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How to Embed a GIF in an Email

CloudApp allows you to embed GIFs in email in seconds. Learn how to create your own GIFs and spend less time typing by communicating visually.

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Available on:

The CloudApp GIF creator tool is available for Mac, Windows, iOS and Chrome. Downloading is quick and easy. Access the app from GetCloudApp above, from the Apple Store for Mac and iOS, from the Microsoft Windows Store for PC, or from the Chrome Webstore to add the extension to Chrome.

Embedding GIFs Made Simple

A staggering 270 billion emails are sent every day around the world. On average, a professional may receive over 120 emails while in the office. 

We’ve all experienced that moment of dread as we open our inbox to discover a mountain of content to sift through. This is reflected in the typical open rate for an email, which is 34%. Only one of every three emails that are sent will actually be opened and then, only 3.1% of messages will be responded to. 

As a business owner, manager or employee, email is likely your main method of communication. In this article, you will learn how to spend less time typing out messages and how to instantly increase the value of your emails by utilizing GIFs.

Embedding a GIF into an email:

  • Saves you time by leveraging visual communication
  • Reduces confusion and back & forth exchanges
  • Shows your recipient you are innovative 
  • And, allows you to share useful solutions with your team

First...What’s a GIF?

A GIF is a type of file format that can be used to display short, moving clips, which repeat on a loop. The vast majority of professionals only use GIFs to make their coworkers laugh on Slack. Big mistake. GIFs are powerful communication tools that can convey the value of a 5,000-word email in seconds. The problem is, the process of creating a custom GIF is too complicated for most. 

CloudApp is an all-in-one media software that allows users to instantly capture, edit and share media from their screens. If you need to create a GIF quickly, CloudApp is the best solution.

How To Create Your Own GIF

CloudApp solves this issue by making it incredibly easy to capture your own GIFs (and all other forms of screen recording). Here’s a quick tutorial on the process:

  1. Begin by downloading CloudApp for free for your Mac,Windows PC, or Linux  operating system
  2. Through your web browser’s download folder, select and download the CloudApp.msi file 
  3. If CloudApp does not automatically begin, search for and select “CloudApp” through your localized search bar.‍
  4. Create your free CloudApp account when prompted
  5. Within CloudApp, choose the “GIF icon” at the top left of the CloudApp window to record your screen
  6. Use your mouse as a snipping tool and select the area you wish to capture. Then, click start to record and click the “finish” button to stop recording.
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You have just created your own custom GIF, which you can share with an automatically generated link or embed directly into an email.

How to Embed a GIF in an Email with CloudApp

Creating a GIF with CloudApp is simple but embedding that content into an email is even easier. 

  1. Click the CloudApp icon to reveal a list of the media files (drops) you created recently. 
  2. Find the GIF you wish to share, then click the 3-dot icon to the right of the media file to open further options
  3. Select the, “Share with Mail” option
  4. A link is automatically copied to your clipboard containing your GIF
  5. In the email you wish to send, use a keyboard shortcut or right-click to paste the link
  6. Your GIF will instantly populate and embed into the email

The process is effortless. Stop wasting time typing lengthy emails and start communicating visually at the speed of sight.

Embedding a GIF in an Email with Drag and Drop

With CloudApp’s GIF editing app, the process of creating and embedding GIFs is simplified. All GIFs, screen recordings and screenshots you create are all stored securely in teh cloud. Since CloudApp lives in the Mac Menu Bar, accessing and editing the files and sharing them via the drag and drop embed feature is quick and easy.

To embed a GIF into an email, follow these steps:

  1. On Mac, click on the CloudApp icon in the top right status bar
  2. For Windows, click the Start Menu, navigate to CloudApp, and find the GIF you want to embed
  3. Click on the file with your mouse, and simply drag and drop it in your email client.

Check out how easy this is to do for Mac in the GIF to your left!

How Using GIFs Saves Hours When Emailing

How many hours have you spent in the last week typing emails? The answer for everyone is… too many. 

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If you want to remain competitive and increase your productivity, you need to leverage the power of visual communication. Humans are wired to interpret visual data. Your clients can grasp the message of a GIF up to 60,000X faster than text alone. In fact, by communicating with screenshots, recordings and GIFs, your team can increase its productivity by about 300%.

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Taking 5 minutes to explain a concept with text is wasteful. Time is of the essence. You don’t have a moment to waste in the race to the top. Save time and start using GIFs to relay complex topics in emails with CloudApp.

GIFs and Screenshots Reduce Confusion in Slack

Explaining processes with Cloudapp reduces errors and saves time. Not only do GIFs make you faster, but they are also easier to understand. If you need to walk a coworker through a multi-step process, you will need to craft an intricate email. Or, you can fire up Slack, using the drag and drop feature, physically show them what they need to do in seconds.

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Say goodbye to email chains and useless back and forth. Provide more value and get the point across the first time with CloudApp GIFs and Slack. Access and install our Slack Integration here.

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