7 Emoji Marketing Tips for Social Media

Love ’em or hate ’em, emojis are everywhere.

Emojis – or, literally, “picture characters” – are small images used to express ideas or emotions in tweets, texts, Facebook posts and more.

Worldwide, 92% of the online population, from millennials to baby boomers, are using emojis as a quicker, more convenient, and arguably much more fun way to communicate than plain text.

You can even use emojis in search engines like Google and Yahoo (try entering the pizza emoji and the words “near me” and see what happens).

Emojis have also started popping up in social media marketing campaigns, from Bud Light’s American Flag Independence Day tweet to Taco Bell’s petition for a taco emoji.

With the use of emojis rising, and younger audiences desiring images over text, it’s a great time to capitalize on the craze by doing a little emoji marketing.

Keep reading to discover seven tips on how to use emojis in your social media marketing.

Understand what emojis mean

If you’re going to use an emoji in a social media post, it’s crucial that you understand what the emoji means and how your audience interprets it.

An emoji may have been created to mean one thing, but people have used it in another way, and over time, it’s taken on a new meaning (see: eggplant emoji).

Trying to use an emoji in a way other than how your target audience uses it could be a huge mistake, as it could deliver the wrong message or confuse people.

Don’t overdo it

Boasting that “words alone can’t describe the new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze,” Chevy issued a press release in 2016 made up of all emojis, and asked people to decode it.

Original? Sure. Eye-catching? Definitely. It caused a huge media buzz. But it was also touted as try-hard, overly gimmicky, and impossible to translate.

If you’re going to benefit from emoji marketing, be sure to use emojis only when it absolutely makes sense, and not just for the sake of exploiting a trend.

For example, it may make sense to use a smiley face to indicate that something will delight your audience, rather than literally writing “this will make you happy”.

To ensure it doesn’t seem like you’re trying too hard, use emojis organically and relevantly, in spots where they make sense, or don’t use them at all.

Encourage engagement

Want to hear from your customers?

Emoji marketing is a great way to attract and engage your audience.

You can use an emoji to emphasize a call to action, or to make a link stand out. You can also use them to break the ice when you leave a comment on a customer’s post.

By using the appropriate emojis sparingly and in just the right places, you can capture people’s attention, which encourages them to engage.

In addition, using emojis in email subject lines has been shown to increase open rates. Emojis can make your emails stand out and spark new and existing customers’ interest.

Ensure it fits your brand

Is your brand image professional, elegant and serious?

Then the “tears of joy” emoji may not be the best choice for your emoji marketing strategy.

Although emojis are a great way to make your social media posts stand out, they should be treated like any other marketing tactic, and only be used if they’re consistent with your brand image and voice.

Your existing customers have come to trust your brand, and they want to know that your messages to them are authentic. New customers will be confused by emojis that don’t match your other branding. If people get the sense you’re just throwing emojis in there to capitalize on a trend, it will turn them off.

Be sure to carefully select your emojis to naturally complement and enhance your brand rather than work against it.

Create a personal connection

Your customers have embraced emojis and are using them constantly.

So by including them in your marketing, you can connect with people on a personal level and make yourself seem more accessible to them.

It’s a simple way to humanize your brand and inject some personality into your marketing. Including a smiley face emoji, for example, can make your audience feel like you’re really smiling at them.

Using emojis to speak to a specific audience is a great way to make a personal connection. By using their language, those customers will feel like you’re talking directly to them.

Trigger positive emotions

Let’s face it. Emojis are cute and fun, and they make people happy.

They just do.

Who doesn’t say “awww!” when they see a kitty or ice cream emoji? How hard is it not to feel good when you see a heart emoji?

When used appropriately and in moderation (remember – don’t overdo it!), emoji marketing can trigger positive emotions in your audience. And making people feel good about your product or brand is a great first step to turning them into a customer.

Use emojis in your sales process

Domino’s Pizza recently started allowing its patrons to order a pie by tweeting the pizza emoji to them. They wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to order their pizza.

And it worked. People started using it immediately, the company got tons of media buzz, and they were rewarded with the Cannes Titanium Grand Prix for the most breakthrough idea of the year.

If you can think of a way to incorporate emojis as a core sales feature, you’ll pique your customers’ interest and potentially garner media attention as well.

Is emoji marketing for you?

The use of emojis has steadily increased year over year and likely isn’t going anywhere in the near future.

It might seem unusual or risky to include emojis in your social media marketing strategy, but if you use them well, they can be a great way to help your brand connect with customers and truly stand out.

Need help developing your own social media marketing campaign? We’d love to help. Contact us today.