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Unless you've spent the last 30 years meditating on top of a mountain, you probably know what a GIF is. Yes, you know! That little humorous animation that punctuates your exchanges with friends and colleagues!
Fun and direct, the GIF has gradually become an unexpected asset in effective communication. That's why today, it's perfectly possible (and even recommended) to add a GIF to your emails. Yes, even your professional emails!
Let's explain right away how to insert a GIF into an email.
Now considered a legitimate means of communication, the GIF is widely used by people of all ages, including in professional settings. No surprise, then, if you receive a GIF in an email from your grandmother promoting her new homemade pie business!
Clear and fun, the GIF can be especially effective in professional email communication. The benefits of using a GIF in a professional email are numerous:
That being said, as you know, a great professional email doesn't rely solely on well-chosen GIFs!
Check out our article on writing a professional email for more tips on this subject.
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Convinced of the GIF's potential in an email? Let's now explain how to use it properly to fully channel its communication power.
Emails, especially professional emails, often contain a lot of information. To help your recipient absorb each part clearly, it's important to space out your content and insert images like photos or GIFs.
Thanks to their dynamic and eye-catching nature, GIFs help break up text-heavy emails, offering a moment of pause that re-engages the reader. They can visually represent the message or emotion you're trying to convey—whether it's a point of celebration, a quick joke, or even a metaphor.
A little cat falling off a shelf or a raccoon riding a bicycle might say more than a sentence ever could.
Just remember: use GIFs sparingly in professional emails. Overuse can cause fatigue and affect your tone of credibility.
Whether you're explaining a concept or promoting a brand video, inserting an actual video in an email might seem tempting—but it's rarely ideal.
Videos are often too large to embed directly in emails, and links to external video platforms aren't always clicked.
GIFs provide the visual impact of video—without the technical baggage. You can use them to:
In short, GIFs are a lightweight way to simulate video inside your email—and keep engagement high with subscribers.
A professional email must remain clear and engaging from start to finish, while also representing your brand well. Typically, it'll include a professional email signature, and, if necessary, a communication banner.
Since the email signature is an ideal space for non-intrusive messages in the form of email banners, a GIF can fit there. It's a way to attract more attention from your recipient. So, don't hesitate to add an animated image, with changing visuals, moving titles, or a button that changes size or color.
Now you know why and how to use a GIF in an email. However, you also need to know how to create one. Here are 5 simple steps to do it!
First step: determine the purpose of your GIF. Despite its fun nature, the GIF has the power to become a real communication tool and should be treated as such. For your message to be well received, it should be chosen based on its specific role in your communication strategy.
Some goal ideas for your future GIF:
Second step: select a GIF provider like GIPHY or a creation tool. If you specifically want to add a GIF to your signature, there are several email signature tools that perform well (if the goal is to standardize and integrate your GIF across multiple signatures, consider using Letsignit).
There are many GIF libraries, including Gifing or Motion Elements. A simple search gives you access to thousands of GIFs (and other content such as videos) suited to your needs.
Be aware, some libraries require registration (often free) to download GIFs.
Some providers also include a tool to create custom GIFs. This is the case with GIPHY, a reference in the GIF world that has already conquered social networks like Instagram or Facebook Messenger.
The first frame of your GIF is the most important to select. It's the one that "catches" your recipient's eye. It'll also be the only one to appear if your GIF takes a while to load or turns out to be dysfunctional!
When creating your animated GIF, be sure to select a clear, engaging first frame that aligns with the primary goal (see step 1!).
Following best practices, you should also add descriptive alt text to your GIF file. This ensures that if the GIF doesn't load properly across different email clients, your message still comes through.
A GIF that "freezes" is a bit like a joke falling flat… When a GIF doesn't animate, the message isn't delivered, and clearly, the desired effect isn't achieved.
To ensure your messaging supports your GIF and it animates properly, make sure to optimize its size.
Happy with your GIF? Fantastic! Before you use it, a few last-minute checks are necessary.
Even the most efficient email clients like Outlook can have difficulty supporting a GIF. So, to ensure it works, send a test email to your own address.
You can also use an email tool to preview your email with the GIF.
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Goal set, GIF ready—it's time to put your GIF into an email!
To insert a GIF into an email, the process can vary from one email service to another, but it remains simple in all cases. Let's start with the basics…
You copy-paste dozens of things every day, but for some mysterious reason, you can't paste a GIF! In fact, your difficulties are justified because the operation isn't always possible depending on the source of your animated image.
For example, it's not possible to copy and paste from the GIPHY library. This one only allows you to embed your GIF from a link.
For some other providers, downloading is possible. Once your GIF is downloaded, you can do a simple copy-paste, just like you would with text or an image.
From your messaging service, you can also use the "Insert images" or "Insert a picture" option and simply select your GIF from your computer.
To embed a GIF in an Outlook email:
Note: If you're looking to insert a meme in the body of an email in Outlook, the process is exactly the same. Simply follow the steps above to insert images, whether they're GIFs or static memes.
To embed a GIF into a Gmail email, two options are available.
You can simply copy and paste a GIF if it's a downloaded file.
Or use the "Insert photo" option in the toolbar at the bottom. You'll also need to use this option to insert a GIF from an online library: click the online pictures option (the icon that looks like a mountain), go to the "Web Address (URL)" tab, and copy-paste the GIF link.
This same method works if you want to copy and paste a GIF into Gmail from providers like GIPHY.
To put a GIF into an email from your Mac messaging service, it's very simple! You can simply drag it into the body of your email. And there you go!
You can also insert it by clicking on the little paperclip at the top right of your toolbar and selecting the GIF from your computer.
Once you've embedded a GIF in your email using any of the methods above, sending the email is straightforward. Simply compose your message as usual, add your recipients, and hit send. The GIF will be included in your email campaigns or individual messages automatically.
If you're sending to a large list of subscribers, it's worth testing your GIF across multiple email clients first to ensure compatibility. Some older email clients may only display the first frame of your GIF as a static image, which is why selecting a strong first frame is so important.
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If you're in a company and want to integrate a communication campaign or message in the form of a GIF across all your employees' emails, Letsignit's email signature tool can help you!
With our email signature creation and management tool, you can not only standardize all your employees' signatures but also easily add a GIF to all signatures. Why not use the power of email signatures and the benefits of GIFs to communicate impactful messages to your subscribers?
We hope this article has helped you discover more about the world of GIFs and emails!
Looking forward to seeing you in our next blog posts or discussing email signatures.
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