Facebook Messenger have started to experiment a new search feature this week that will make it easier for users to find stickers and GIFs in one place. The company have recently set free a series of GIF apps from third-parties that operates inside Messenger — as part of its Messenger platform initiative. However, it is now way past that with a new series of navigators that bring GIFs right into Messenger without those apps.
As of now, Facebook is testing on a dedicated GIF button that will let users to choose and send moving images in two clicks. This will be a lot easier than the existing format, which consist of a reasonable amount of friction as previously users needed to download and use a dedicated app to Messenger in order to share content.
The GIF button appeared on Facebook last week to some of the Messengers comprising 700 million monthly active users. It scans trending GIFs from Giphy and Riffsy — the two enterprises that developed dedicated apps for Messenger — and helps them in for easy sharing that doesn’t require the users to leave the Messenger app. The only disadvantage is, the user’s selection of GIFs is more limited.
However, once sent, the GIFs embrace a link to download either GIF for Messenger (Riffsy) or Giphy for Messenger. The GIF button is an apparent procedure to spice up the use of GIFs . Interestingly, the company is also testing another pilot that comprises an integrated GIF search option.
Mashable was the one who spotted the change, which was apparently present in a selected number of users in Canada, allowing users to search GIFs from Giphy and Riffsy (those two again) and stickers inside the space where users write messages to friends.
Mashable also informed that a Facebook spokesperson notified them that the search feature will eventually include more Gif providers and apps.
So, Facebook really wants users to begin using more gifs, no matter how they pick to pronounce that word.
