A Seventy7 guide on how to effectively use emojis

Ahh emojis… How did the world ever function without them? Was there ever a way to convey our emotions before the invention of the kissy face or hear/ see/ speak no evil monkeys? Text language seems so foreign to so many of us now as we have grown so accustomed to emojis. Perhaps your a little lost on how to incorporate them into your brand's content without going overboard?

Where do we even start to guide our way through the jungle of emojis?

Gone are the days of referring to the old reliable ‘LOL’ to express humour, now cue the laughing face - a staple in any conversation. Emojis are just so helpful in conveying and decorating a message and have become a key market of plenty of brands’ marketing content.

We asked the Paid Social and SEO team their favourite emojis and tips for using them:

Rob, Head of SEO: ‘I find myself using the flame emoji ? a lot when creating social posts for clients, it’s great for applying to flash sales. Seasonal emojis tend to do pretty well as well, Santa is a go to guy for Christmas?.’

Divya, Senior SEO specialist: ‘I think the megaphone and siren?? are super effective emojis when you have an announcement to make. I find it really grabs the audience's attention and stands out on the page!’ 

WHERE TO PUT THE EMOJIS:

We would recommend the best placement for the emoji to go at the start and end of the very first sentence. See example below:

Emojis are often paired with text to add a visually descriptive element to your message. Play around with the placement to find which looks best in your text. Remember... Be careful not to overuse emojis as you risk losing the message of the text in the first place! 

WHAT DO THEY ALL MEAN?

With the hundreds and hundreds of different emojis out there, some more obscure than others, it’s almost impossible to decipher what they all represent. Worry not! For if you’re really in a rut, you can visit the Emojipedia (yes, this is legit) which will talk you through the meaning behind each individual symbol.

In the words of the classic 90’s game show ‘Catchphrase’, say what you see! Often the best way to go is to be simple and direct in your emoji approach and pair the appropriate emoji with the text being described. Sound too obvious? We’ve found that this is actually a very effective approach.

In fact, when trialling the same message with and without emojis, even the most straightforward uses have been seen to bring better engagement to our clients.

WHY SHOULD I BE USING EMOJIS?

Emojis are great for boosting engagement. Whether it’s making the page slightly prettier or just helping drive the message home just that little bit more, emojis have been proven to perform better alongside written content. 

Tweets with emojis saw 25% more engagement, and on Facebook, emojis result in 57% more likes, 33% more comments, and 33% more shares.

HubSpot 

Not only do emojis generate more traffic, they also give you a chance to insert some personality into your brand! Having an upbeat and humorous voice online can do wonders for brand marketing with the right audience. 

Suddenly, by throwing in a ‘?’ or ‘✌’ emoji, your brand becomes instantly more conversational, approachable and ultimately, likeable. A friendly and familiar online presence naturally increases brand awareness to consumers, as a popular brand is a trustworthy one.

USING EMOJIS FOR YOUR BRAND

Emojis are a really handy way to encourage interaction and activity online. They can be used to encourage a call to action (Click the link below ?) or expression of the content being published (Like this post if you agree! ?). Through incorporating emojis into your marketing strategy, you are expanding your reach to other potential consumers as all the likes, replies and retweets will be shared in front of others too. 

‘Emoji is now the fastest growing language in the UK - and many find it easier to communicate using its smiley faces and icons than text.’

The Telegraph

Remember, only use emojis if they are suitable to your content, it’s important that you don’t spam content with them just for the sake of it! 

Take advantage of the unique characters and show off the personality of your brand. Why not encourage your audiences to reply in the comments with their thoughts in emoji form too?

A quick stop guide to emoji usage:

• Use emojis to help drive traffic and engagement.
• Pair the appropriate emojis with the related text to help drive message.
• Use emojis to grab the reader's attention e.g. flash sale, special announcement etc.
• Research into what each emoji represents.
• Get creative with the emojis you use, create a unique voice for your brand.

Feeling more confident on how to use emojis now? ?? Head over to the Seventy7 blog now to take a peek at our other guides helping you combat the digital marketing world! ?