The present disclosure is directed toward systems, computer-readable media, and methods for providing customized media effects for use in media communications. For example, systems and methods described herein utilize search terms along with contextual information associated with a client-computing device and characteristic information associated with a digital media item to identify pre-generated media effects and to generate dynamic media effects. Systems and methods described herein score and rank the identified and generated media effects to as to provide listings of media effects that are most likely to appeal to a user of the client-computing device.