A few weeks ago I posted a blog containing information on the world of GIFs: what they are and where to find them. In my last post, I explored six ways in which you can use GIFs and promised to share a how-to-guide on how to create your very own GIFs. Here it is!
- Giphy, one of the largest GIF websites, has a very simple-to-use tool called GIFMaker to help you create GIFs in seconds. If you want to create a GIF from a YouTube video, simply insert the link of the video you wish to use. If you have your own video you’d like to create a GIF from, browse your computer and upload it to the website. From here, you can select the start time and duration of the GIF. You can also add a caption to your GIF from this screen. When you’re happy with your result, save your GIF to the Giphy website and share it anywhere you wish to.
- Giphy Slideshow: Another tool from Giphy, Slideshow allows you to upload images from your computer or links to images from the web and stitch them together to create a GIF. You can change the order in which you’d like them to appear, and how long each image will appear for.
- GIFMaker.me: GIFMaker works similarly to Giphy Slideshow in that you can upload images from your computer to stitch them together to create your GIF. Once uploaded, your images will appear on the webpage. Use the Control Panel on the right side of your screen to change the size, speed, and the number of times your GIF repeats. You can also add music to your GIF by using a YouTube URL. When you are satisfied with your creation, click “Create GIF” to save it to your device.
- ImgFlip: ImgFlip is very similar to both GIFMaker.me and Giphy. You can stitch images together or create a GIF from a video. ImgFlip also allows you to add captions and text, and change the size of your GIF and its duration.
*Note: many of these websites allow you to decide the number of times you’d like your GIF to repeat. If you enter a ‘1’, your GIF will repeat once, ‘2’ = twice, etcetera. If you want your GIF to continuously loop, type in ‘0’.
There you have it! Four free, easy-to-use tools to help you create your own GIFs for all of your social media and marketing needs. Get creating! Good luck!
The A Dot 