Emojis are the most entertaining way to let people know how you’re feeling. Since iPhones began supporting them in late 2008, emojis have become a staple in most forms of online communication. They’ve even begun infiltrating the captions and descriptions of social media posts. Many brands have begun using emojis as part of their marketing efforts online, and many social media advertisers swear by emojis in their work every day; therefore, it’s reasonable to wonder if they really have an effect on the way that marketing is received. So, do emojis affect engagement, and should they be part of your marketing strategy?

Emojis: Impact on Engagement &S

First of all, why do brands use emojis?

In most cases, brands have started to use emojis in their social media posts and captions. Essentially, their goal is to convey a certain emotion with each post that will cause their audience to either trust the brand or purchase a product. Because emojis have become so popular, businesses also want to show their consumers that they’re staying relevant as times change. They’re also just eye-catching – they break up the typical black and white text on social media with a pop of color.

Additionally, using an emoji can help keep your captions more concise. For example, your caption could say something like, “someday, newspapers may cease to exist. That’s so sad!” Definitely a sad caption, but an emoji could make it brief while still conveying the emotion behind it: “someday, newspapers may cease to exist. 😔” You’re able to keep the integrity of the caption while making it easier and quicker to read. 

However, the most important thing to consider before using them in your branding is whether or not each one aligns with what your business is about. For example, a law firm would likely be more apt to use the briefcase emoji ( 💼) than the vampire emoji ( 🧛🏻‍♀️). Unless they have a vampire client, this emoji wouldn’t really fit with their business. 

The short answer to our big question? Yes, emojis affect engagement.

According to a case study by SocialMediaToday.com, brands who use more emojis tend to see more interaction with their posts than brands who don’t. While their study focused on results from Instagram, the same information can be applied to other social media platforms. As highlighted in the chart, even one or two can make a significant difference in the engagement your post is getting. 

How do you incorporate emojis into your online marketing?

The two most popular places to incorporate emojis into your marketing are emails and social media. According to Campaign Monitor, 56% of emails with emojis in the subject lines had a higher open rate. Emojis attract attention! Additionally, according to World Emoji Day, over half of the comments on Instagram contained an emoji. 

Since there are so many emojis illustrating so many different emotions and objects, it would make so much sense to use them in your online marketing! The easiest way to incorporate them would be at the end of a phrase or sentence. Let’s look at an example:

None: Winter is just around the corner – make sure you have a high-quality jacket!

One: Winter is just around the corner – make sure you have a high-quality jacket! 🧥

Two: Winter is just around the corner ❄️ – make sure you have a high-quality jacket! 🧥

The first version would likely fit best within a blog post (like this one!) since it may be surrounded by other sentences. However, the second and third sentences may work beautifully as either email subject lines or social media captions! Emojis draw the eye to the words around them, which has proven to be an effective technique for grabbing your audience’s attention.

If you’re going to use emojis, how can you use them effectively?

As with most things, using emojis is all about balance. You don’t want to go overboard, but you do want your captions to catch your audience’s attention. Ultimately, make sure you’re maintaining consistency throughout your caption. If your caption is exciting, maybe avoid using one of the crying emojis. Additionally, HubSpot created a list of different emojis which can increase your engagement and reach as well as a list of the most popular emojis. If you’re trying to spice up your captions, these lists are a very helpful resource for you.

At the end of the day, it’s your decision whether or not to use emojis on your social media pages. However, with the results they’ve proven to bring, it’s definitely worth a shot.

Emojis: Impact on Engagement &S

If your current digital marketing strategy isn’t working for you anymore, you’ve come to the right place. Reach out to our team of experts here at Blackwood Creative. We’re in the business of building remarkable brands – and yours could be next. ➡️ Contact us today!

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