GIFs have become an incredibly popular way to express emotions and reactions on social media. Facebook, being one of the largest social media platforms, supports sharing GIFs in comments, messages, and posts. Adding GIFs to your Facebook content can make it more fun, engaging, and expressive.
In this guide, we will go over everything you need to know about adding GIFs to Facebook, including:
- What are GIFs and why are they popular on social media?
- How to find and download GIFs to use on Facebook
- Adding GIFs in Facebook posts and comments
- Sharing GIFs in Facebook messenger
- Creating your own custom GIFs
Read on to learn all the tips, tricks and tools to take your Facebook content to the next level with animated GIFs!
What are GIFs?
GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. GIFs are a series of images or soundless video clips that auto-play in a loop. They are compressed image formats that display short, animated clips or loops that last 1-8 seconds.
The GIF format has been around since the late 1980s, but started becoming wildly popular with the rise of social media. GIFs are commonly used to express a variety of emotions and reactions on social platforms in a fun and shareable way.
Some key advantages of GIF files that make them ideal for social media use:
- Small file size – The compression enables them to load quickly
- Animated – Brings static content to life
- Looping – GIFs replay automatically in a loop
- Expressive – Convey emotions and reactions
- Fun and Engaging – Attract attention and go viral
GIFs can be used in place of text reactions like LOL or OMG. They are visual shorthand for conveying reactions, moods, inside jokes, movie references, and more.
Some popular reaction GIF categories include:
- Laughing/Happiness
- Crying/Sadness
- Disgust & Confusion
- Excitement & Celebration
- Fear & Embarassment
- Love & Friendship
Adding relevant GIFs in your Facebook content makes it more eye-catching, helps convey tone and emotion, and boosts engagement.
How to Find and Download GIFs
Now that you know what GIFs are and why they are so popular, let’s look at the various sources to find great GIFs to use:
GIF Search Engines
Just like searching for images or videos, dedicated GIF search engines enable searching through vast databases of animated GIF files. Some top GIF search engines include:
Giphy – The largest GIF database with over 2 billion GIFs. Easy to search by keywords and has trending and latest categories.
Tenor – Database of over 12 million GIFs that can be shared easily on social media. Has powerful keyboard for sending GIFs quickly.
GIFY – Database of animated stickers and GIFs. Good for finding trending memes and reactions.
These search engines make it easy to find the perfect GIF by searching for relevant keywords, emotions, or reactions. For example, you can search “happy dance GIF” or “crying GIF” to find suitable animated files.
GIF Collection Websites
There are many websites dedicated to curating and sharing cool GIF collections and memes. Browsing through the categories on these sites can give you meme ideas. Some popular GIF collection sites include:
Reddit – Has many active GIF subreddits like /r/reactiongifs, /r/gifextra, and /r/highqualitygifs.
Tumblr – Many Tumblr blogs and tags are dedicated to sharing curated GIF collections and memes.
4chan – GIFs are frequently used to respond on 4chan discussion boards.
Once you’ve identified a GIF to use, most search engines and sites provide easy ways to download or share the GIF:
- Click the download button on the GIF to save it to your device
- Click share buttons for direct Facebook sharing
- Right-click and choose “Save image as”
- Drag and drop the GIF file to your desktop or folders
Having a library of downloaded GIFs makes it easy to quickly insert them into Facebook.
GIF Maker Tools
You can also make custom GIFs using images, video clips, or screen recordings. Some GIF maker tools include:
Kapwing – Browser-based studio for making GIFs from images, videos, logos and text. Lots of customization options.
Giphy Capture – Desktop app to capture and edit short screen recordings into GIFs.
Imgflip – Has a quick meme generator to add text captions to existing meme templates and GIFs.
Adobe Photoshop – Can assemble frame animations and export as GIF. More advanced editing features.
Creating your own GIFs allows you to cater reactions and emotions more specifically to your Facebook community.
Adding GIFs to Facebook Posts
Now for the fun part – inserting GIFs into your Facebook posts to make them more engaging! Here are the steps:
- Click to create a new post on Facebook as usual. This could be a status update, photo post, life event etc.
- Type out text for your post as normal. Think of where you want to insert a GIF – reactions, jokes or emotions that would be better conveyed visually.
- Click the GIF icon in the composer toolbar. It looks like a cube with moving dots.
- This will open up the Facebook GIF keyboard. Browse through categories or search for relevant GIFs.
- Once you find the perfect GIF, click on it to preview and insert it.
- The GIF will be added inline in your text. You can drag to reposition it if needed.
- When ready, click Post to publish your GIF-enriched status update, photo post or life event!
The GIF will auto-play as people scroll through their newsfeeds. You’ll notice GIF-filled posts tend to get higher engagement in the form of reactions, comments and shares.
Here are some tips for adding impactful GIFs:
- Don’t overdo it – 1 well-placed GIF has more impact than many
- Relevance – Choose a GIF that directly relates to your post context
- Placement – Insert GIFs where they fit best, like after a joke or reaction quote
- Express emotions – Happy, sad, angry – GIFs convey this better than text
- Entertain and surprise – GIFs are perfect for pop culture references or inside jokes
With the right strategy, GIFs can truly take your Facebook content to the next level.
Posting GIF Comments
In addition to posts, GIFs can also be used when commenting on Facebook. To insert a GIF in a comment:
- Click to expand the comments section under a Facebook post
- Start typing your comment as normal
- Click the GIF button next to the emoji button
- Browse for an appropriate GIF and select it
- The GIF will be inserted into your comment. Click Post when done.
GIF comments are perfect for quick funny or emotional reactions, engaging in a heated debate, or just showing appreciation on a friend’s post with a clever meme reference.
Sharing GIFs on Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is another great place to share GIFs with friends or groups:
- Open a Messenger conversation thread
- In the text compose box, click the GIF button (same as posting comments)
- Pick a relevant GIF and send!
GIFs make your chats and conversations more fun and lively. They are the modern version of emoticons or stickers. Some creative ways to use GIFs on Messenger:
- As reactions during a conversation
- To break the ice or initiate a chat
- As a response to questions
- To flirt or connect with romantic interests
- To express excitement about events
- To send funny inside jokes
With Messenger’s fast and intuitive GIF integration, you’ll be chatting in GIFs in no time!
Creating Custom GIFs
While GIF platforms provide tons of great content, you can also create custom GIFs tailored to your Facebook community. Here are some tips:
Convert Video Clips
Identify key 5-10 second segments in existing videos that would work well as looping GIFs. Use online tools like Kapwing to trim, crop, and export as an optimized GIF.
Screen Record
Use screen recording software to capture short segments of on-screen activity. Recording software like Quicktime (Mac) or ScreenToGif (Windows) make it easy.
Convert Photos
Take a series of 2-3 photos to tell a “story” and use a GIF maker to stitch them together with transition effects. Works well for step-by-step tutorials.
Text and Logos
Create GIFs with animated text, shapes, logos and illustrations using GIF maker tools. Perfect for branding and promotions.
Memes
Add your own text or graphics to existing meme templates using online meme generators or apps. Great for timely jokes and pop culture humor.
The more personalized and relevant your custom GIFs, the better they will resonate with your target Facebook audience.
Conclusion
GIFs have become an essential way to make your Facebook content more engaging, expressive and fun. With the wide variety of GIF sources and tools available, it’s easy to find and add GIFs to your Facebook posts, comments, and chats.
Used thoughtfully, GIFs help you better connect with your audience and stand out in the Facebook feed. Avoid overuse, and ensure GIFs closely match the context. With the tips in this guide, you’re ready to take your Facebook presence to the next level with animated GIF magic!