What is GIF?

A GIF is a short, looping animated image, often silent, that people use in posts, comments and messages to show reactions, humor or simple motion.

GIFs are a quick, lightweight way to add personality to social media. A well-chosen reaction GIF can express an emotion faster than words, while a simple product GIF can show movement without the effort of a full video.

Many networks and messaging apps include built-in GIF search, often for replies, comments and direct messages. Some convert uploaded GIFs into short videos behind the scenes. Instagram Stories offer animated GIF stickers. Support varies between networks and between posts, comments and messages.

Use GIFs that suit your brand voice and audience, and avoid ones that might be misunderstood or seem insensitive. Keep them short and clear. Since many GIFs come from films or TV, be careful with copyrighted material in promotional posts, and add alt text where you can for accessibility.

Example

A tech support company replies to a happy customer's comment with a cheerful dancing GIF to celebrate the fix.