Google LLC today said it has acquired Tenor Inc., a San Francisco-based animated GIF search engine startup, for an undisclosed price.

Founded in 2014, Tenor offers a platform for animated GIF searches offered through both its own tools and through an application programming interface that allows integration with third-party tools. Along with search engine and hosting on its own site, the company offers a number of its own apps — “GIF keyboards” for Android and iOS that allow users to insert animated GIFs into any conversation they are having on their mobile device.

What Tenor is best known for, however, is its integration into third-party apps, the most notable being Facebook Messenger. Within Messenger, when users hit the option to insert a GIF into their conversation, the data is pulled from Tenor. Other apps using Tenor’s API include Apple’s iMessage, WhatsApp, Twitter and new owner Google through its Gboard app.

More recently, the company moved into augmented reality with a software development kit and application programming interface that developers can use to embed animations in their augmented reality apps.

The numbers for a still relatively young startup are impressive, with Tenor serving up 12 billion monthly searches by 300 million users. Post-Google ownership, Tenor will continue to operate as a separate business, with its founders remaining in charge of the company.

“With their deep library of content, Tenor surfaces the right GIFs in the moment so you can find the one that matches your mood,” Cathy Edwards, director of engineering at Google Images, said in a blog post. “Tenor will help us do this more effectively in Google Images as well as other products that use GIFs, like Gboard.”

Prior to the acquisition, Tenor had raised $32 million. Investors included Redpoint, Menlo Ventures, Tenaya Capital, OCA Ventures, Cowboy Ventures, Signia Venture Partners and Initial Capital.

Image: Tenor