GIF Best Practices for Email Experiences

File Size

We recommend keeping the size of your GIF under 400 KB. Any larger, and you may run into loading delays. You can easily reduce the size of your GIF animation by deleting every second or third frame. Ideally, you should keep the number of frames under ten.

Frame Designs

Some email clients, such as Outlook 2007, 2010, and 2013, only display the first frame in an animated GIF. To ensure this isn't an issue, when designing your GIF, make sure the first frame can stand alone and communicate a clear call to action.

Why Use a GIF?

Using an animated GIF adds an element of surprise to email signature marketing that typically isn't possible with static campaigns. The human eye is naturally drawn to movement.

Beyond engagement, you can also use GIFs to explain or demonstrate a new product or service. It's an excellent way to illustrate complex concepts in an easily digestible manner.

What to Avoid

Nobody responds well to obnoxious, flashing GIFs. Simplicity is key. When developing your Email Experiences strategy, be sure to use GIFs sparingly. If used too aggressively, it’s likely that many email recipients will stop paying attention.