I remember when motion graphics first started to appear in my social media feeds, it felt like something straight out of Harry Potter… You know, magical.

In hindsight, that seems like a bit of an overstatement. 

But the truth is, in a time where 3.2 billion people are on social media and have seen just about everything under the sun on their feeds, motion graphics (or images that are brought to life with movement) are still more likely to stop their scroll than static images or posts without a visual component.

Much like the value of using video in your marketing and the fact that our brains are built to retain ideas that are eye-catching and visually appealing, the use of motion graphics in your social media has a greater chance of catching your audience’s fleeting attention.

Here are some examples of attention-grabbing motion graphics for your social media.

In the world of motion graphics, there are a lot of ways you could go — GIFs, animated graphics, cinemagraphs — and the options are growing daily. 

Motion Graphics Option #1: Animated Graphics

Canva recently rolled out its latest Canva Pro feature, Canva Animator, which works with all of their previous templates, so that you can turn an Instagram image from this…

To this…

Or from this…

To this…

The differences may seem subtle (and honestly, when it comes to animating your graphics, subtle is probably better), but when the average person spends 3 hours on social media a day, you’ve got to be doing whatever you can to be memorable.

Motion Graphics Option #2: GIFs

While GIFs are not an option for the visually-driven Instagram, other social media platforms feature them heavily. In fact, Twitter shared that tweets containing a GIF receive 55% more engagement than those without.

GIFs are essentially short animated images (sometimes with text captions) that move in continuous loops.

There is no shortage of GIFs available to use for social media. (Below are a few of my personal favorite dancing GIFs.) 

Of course, not all GIFs feature fabulous dance movies. But if you can’t find the one that fits, using apps or sites like Giphy.com, GIFMaker.me, and even Canva, you can make your own. 

One con of using GIFs in your social media marketing is that – depending on your audience or brand – they can come across as spammy, so this is definitely a case when knowing your ideal client is crucial. 

Motion Graphics Option #3: Cinemagraphs

Cinemagraphs are certainly a newer phenomenon than GIFs and definitely more subtle. Higher-end brands like Chanel, Armani, and Saks Fifth Avenue have been increasingly using them in their marketing.

Cinemagraphs are somewhere between a still image and a loop video (like a GIF). They typically feature a stationary picture, but with a single animated element on a loop.

Unlike GIFs, there aren’t as many sources of royalty-free cinemagraphs available, but you can purchase them from places like Flixel.com. Or you can find some for free from sites like Giphy.com, but there can be a fine line between cinemagraphs and GIFs here and on similar websites. You can also make your own cinemagraph at Flixel.com or using an app such as Zoetropic. 

Whatever type of motion graphics you choose to use in your social media feed, remember that there can always be too much of a good thing. You still want to be authentic and provide value to your audience while also bringing some fun and engagement.

If you need help creating or sharing motion graphics on your social media, the team at Amazing OBM would love to connect. You can start by scheduling a FREE 30-minute consultation. We are happy to chat, offer you some valuable tips, and determine if we are a good fit for one another in future endeavors!