of your site loading because images are too heavy, review the size of your image. You want to get it to be the right size that will not disrupt the quality of the image or make it look hazy. Try to compress the images before you upload them to the site.
The placement of the GIF is crucial. You will want to make sure that the GIF is put in an area related to the content. No one wants to be reading an introduction to the importance of building a home atmosphere and find a CTA GIF to buy a flower vase.
What would that tell you as a customer? It very well could be that the business cares more about selling than building rapport or adding additional value to the prospect.
Choose a GIF that enhances your article. A well-chosen personalized GIF that will be successful will help drive the article’s message.
Takeaways
Let us remember that GIFs are a great tool.
GIFs and skillful SEO will help you rank higher in terms of visibility, and more customers will be able to see your efforts in serving them. However, misusing the tool will affect the response or engagement with prospects.
And no amount of beautifully written articles or skillful SEO work will be able to make it right. Use GIFs the right way to increase visibility, optimize the reach of your client base, and generate new leads.
At the very least, try something new!
