When Should You Be Using Emojis?
Emojis are a contentious topic. Sometimes they're a great way to communicate emotion or to lighten the tone. Sometimes they're too informal for the situation. Sometimes, according to a few news reports when emoticons first became a mainstream tool, they're a secret code.
At the end of the day, all they are is another tool for communicating with your audience. You don't want to use them too often and lose your brand's authority. Neither do you want to come across as too stiff or boring. The best way to hit the middle ground is to back up your choices with trends and statistics.
How many emojis should you be using in your social media posts?
The general rule is one emoji per post, but it's tricky to apply one rule to all of social media. There are just too many channels, and too many different types of audience members, to generalize. So, starting from the rule of one emoji per post, make the following adjustments:
Decide which social media platforms should rarely, if ever, have emojis. This list tends to include LinkedIn and Pinterest. LinkedIn is too formal and professional, and you should be conveying emotional appeal through good graphics instead of emojis on Pinterest.
See what your competitors are doing on more informal sites. Instagram, for example, has text content that's dotted with emojis. While you don't want to overdo it, having two or three won't hurt your brand.
When in doubt, decide if the platform is more formal or casual. For formal areas, use zero emojis; for casual ones, use one.
Where's a surprising place for emojis?
Push notifications.
Progressive web apps and mobile sites routinely ask visitors to allow push notifications. But if you leave those messages as the cold, default text, it's like leaving the default 'Submit' button on your landing page forms. Customize it and add an emoji.
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