There is no doubt that emojis are fun, but have you ever wondered if they belong in your marketing messages?
In general, yes! Most businesses are able to use emojis somewhere in their marketing but of course context is key. Analyse your target audience and decide if they are within the demographics that would engage well with emojis. You also need to ensure the emojis are used for appropriate messaging. So if you are a business that deals with serious services, maybe reserve your emojis for your ‘Wishing you a Happy New Year ♥️’ social media post. If your company works in fashion, cosmetics, sports or entertainment, you can be pretty confident to use them throughout your marketing messages.
The psychology of emojis 🧠
Our brains are made to remember visuals, not words. In 3 days, you will only retain 10% of what you read today, but you will remember 65% of it if there is an image with it.
We are reminded again and again of the importance of imagery with our communication, especially when you see the success of Instagram and Pinterest, so it’s no surprise that emojis are fantastic communication tools.
We are social animals, and text can lack the emotion and empathy that we seek in our everyday life. Studies have even shown that our brains are stimulated in the same way if we see online images of a human smiling as we do to a smiley emoji! 🤯
The benefits of emojis in marketing messages.
– Captures attention 📣
42% of emoji users are more likely to buy from an ad that has an emoji than one which doesn’t. It also does wonders for email open rates, with 60% more likely to open an email with an emoji in the subject line. This is especially true for the younger generations.
– It helps bring clarity to messaging.
We have entered the age of empathy, and it’s important to remove ambiguity from your messages. A whopping 88% of emoji users feel more empathetic to those who use them. They help to ensure messages aren’t misconstrued and lighten the mood if communication seems direct. For example, there’s a clear difference between ‘Can we talk?’ to ‘Can we talk? 😊’
– Reduces language barriers
If you have a product sold internationally or struggle to capture the right tone of voice, emojis can help capture the context as it is a universal language.
89% agree that emojis make it easier to communicate across language barriers.
– Adds a human touch 💃
Think about it, over 92% of people use emojis in everyday communication. If you receive messages without an emoji, it will seem more robotic, and we all know ‘people buy from people. So show your human side with all the humor, humility, and compassion that comes with it.
Top tips for emojis in marketing
1. Use appropriately
There is certainly a time and a place for emojis. Consider your demographic. What works for Gen-Z might not get the same response as the over 65-year-olds. Your product or service offering will also determine how appropriate emojis are and which emoji you use. For example, a funeral home using a coffin emoji ⚰️ or an accountant using the money-mouth guy 🤑 might not sit that well with their clients. But for industries such as fashion, entertainment, and skincare, emojis are very welcome.
2. Ensure the emoji have a purpose
Overusing emojis or using irrelevant emojis may confuse your massaging and have the opposite to the desired effect. It’s always a good idea to A/B test with a sample audience to see if it is receiving the desired engagement.
3. Add them to your brand identity.
Pick out a few emojis that fit with your brand and start using them consistently across your messaging. This has two major benefits. First, it helps to give consistency to your brand voice. Secondly, it can provide you with free brand exposure! If customers associate the emoji with your brand, they will think of you whenever they see it, even when it’s not coming from you.
4. Be creative and have fun.
If you know that emojis resonate well with your audience, it’s a great way to show personality and humour. It can be as simple as asking followers to respond to a message with 👍 or 👎. The more creative you are, the more engagement you will get. For example, a travel company could ask ‘Where is the next country you would like to visit next?🇸🇪🇺🇸🇦🇺’
5. A word of warning ⚠️
Be sure you know the meaning of each emoji. Sometimes they take on new meanings. To be on the safe side, stay clear of 🍑🍆🤡. Check out meanings on emojipedia.org if you have any doubt.
