How to Use Facebook GIF Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide

Team Pepper

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Posted on 12/07/22•4 min read

Want to leverage Facebook GIF ads? Read on as we share an easy step-by-step guide to creating and using these ads.

After the immense success of GIFs on Facebook Messenger and Twitter ads, they made their way to Facebook ads in February 2017.

GIF stands for “graphic interchange format,” which is either a short video of just a few seconds or a compilation of multiple images in an animated form without sound. A GIF runs in a loop. It’s much shorter than the usual videos, which often last for minutes. Compared to text advertisements, GIF ads are much more eye-catching and exciting.

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Facebook GIF ads result from the understanding that visual communication is important in marketing. Facebook GIF ads create a more extensive viewership and a better reach.

If you are on Facebook, you would have seen Facebook GIF ads, which express specific types of emotions, thoughts, or expressions better than words. GIFs can be a great way to engage with larger audiences and effectively put the message across if used accurately.

There are so many GIFs already available to use for free. Customizing and creating personalized GIFs come with no added costs. You can use an old video to create a new GIF and add it to the animated Facebook ads.

Quick Steps to Create GIFs

GIPHY is one of the best GIF creators, which Facebook also supports. It’s ergonomic and hence popular amongst the many available GIF makers.

Start by going to www.GIPHY.com. Here you will find a “create” button on the top right of your screen (as shown in the above picture). Select “create.”

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GIPHY will allow you to choose from these two options: select photos to create a GIF or convert a video to GIF. You can also add a “URL” to search for an online GIF to use.

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After selecting a video of your choice, the following page will allow you to edit the video by adding the start time and the duration of the GIF. A GIF usually is less than 10 seconds. Remember never to have an abrupt start or an ending to your GIF. The transition must be smooth.

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After completing this step, you’ll have the freedom to add filters, stickers, animations, and captions. Minimum text is advisable for suitable Facebook GIF ads while adding CTA (Call to Action) in the Facebook animated GIF ads can be a great idea.

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Before uploading to GIPHY, you will find the option to add tags and URLs to the GIF. After clicking on “Upload to GIPHY,” you can use the link anywhere.

How to Add GIFs to Facebook Ads

You can create a Facebook GIF ad just like you create a Facebook video ad. The steps are as below:

1. Open Facebook Power Editor

Go to the Facebook Power Editor and select the option to “create a campaign on the left side.” Under this option, select “create ad.”

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2. Name your campaign or ad set.

You will be required to name your campaign and ad set as shown in the following image. Select “create” after adding the details.

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3. Upload video

Now, with the help of the radio button in the ad editing menu, select “video/slideshow.” Instead of “change video,” there will be an “add” button. Click on the “add” button to upload the GIF you created with GIPHY.

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4. Add a brief ad copy

Almost there! After successfully uploading the GIF, you will need to add some ad text. This should explain the purpose of the ad. It can be used to provide context to your GIF. A line should be enough.

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5. Track the GIF ad

Lastly, make sure that you can track the new Facebook GIF ad. The insights will help you understand what people enjoy watching and what’s attracting the most viewership.

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The Final Word

GIFs are an effective and attractive means of marketing campaigns, especially on top social media platforms. Facebook always adds new and better tools to enhance its functions. Using GIFs in Facebook ads functionality helps negate the lack of time and attention people can afford as they only have a few seconds to spare to gather enough information.

However, GIF ads for Facebook perform superbly when used in the form of a series to tell a story. They keep their target audience engaged for longer and effectively convey the message.

FAQs

1. When did Facebook start using GIFs?

Facebook introduced GIFs in 2015, only in Messenger, for people to communicate. It indeed transformed the way people expressed emotions via animated GIFs.

2. What is a GIF on Facebook?

The GIF button lets you post any GIF from services like GIPHY, directly in the comments section. The GIF button also displays trending GIFs for faster search on the desktop.

3. What are GIF ads?

GIF ads are graphic interchange format advertisements. These are short videos of a few seconds without any sound. They autoplay and are animated or static images with a GIF extension. Animated GIFs comprise a series of images that play in the form of a slideshow, creating a sense of motion.

4. How long should GIF ads be?

The purpose of GIF ads is to be short and to the point. GIF ads must not exceed the sweet spot of 10 seconds for the best results.

5. Are GIFs effective in marketing?

GIFs are considered a highly interactive and engaging means to market your brand. Dynamic visuals can help you achieve a high interactive rate while effectively conveying the message.