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If you’re a fan of GIFs and/or a fan of Twitter, you’ll be delighted to learn that Twitter is making it much easier for you to add GIFs to your tweets. After Facebook added GIFs recently, you probably figured Twitter wasn’t far behind. And you are correct!
Twitter announced yesterday that it will be adding a GIF button to let users add GIF images to their tweets without needing to use a separate app or upload images.
The GIFs are coming! Get ready to search and send GIFs in Tweets and Direct Messages: https://t.co/uk75stt1zN pic.twitter.com/1dDD1B4CW2
— Twitter (@twitter) February 17, 2016
Adding GIF image to your tweets has become much easier. While you’ve been able to add GIF images to tweets for a while, now Twitter is getting a GIF button.
When you compose a tweet, you’ll see a GIF button you can use to access Twitter’s new GIF library without needing to use an app or upload your own GIF images.
=> Find out about other ways to add interest to your tweets in New Twitter Polls — What You Need to Know!
You can see Twitter GIFs in categories such as Happy Dance and YOLO (you only live once). You can also search for GIFs by keyword. Twitter is using GIF images from companies GIPHY and Riffsy, the same companies Facebook uses for its GIF images.
=> To learn more about using GIFs on Facebook see, Facebook’s Fun New Photo Collages, GIFs and Live Video Features
Twitter GIF images can be added in both tweets and Direct Messages on Twitter. Don’t get too carried away though, Twitter only allows one GIF image per tweet.
The GIF button will be available on the Twitter website and in the Twitter app for iPhone and Android. This update will be rolling out gradually to Twitter users and should be available everywhere within a few weeks.
=> To learn how to create your own GIF images, check out Gifyt — The Easiest Way to Make Your Own GIF!
GIFs are not only fun to use, they can help bring attention to your tweets. A study by Twitter showed that adding an image to a tweet increased the chance of being retweeted by 35%. A similar study by Buffer showed a 150% increase in retweets for tweets that contained images. Adding a GIF to a tweet may further increase the chance of that tweet being retweeted.
=> For more information about the impact of using images in tweets see, The Most Effective Way of Getting Your Tweet Re-tweeted (and How to Do It Easily).
Your Thoughts
Are you excited about Twitter adding a button to help you add GIF images to your tweets? Have you ever added a GIF image to a tweet? Do you think adding a GIF to a tweet will increase the chances of that tweet being retweeted?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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Hi Carolyn,
Just as expected! 🙂
I was waiting for this news, and there’s no better place to catch up the latest at your blog! Honestly speaking, I am not a big fan of GIFs – even when it was there on Facebook, and now I wonder how it would look and pick up pace on Twitter. We do have them on Pinterest galore – I guess we wait and watch.
Would surely be checking out the links you mentioned, and check out the GIF button, once it’s up. Surely worth a try at least, to decide if it’s nicer on Twitter than on FB perhaps.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice, rest of the week 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, GIFs are very powerful and we’re all looking for ways to make our tweets stand out. Twitter can get very noisy so GIFs can help our tweets be noticed above the noise.
I have to say I’m a big fan of GIFs. I think they’re fun plus powerful. I was asking a friend for help with something this weekend using Facebook Messenger. He said he would get to it later, then I used a cute GIF to ask him to please do it now. He laughed and agreed. Yea GIF!
I don’t have the GIF button yet for Twitter but I look forward to getting it. Like all social media tools, GIFs will be most effective if they’re not overused.
I hope you give GIFs on Twitter a try Harleena!
Hi Carolyn,
I don’t use GIFS often but I LOVE having the option to on Twitter! I am excited over this one. I hope to use it in the near future. It’s good to read a positive post on Twitter of late. Thanks for sharing this one and look forward to seeing those GIF images on Twitter.
Hi Lisa, Yes, this is an exciting new feature for Twitter. Both so we can add GIFs easily and we can enjoy the GIFs others tweet.
I don’t have this feature yet but I look forward to getting it soon. I am a big fan of GIF images and am eager to add GIFs to my tweets more easily.
I haven’t yet added an Gif image to the Twitter but will try now.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Carolyn,
Excellent post. This is an exciting new feature for Twitter. Twitter can get very noisy so GIFs can help our tweets be noticed above the noise.
Thanks for sharing this info.
Hi Mansi, Thanks, I’m glad you found this post to be helpful.
You’re right, it’s a challenge to make our tweets stand out. Using GIFs could be an effective way to bring attention to our tweets. I’m glad Twitter has made adding GIFs to our tweets even easier.