Sponsored GIFs to be tested by Giphy
GIF search engine Giphy is planning to test sponsored GIFs in messaging apps as it looks for profit options for its platform, which has 200 million daily users and 250 million monthly unique users. The sponsored GIFs will be shown once users have searched for specific terms, rather than being intrusively placed. The date of the trial is yet to be confirmed as is which platform Giphy will use for it.

GIF search engine Giphy will soon begin testing sponsored GIFs within messaging environments, as it seeks to make money off its popular platform that boasts 200m daily active users and around 250m monthly uniques.

According to TechCrunch, citing a source close to the company, as with traditional GIFs these are there to be shared with friends once the user has searched for a term. So, in essence, it will work in a similar way to Snapchat’s sponsored filters – thus not forcing the user away due to intrusive advertising.

It’s not yet clear where Giphy will test the ad platform, or when it is likely the tests will begin. The GIF database is integrated into various platforms including Facebook Messenger, Slack, iMessage, Twitter, Tinder, Bumble, and more, so it has plenty of options to choose from when it decides to go ahead with the monetisation plans.

One other things Giphy must consider is what it promises to brands. If it guarantees that a certain GIF will be shared X number of times, how can it make sure this actually occurs? Or will it just simply promise to make sure a brand’s GIF is at the front of the queue X number of times?

In October last year, Giphy raised $72m in a Series D funding round, which took the company’s valued to $600m.