How GIPHY’s Network Of Integrations Prevents GIFs From going Out Of Business

by Federica Rustico

12 min read
Last Updated: May 26, 2023

Everyone knows that being skilled and having a solid network of connections are two things that will take you far in your career. And believe me when I say this isn't only true of people; businesses prosper thanks to their networks too, and animated pictures are the best possible example of it. GIFs, or Graphics Interchange Format, are an image file that has become a popular form of expression and communication on social media and messaging apps. But their rise in popularity isn’t just linked to the fact that they are a fun and visually appealing way for users to express their emotions, convey ideas, and add humor to their messages. The growing use of GIFs is definitely also due to the high priority of the biggest GIF search engine, aka GIPHY, to create a solid network of integrations across different platforms, from Twitter to Spotify, allowing GIFs to be used seamlessly across all mediums. Let’s see how step by step, each of GIPHY’s partnerships has contributed in reducing the risk of GIFs going out of business and the benefits users, platforms and GIPHY reap out of these synergies. 


What is GIPHY?

GIPHY is an online platform that provides users with access to an extensive collection of GIFs covering a wide variety of topics, from memes to pop culture references. By forming a partnership with GIPHY, social media and messaging applications were able to simply include this extensive library of GIFs straight into their platforms, giving their users instant access to a wide assortment of GIFs for all their communication needs.

How GIPHY's Network of Integrations Secure the Future of GIFs

Facebook, Inc. is the proud owner of GIPHY. In May of 2020, Facebook reportedly spent $400 million to acquire the company. If it's  unclear why Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg would pay so much for an animated image search engine, let me spell it out for you: because doing so is beneficial from a strategic standpoint. Let me tell you, in today's social media and messaging app-driven digital and tech world, owning a company like GIPHY is a huge strategic advantage. Take a look around you; GIFs are everywhere; and GIPHY, with its vast library of GIFs and wide user base, is one of the world's most popular GIF libraries and search engines. With its acquisition, Facebook can now incorporate user-generated GIFs into its own platforms and services like Instagram and WhatsApp.

But that's just the start of it. Facebook can increase its advertising options and reach a wider range of users now that it owns GIPHY. If you're a business or advertiser, you can use GIPHY to make and share branded GIFs that your customers and audience may then use in their own communications and online posts. In doing so, brands may expand their online presence, gain access to new audiences, and increase interaction with their content.

Last but not least, the acquisition of GIPHY gives Facebook an edge in the expanding market for short-form video and other visually engaging material. Owning a platform like GIPHY will become increasingly attractive for businesses seeking to connect and engage with these audiences as more and more people use social media and messaging applications to communicate and consume content.

Who Does GIPHY Have Integrations With?

GIPHY has integrations and partnerships with a wide range of platforms and businesses, including:

  1. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.
  2. Messaging and communication platforms such as Slack, iMessage, and WhatsApp.
  3. Video platforms such as YouTube and Snapchat.
  4. Entertainment platforms such as Spotify.
  5. E-commerce platforms such as Shopify.
  6. Content management systems such as WordPress and Wix.

Thanks to these partnerships and integrations, GIPHY is able to reach a wide range of people,  making it easier than ever for anyone to incorporate GIFs into their online conversations and original works. These collaborations also present fresh prospects for GIPHY to generate revenue and expand its operations.

As a result of GIPHY's collaboration with these apps, the GIF image file format has become increasingly popular, and GIPHY has strengthened its position as a preeminent source of GIFs. As a result of its widespread adoption, GIPHY is now an integral part of the online messaging and social media ecosystems.

It's safe to say that the GIF file format's prominence in digital communication was greatly enhanced by the collaboration between social networking and messaging apps and GIPHY. This is because many apps have built extensive GIF libraries right into their interfaces, making it simple for users to search for and access the perfect GIF for any given situation.

Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and more are just a few of the many prominent services that GIPHY has partnered with. The GIF picture format's continued success can be attributed in large part to this widespread adoption, which also lessens the likelihood that it will go out of business. GIPHY's library of GIFs is now accessible and usable by millions of individuals around the world thanks to the platform integrations the company has developed. Since users can now search for and embed GIFs from GIPHY's library, the connection also provides a reliable revenue stream for the company. The connection also helps GIPHY attract new users and grow its audience, which helps to further establish the GIF as a vital and widely used medium for modern marketing and communication.

The Benefits Of The Widespread Integrations For GIPHY And users 

The widespread incorporation of GIPHY with different platforms attests to the widespread adoption of GIFs as a means of online communication and expression. GIPHY has built integrations with other major sites, like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and chat apps like Slack, to make its extensive GIF library accessible and used by as many people as possible.

The company makes money by licensing its platform and content to commercial entities, earning money from branded content creation, and charging for premium services. Because GIPHY is an affiliate marketing network, it earns a commission if a user makes a purchase after clicking on a link in a GIF posted to the service. Advertisements and collaborations with services like mobile messaging and other websites that make use of the GIPHY library also contribute to GIPHY's revenue stream.

How GIPHY's Network of Integrations Secure the Future of GIFs

There are several positive outcomes for GIPHY and its users as a result of this comprehensive integration. Since GIPHY's GIFs are searchable and shareable across various channels, the company's bottom line is guaranteed to grow. The company can reach a wider audience and attract more users in this way, thus demonstrating the GIF's continued importance in modern marketing and communication.

GIPHY's integration across multiple platforms not only provides a reliable cash stream, but also lessens the possibility of the GIF format going extinct. Because GIFs can be used on so many different platforms, the GIPHY collection will always be accessible to millions of people across the world and will continue to be a vital part of the internet as a whole. Because of this synergy, GIPHY has been able to sustain its rapid expansion, and the GIF format now has a promising future.

GIPHY's integration with social media sites like Instagram and TikTok gives businesses a fun and memorable method to connect with their customers. If you want your brand's ads to stand out in a sea of static material and connect with customers in a way that feels genuine and organic, GIFs are the way to go. Brands in every industry can benefit from the use of GIFs, whether they're in the fashion industry showcasing their current collection or the food and beverage industry showcasing their products in an engaging and aesthetically appealing way.

Connecting GIPHY with services like Spotify creates a fresh and engaging medium for people to share their reactions to and explorations of music. Spotify users, for instance, can show their mood or recommend their favorite songs to their friends by using GIFs as playlist covers. In addition, the app's lyrics section integrates a GIPHY GIF collection, allowing users more ways to have fun and be creative with the words to their favorite songs.

The convenience and availability of the GIPHY library are further enhanced by the platform integration of GIPHY. As a result of GIPHY's connection with social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, users have quick and easy access to the site's extensive GIF library, making it simple for them to convey their thoughts and feelings in a lighthearted and aesthetically appealing manner. Because of this, GIFs are increasingly used across the web, and their popularity and significance continue to grow.

Here are all benefits:

  1. Increased Reach and User Base: With integrations on popular platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others, GIPHY has the ability to reach a wider audience and grow its user base. This allows GIPHY to expand its footprint in the world of digital media and messaging.
  1. Improved User Experience: By partnering with these platforms, GIPHY can make it easier for users to search for, find and share the GIFs they want. It also gives them access to a wider selection of GIFs and enables them to share their favorite GIFs in the most convenient way possible.
  1. Increased Revenue: Integrating with these platforms also helps GIPHY to generate more revenue. This can be achieved through advertising, licensing, and data sales. By having access to a large user base and vast amounts of data, GIPHY can offer advertisers more targeted and effective advertising opportunities.
  1. Access to User Data: By integrating with social media and messaging apps, GIPHY can gather data on how people use GIFs and which ones are the most popular. This data is valuable to GIPHY as it helps to guide its product development, marketing, and advertising efforts.
  1. Brand Visibility and Awareness: By partnering with popular platforms, GIPHY can increase its brand visibility and awareness. People are more likely to associate GIPHY with the popular brands it partners with, and this can help to build trust and credibility for the company.

The Benefits For Social Media And Messaging Apps 

But the benefits aren’t only for GIPHY and its users. These partnerships and integrations are a win-win for all. In general, integrating with GIPHY allows social media and messaging apps to offer a more comprehensive range of features and content formats, making them more visually appealing and dynamic, and ultimately helping to increase user engagement and improve the overall user experience. Let’s see how the GIPHY partnership has impacted some of the most famous platforms out there:

How GIPHY's Network of Integrations Secure the Future of GIFs

Here's a high-level look at what benefits any social media or messaging service might expect from collaborating with GIPHY:

  1. Access to a vast library of GIFs: By forming strategic alliances with GIPHY, social media and messaging applications may provide their users with access to a library of millions of GIFs, enriching the user experience and adding visual interest to online conversations.
  1. Increased engagement: Users' engagement and happiness have been found to rise when they are given the option to share animated GIFs on social media. More people might start using the service, and existing users might stick around longer, if this happens.
  1. Improved user experience: Integrating GIPHY into a social network or messaging app makes it simpler for users to find and share the GIFs they desire, which in turn improves the user experience.
  1. Increased brand exposure: Collaboration with GIPHY can boost the visibility of social media and messaging apps, which could result in an increase in the number of people using those services.
  1. Improved search capabilities: Integrating with GIPHY can assist social networking and messaging applications provide their users with a better search experience for GIFs, as GIPHY's search capabilities are second to none.
  1. Increased monetization opportunities: Opportunities for advertising and sponsorships grow when social media and messaging applications provide users with a large library of GIFs and make it simple to find and share them.

Wrapping Up

Because of GIPHY's many partnerships and connections with other platforms, the GIF file format has become increasingly popular and widely used, consolidating its role in contemporary communication. GIPHY has facilitated the use of GIFs by working with widely-used platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as messaging services such as Whatsapp and Slack. As a result, the likelihood of the GIF file format becoming outdated has decreased as its exposure and usage have increased. In addition, GIPHY's collaborations with email marketing firms have expanded the ways in which GIFs can be used for promotional purposes. Through these collaborations, GIPHY has been able to expose the GIF format's adaptability to a wider audience, further confirming the GIF's status as a mainstay of modern communication. To wrap up, GIPHY's partnerships have been an integral element of the company's success, helping it to expand into new markets while lowering the likelihood that the GIF file format would go extinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GIPHY integration?

GIPHY integration refers to the integration of GIPHY's vast library of GIFs into other platforms and apps. Through this integration, users of these services will have quick and easy access to GIPHY's extensive GIF library, and will be able to include GIPHY GIFs into a variety of in-app experiences, including direct messaging, social media postings, and email. GIFs have become increasingly popular as a result of GIPHY's library being integrated into a broad variety of platforms. This has helped to further establish the GIF format as a common means of online expression.

Is the GIPHY API free?

Even though the GIPHY API isn't free, there are both free and premium options available. Upgrading to the premium version grants access to more features and higher resource allocation caps.

SUGGESTED