Images are powerful tools. They can attract and hold attention, or capture and convey an emotion in a way words cannot. Add some movement to your images and they become downright irresistible.

Video is still a powerhouse, but the humble animated gif is enjoying a rise in popularity, too. It's always been a fun way to get a little extra attention. Unfortunately, animated gifs have also been used for too many corny banner ads and annoying animated emoticons. That's sullied their reputation a bit.

But now more and more platforms support animated gifs. And more and more marketers are using them to make their content stand out. It's making for some elegant visual marketing.