LinkedIn is primarily used for making connections with people you want to work with in some capacity. Which means everything has to remain quite formal at all times. Despite this, LinkedIn has decided to embrace GIFs, that very informal means of communication.
LinkedIn Finally Embraces the GIF
In a post on the Official LinkedIn Blog, the company explains that, “For the next generation of professionals, visual communication using GIFs and emojis is second nature and a universal language.”
So, with that in mind, LinkedIn has “teamed up with Tenor to integrate GIFs directly into Messaging”. Tenor is a GIF search tool that powers 12 billion GIF searches every month. And it was recently acquired by Google despite its multi-platform approach.
Help Finding the Perfect GIF
Integrating Tenor into Linked Messaging means that you can now search for a GIF and send it on the spot. And that applies whether it’s a GIF of Chuck Norris being Chuck Norris, a Minion babbling incoherently, or Michael Jordan crying.
You can search for a particular GIF, or scroll through a list of trending GIFs in order to find one that fits. Either way, you can then add it to a message to give your communication a little visual flair. Even if LinkedIn doesn’t feel like the right platform for that.
Giving you more ways to have visual conversations on LinkedIn: https://t.co/vTYCH6jzQB
— LinkedIn (@LinkedIn) April 11, 2018
LinkedIn is rolling out GIFs in Messaging gradually over the next few weeks. If you already have access to the feature you should see a GIF button in the message compose field. Hit that, and a whole new world of inappropriate GIFs will open up to you.
GIFs Aren’t Always Appropriate
We’re making light of the inappropriateness of some GIFs, but this is a risk for LinkedIn. Even LinkedIn suggests you “think about your company’s culture, your professional relationship with the person, and the industry you work in” before sending that GIF.
GIFs are everywhere these days, but I must admit I thought LinkedIn would hold out a little longer. Just be super careful when inserting a GIF into a message aimed at a colleague, client, or connection. And if in doubt, leave the GIF out.
