The Beginner’s Guide to GIPHY Upgraded Channels

GIPHY, the go-to platform for sharing and discovering GIFs, has become an essential part of our daily digital communication. With over 10 billion pieces of content served every day, and a daily user reach of 700+ million people, it’s safe to say that GIPHY has become a household name.

Since its launch in 2013, GIPHY has revolutionized digital communication with its extensive library of animated GIFs, stickers, short videos, and clips. The platform’s innovative features enable users to create, share, and collaborate on various forms of content, including memes, pop culture references, and reactions. GIPHY’s ability to offer such a diverse range of options has made it a sought-after platform for individuals looking to convey humor, emotions, and personality during online conversations.

GIPHY is seamlessly integrated with a multitude of popular services, including Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and more. With new and trending content added daily, GIPHY’s vast library of visual and audio content, ranging from GIFs to short-form videos, continues to expand, providing users with a never-ending source of entertainment.

In this article, we take a closer look at the different channels available on GIPHY, offering insights on how to expand your content horizons and find the right channel to showcase your creations. Whether you’re new to the platform or a seasoned content creator, this guide offers valuable tips to help you make the most of GIPHY.

Image used with permission from Dark Igloo, the design firm behind GIPHY’s iconic and captivating visuals.

Upgraded Channels: What You Need To Know

To start with, let’s give you a brief overview of the types of channels that GIPHY offers: Brand, Creator, and Artist channels. These channels are also known as “upgraded channels” or “upgraded users.”

According to GIPHY, an upgraded user is someone who has been vetted for authenticity by the platform’s team. This means that Artists, Brands, and Creators who are interested in upgrading their channels must apply and undergo a review process. Once approved, upgraded users are expected to produce high-quality, original content that aligns with GIPHY’s standards.

Let’s explore the various upgraded channel options on GIPHY. By the end of the article, you’ll have a clear understanding of which channel type is best suited to your needs.

Brand Channel

Brand channels are best suited for companies, celebrities, organizations, musicians, and public figures looking to showcase branded content, enhance their online presence, and engage with a larger audience.

For example, Pepsi, Coach, and the World Health Organization all have brand channels on GIPHY that feature branded GIFs and stickers. Musicians like The Weeknd also use GIPHY to release stickers and GIFs related to their music and tours, including their latest show and their first live album, “After Hours Live at SoFi Stadium.” They take clips from music videos, such as those featured in their album “Dawn FM,” which contains collections of GIFs and stickers from music videos such as “Gasoline,” “Out of Time,” and “Sacrifice,” among others. These clips are organized into collections that fans can easily access and share with friends.

Companies like Netflix use GIPHY to organize and share content from their various shows, such as Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, YOU, Selling Sunset, and many more, creating collections of GIFs and stickers that feature memorable scenes and characters. By using GIPHY’s Super Cut tool, (more on this later), they can also create custom GIFs and stickers that highlight specific moments from their shows.

Creator Channel

A Creator channel on GIPHY is best for artists, designers, filmmakers, game developers, creative coders, and other creative professionals to showcase their work and share it with the world. A Creator channel is the first step in becoming a GIPHY Artist and gaining recognition for your unique and creative content.

Artist Channel (GIPHY’s Artist Program)

GIPHY’s Artist program is an exclusive opportunity designed for digital and visual artists. By invitation-only, the program’s team directly reaches out to eligible candidates who have been identified as potential fits. To be considered, you must first have an approved Creator channel. Some notable GIPHY Artists include TRIPPIESTEFF, Nora Fikse, Sarah The Palmer, and Jon Hanlan, among others.

Additional perks for artist channels include the ability to add a “Hire Me” button, which will be visible exclusively to GIPHY’s official partner network below your bio. To assist you in getting started, GIPHY has compiled a Freelance GIF Artist Guide with helpful tips.

Image used with permission from Dark Igloo, the design firm behind GIPHY’s iconic and captivating visuals.

Upgraded channels on GIPHY have access to a range of features and tools that can elevate your content creation game. This includes channel analytics (with verified accounts receiving enhanced analytics; more on this later), the ability to create Stories (also known as GIPHY Storybook), and GIPHY Clips — the platform’s newest tool that allows users to create GIFs with sound. Additionally, the Bulk Editor is available for upgraded channels, providing a more efficient way to organize and tag your content.

Moreover, upgraded channels can take advantage of GIPHY’s search engine and API to increase their visibility and reach a wider audience. When you upgrade your channel, your content becomes searchable on various platforms, including TikTok, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Stories, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and more. Approval for an upgraded channel on GIPHY opens the door to showcasing your content to a vast and diverse audience, providing opportunities for your GIFs to be discovered and shared by more people.

Before applying for an upgraded channel on GIPHY, it’s highly recommended that you take a look at GIPHY’s tips for submitting an application. Keep in mind that you are limited to one application per GIPHY account. This means that if you submit an application for an upgraded channel and are denied, you cannot reapply using the same GIPHY account.

Image used with permission from Dark Igloo, the design firm behind GIPHY’s iconic and captivating visuals.

Verified Badges on GIPHY: What They Mean for Content Creators

GIPHY offers verified badges to eligible upgraded channels, providing increased credibility and visibility for their content. A verified badge grants access to additional features beyond those of an upgraded channel. For instance, you can use GIPHY Super Cut, a tool that uses scene detection technology to create multiple GIFs and clips in bulk from your existing video content. This enables you to generate large amounts of content and upload them directly to your verified GIPHY channel.

Verified channels on GIPHY have access to enhanced channel analytics, including engagement rate metrics and search insights. This allows you to monitor audience engagement, identify highly searched terms that lack content, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your channel’s performance.

Verified channels can also take advantage of the suggested tags (beta) feature, powered by GIPHY’s machine learning technology. This feature suggests relevant tags based on your content, leveraging metadata from GIPHY’s extensive database to increase your content’s discoverability.

As a result, verified channels benefit from increased visibility and improved search results, as they appear as a priority in Giphy.com’s search ranking. Being a verified channel on GIPHY gives you a competitive edge, allowing you to leverage advanced analytics and tools to maximize your channel’s impact.

Channels that have been upgraded but do not yet have a verified badge may apply for verification. It’s important to note, however, that having an upgraded channel does not guarantee that you will receive a verified badge. GIPHY reviews all requests for verification and determines whether they meet their verification criteria, which is not publicly disclosed at the time of writing this article.

Image used with permission from Dark Igloo, the design firm behind GIPHY’s iconic and captivating visuals.

GIPHY has recently invested a lot of time in assisting its content creators by creating resources such as the newly launched Content Calendar. This calendar is designed to help partners take advantage of high-traffic moments on GIPHY throughout the year. It’s worth noting that GIPHY recommends selecting events that align with your brand when creating content. Also, it’s okay if you don’t have content for every event of the month because on GIPHY, every day is a holiday.

In summary, GIPHY offers a range of channels and features that can help content creators and artists showcase their work, connect with audiences, and stay up-to-date with trends and events. By leveraging GIPHY’s resources and tools, you can create content that resonates with your followers and stands out in a crowded online space. With its massive reach and engaged community, GIPHY provides a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and expand your creative horizons.