Capture your Customer’s Emotions with Emojis

It’s World Emoji Day, and we’re celebrating these little icons that make our digital world go ‘round.

Emojs have become a universally spoken language of their own, and they are here to stay. When it comes to marketing, emojis can help relate to your customers on a friendly and even emotional level, lightening the tone of your messaging and appearing more personable. Not to mention, they help with word count limitations on some of our favorite platforms.

You can tell a story, express an emotion, and yes, even order a pizza 🍕. But how can you use emojis to gain a competitive edge? Here are three places you can use them to your advantage:

Email Marketing

According to a study by Experian, “56% of the brands studied showed an increase in open rates when using emojis within the subject line.” Why? They stand out in an inbox and can draw your audience's eyes to your email even if it’s halfway down. Use popular emoji options—but stay creative! An emoji is worth a thousand words, right?

If you aren’t sure it will work for your intended audience, run a split test with an emoji in one subject line and another without. Compare your open rates and proceed from there. Speaking of tests, make sure your emojis display properly, or risk sending (and being) a ☐.

Social Media

Emojis and social media go together like peanut butter and jelly. Attention spans are shrinking and news feeds are growing, making emojis the ideal language for social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat. Not only do they grab attention in the short amount of time your content is being served, but they are visually engaging, associating your brand with a friendly image.

Find out what emojis your target audiences are already using, then try tying a specific emoji to your brand. Your loyal customers are more likely to use them as well, ultimately helping you increase engagement.

Mobile

Always utilize mobile. If you’re not optimizing for mobile, what are you doing? Mobile devices are where users have quick-draw access to their beloved emoji keyboard, so it’s only logical that’s where you should be. Again, it’s all about being approachable. Emojis can increase your brand loyalty, as users have more fun engaging with your content and you begin to gain their trust. With brand loyalty comes conversions. At the end of the day, you’re simply trying to connect with your audience.

Less is More

You may be tempted to go overboard with emojis, and using them “just because”can do more harm than good. Always remain relevant to your content and don’t bombard your audience; using too many emojis can lead to confusion. Additionally, many emojis have multiple meanings, and when used in a series they can create new meanings altogether. Make sure you understand the meaning of an emoji, both literal and interpreted, before you use it. Not sure what they mean? Here’s a great place to get started.

Keep in mind, emoji use doesn’t work for every business. While they may work great for companies with a lighter focus, it may not come across as well for a more serious brand. Use your best judgment before adding emojis, and have fun! 👍