Twitter, an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short messages called "tweets" has announced a new GIF button and search feature designed to help users find ready-made clips to share. On Wednesday, Twitter said in a blog post that users could search and browse a GIF library when composing a tweet or direct message. A GIF, short for graphic interchange format, is a moving image that plays over and over again, which is often used on social media to express users emotions.
The Twitter is currently struggling to grow its core user base and is dealing with successive backlashes against proposed new features including an algorithmic timeline and longer posts, said it wanted to make it easier to share GIFs in Direct Messages and Tweets. Powered by Giphy and Riffsy, GIF search will make it possible for users to find animated pictures with a simple search interface across the web and mobile apps. Twitter said it would roll the feature out over the "coming weeks".
The Twitter Official post said, "Whenever you’re composing a Tweet or Direct Message, you can search and browse the GIF library. So if you’re looking for the perfect cat yawn or dance move to express exactly how you feel, just click the new GIF button. You can search by keyword, or browse categories of different reactions like Happy Dance, Mic Drop, or YOLO."
Last week, Twitter shares hit an all-time low after the company said user growth had stalled for the first time since it went public in 2013. The company has been experimenting with ways to make the site more engaging.