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So many messages are lost in translation when they are typed or written down. How can you convey your voice or feelings in just 280 characters or less?
According to a report, adding emojis to your social media posts increases engagement and reduces advertising costs. While the marketers of yesteryear scoffed at the thought of emojis, these little smileys can add a ton of personality to an otherwise boring message. And they’re not just for style.
Why use emojis?
Emojis add real value to your messages. intercom discovered that messages sent by a business that contain emojis are four times more likely to receive a response from a customer. Adding an emoji to the end of your sentence can soften an otherwise sales-oriented message. Here’s more data to convince you:
- Emojis on the subject line of your email can increase your open rate by 3-4%.
- The more emojis you use on your Instagram captions, the better higher number of interactions.
- Adding emojis to your ads can increase your click-through rates and improve overall performance.
- Humans are visual people by nature, which means they can process emojis faster than they can read and understand your sentences.
Related: What can emojis tell us about diversity and inclusion?
How do you use emojis in marketing?
Going away from the data and adding a smile at the end of your message can also add context and prevent misinterpretations. Emojis can help you say more with less effort and fewer characters. Here are 5 creative ways to use emojis in marketing.
1. Choose signature emojis for branding
More than three thousand emojis are available. While there’s no harm in using whatever emoji suits your posts, using too many emojis can make your brand look too casual and unprofessional.
It’s a good idea to alternate between a handful of emojis and use them as branding elements. Think about how McDonald’s took ownership of the French fries emoji while Taco Bell petitioned for the taco emoji – what emojis can you make yourself?
Using emojis as part of your branding will help your customers remember you better. It’s also a simple and effective way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
2. Humanize your voice
All messages from brands can be met with some skepticism. Don’t make your audience think you’re just trying to sell them something (even if you do). Emojis are a great tool for making your brand seem more human and relatable.
While instant messaging and social media cannot replicate the intimacy of face-to-face communication, emojis can fill in essential aspects of communication, such as facial expressions and body language.
Emojis are often associated with happiness, so adding an emoji to the end of your post shows that you’re happy to help and can also make your audience happy.
3. When words are not enough
Emojis have a way of driving a point forward when words aren’t enough to express your message. According to psychologists, emojis can enhance the meaning of a message. By adding emojis, you can control the tone of your messages, such as the way you speak.
For example, a simple “goodbye” can sound so different from a “goodbye” (smiley emoji). The former sounds like a forced formality, while the latter exudes excitement.
4. Create your emojis
While not many brands have the power and appeal of Taco Bell, which officially got the Unicode Consortium to add the taco emoji in 2015, you can’t stop designing your emojis.
Brands like Sephora have created their own emoji keyboard filled with emojis modeled after their products. The emoji keyboard allows users to customize emojis, making the experience more exciting and personal.
Having your own emojis is a great way to bolster your brand presence and turn your customers into brand advocates.
5. Emoji Polls
You already know that emojis can increase your engagement. Besides adding emojis to your captions and in-image text, another great way to integrate them into your marketing strategy is through Interactive stickers on Instagram.
Use emojis to distinguish a “this or that” voice on your Instagram Stories and find out how your audience feels about your products. Combining interactive stickers and emojis is a fun and interactive way to grab your audience’s attention and gather valuable insights.
Related: 5 etiquette rules for using emojis at work
But is the emoji for you?
While data may convince you that all those smileys are worth the chance to be off-brand, it’s still important to understand the playing field. If you’re part of a more traditional industry, like banking, you might want to keep things emoji-free. Otherwise, you run the risk of appearing unprofessional.
As with anything, moderation is key. Adding too many emojis can make your brand appear spammy. Consider A/B testing your ads to learn how your audience responds to the change. Emojis should not be added haphazardly for the sake of engagement. Always consider context and content and remember that some emojis can have a double meaning.
Now that emojis are ingrained in our everyday communication, it’s time for brands to catch up. Use these tips to guide you and create an emoji marketing strategy that works.
