If you’ve ever used Tumblr then you know that Tumblr not only started the wide-spread use of GIF files, but that GIF files are also the lifeblood of Tumblr’s community, as users often use them to demonstrate or describe their own feelings or facial reactions to posted content. GIFs are such a huge part of the Tumblr culture that if they were to disappear, so would many of the most popular posts. The majority of Tumblr users all have a folder on their computer full of GIF files so that they can choose the appropriate ‘reaction GIF’ based on the content of a post.
According to a post on the Tumblr Staff blog, now Tumblr has added a function to the site that allows users to create their own GIFs from home, using their own webcams. Users just have to select “Take a photo” when posting a photo, then hit the new ‘GIF’ button, and then record their own four-frame GIFs.
This new feature will almost certainly change the landscape of Tumblr and how users of the social media site add their own thoughts to posts. Now, instead of searching through a folder for the perfect GIF file they can simply create their own. This makes Tumblr a more intimate and personal experience as you can now insert yourself into your posts. This can also lead to Tumblr competing more directly with other apps and sites such as Snapchat, Vine, or Facebook where posting short videos of yourself is the norm.