We all love GIFs that describe exactly how we feel. Some blogs, like How Do I Put This Gently?, are popular because of the GIFs they feature. Now, imagine watching TV and you see something hilarious that would make the perfect gif. WE (Women’s Entertainment) tv took that concept and made it a reality for everyone, not just the tech savvy.
On Friday night, WE tv app is releasing an additional function that allows viewers to create GIFs while watching their shows in real time. The addition, GIF Sync, opens the doors to new social media sharing experiences. GIF Sync will promote viewer engagement and social media activity during their reality TV shows.
By allowing viewers to create GIFs in real-time with network television, it increases buzz around the show and ultimately will bring in a larger viewership. In order to further promote GIF Sync, WE tv will open up a dedicated feed in Twitter for users to share their GIFs in real time with other users/viewers. This source of humor should help create a strengthened sense of community among WE tv viewers, paralleling some of the humor commonly found in Reddit and Tumblrs’ communities. Also, by allowing users to share entertaining media, WE tv is encouraging their shows to gain some virality.
According to WE tv’s president, Marc Juris, he feels that “viewers are a driving force behind what makes a show pop culture relevant, and as they become increasingly more social we want to be there to capture those conversations.” As applications like GIF Sync are released by more major networks, we should see an increased trend in community among these shows alongside expanded viewership.
If you’re curious about GIF Sync, WE tv is releasing it on Friday night during the season premiere of Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars.
Here are some of our favorite TV-related GIFs courtesy of How Do I Put This Gently: