We think emojis are the ?.
Seemingly overnight, emojis became second nature to our everyday communication. In fact, you probably don’t go a single day without using or seeing these byte-size pieces of conversational flair. They’re even arguably an acceptable form of punctuation… Well, that’s probably an over-exaggeration, although, we’re patiently waiting for the Associated Press to recognize them as such. ? Whether you consider yourself fluent in emoji or not, it’s safe to say they’ll always find their way into the conversation. So, what does this mean for your brand?
The Benefits of Using Emojis
Capture Your Audience’s Attention
In today’s world, there is so much informational noise to sift through on a daily basis: emails, social media updates, advertising, etc. Brands should be looking for any opportunity they can to relate to their customers. This means learning to speak your audience’s language. The more you humanize your brand, the more you set yourself apart from the noise. Enter the emoji. ??♀
Adding emojis to marketing copy has actually been proven to boost Clickthrough rates, open rates, and engagement. In a survey by Experian, emails containing an emoji in the subject line received a 56% higher open rate than subject lines with plain text. If this comes as a surprise to you, consider where you see emojis the most. Our guess is personal conversations. So, while skimming your inbox for something of value, it’s natural to let your guard down when you see an emoji smiling back at you. ?
Give Your Brand A Personality
Every brand has something to say. In the digital space, it isn’t always what you say that gets you heard, but rather how you say it. This is why having a brand voice is key. It gives you a personality that goes beyond your product or logo. Consider how you might speak to customers in person. Is the conversation witty? Playful? Motivational? Whatever it may be, there’s an emoji for that. ?
While good copywriting can certainly convey personality, we like to think that a thoughtfully-placed emoji is the icing on the cake. ? Don’t be afraid to leverage emojis to add some color to the message you are sending to your audience. Just like IRL (in real life ?), a smile or a wink can suggest lighthearted conversation to follow.
Say It With Feeling
Good news: long gone are the days of exclamation-ridden emails!!!! Bad news: we’ve swapped them out for emojis. ? But seriously, who can resist? An exclamation mark or two just doesn’t cut it anymore. Emojis are the perfect way to convey your emotion, for example:
“I had no idea.” vs “I had no idea!” vs “I had no idea! ?”
The sentiment feels different, right? When your marketing copy falls flat, sometimes all it needs is a little extra love. ❤️ But, please, use emojis sparingly… a little more on that later.
The DO’s and DON’TS of Emojis
Now that we have sold you on emoji use in your marketing copy, it’s time to talk rules. We know, we know, rules are made to be broken but it’s good to have some guidelines in place so you don’t go overboard.
DO:
Use them in Social Media
If your brand is weary of incorporating emojis into your voice, social media is a great place to start experimenting with it. Using them on social channels is pretty status quo, so no one will find it out of the ordinary. Start playing with them and keep an eye on how it affects your engagement.
Use them in Marketing Emails
We recommend adding emojis in emails sent to audiences you are already familiar with (avoid using emojis in emails sent to first-time recipients, such as welcome emails). Otherwise, if you’re confident that your audience will receive it well, have fun with it! Drop an emoji in your next subject line and monitor for changes in your open rates
Get Creative
Use emojis that are relevant to your products, services, weather, seasons or even pop culture. Find out what emojis your audience is using. Read through your comments and see what stands out. Have fun finding new ways to get your point across.
Be Clear
If you’re ready to dive into the world of emojis, our best piece of advice to you is to make sure the message translates. We always lay an extra set of eyes on every piece of content that goes out here. Not only for grammar but to make sure the emoji makes sense.
DON’T:
Overdo it
All this to be said, don’t go crazy. Seriously. It’s like putting too much sugar in your coffee. You want to be able to drink the damn thing. If your audience can’t read past your parade of emojis, it’s just as bad as not saying anything at all. We think a good rule of thumb is 1-2 per social post and 3 max per email.
Leave Room For Misinterpretation
This one is important so we’re saying it again: be clear. Be absolutely sure that whichever emojis you choose makes sense in whatever it is your brand is trying to say. When in doubt, leave it out.
Boldist Glossary of Popular Emojis
While some speak for themselves, deciding the connotation of certain emojis may take a little consideration. To take the guesswork out of it, we’ve put together a short rundown of the obvious and not so obvious emojis.
? Tears of Joy
Uses: A great replacement for “LOL”. Conveys laughter or chuckling. For moments when you’re cracking the f*ck up, we suggest using “? Rolling on the floor laughing face” instead.
Ex. “I laughed so hard I snorted ?”
❤️ Red Heart
Uses: The perfect way to send a message with love. If this emoji doesn’t show up in your “Frequently Used” list, we are silently judging you.
Ex. “Tacos are my ❤️language”
? Nerdy Face
Uses: We like to use this emoji when we’re geeking out over something nerdy.
Ex. “Did you see the new Star Wars trailer? ?”
? Grimacing Face
Uses: Whoops. Oopsies. Yikes. Uh-oh.
Ex. “Did you see Trump’s latest tweet? ?”
? Heart Eyes
Uses: Not to be confused with ❤️, we like to use this when we’re falling in love with something.
Ex. “Where did you get that fanny pack? I need one! ?”
? Flexed Bicep
Uses: Add this emoji when you’re doing a humblebrag.
Ex. “Did you guys see how many donuts I just ate? ?”
? Fire
Uses: Use this when something lights your soul on fire.
Ex. “I saw Elton John in concert last night. ?”
? Clapping Hands
Uses: Giving praise. Well done.
Ex. “You finally made it to work on time! ?”
Now that you’re equipped with your palette of emojis, go forth and paint some sentiment into your marketing copy! Your audience will thank you (and actually open your emails, hooray!) If you’re not sure how to access emojis on your computer or mobile device, we’ve included a list of useful links below to get you started.
How to access emojis on your Mac
How to access emojis on your PC
How to access emojis on your iPhone
How to access emojis on your Android
