Jul 16, 20203 min read

Should brands use emojis?

Updated: Nov 8, 2021

This Friday (17 July) is World Emoji Day. Did you know...

There are over 3000 emojis
95% of internet users have used an emoji
Over 10 billion emojis are sent daily!

The winners of the 2019 Emoji Awards were:

1st Place - Smiling Face with Hearts 🥰
2nd Place - Pleading Face 🥺
3rd Place - Woozy Face 🥴

I have to confess, my favourite emojis for personal use are the 'See No Evil Monkey 🙈' (used to show embarrassment or cringe-worthiness) and the 'Rolling on the Floor Laughing 🤣 Smiley Face.

But what about in a work context? Do you use emojis at work? Which brands use emojis? And is it ever appropriate for businesses to use them?

Do you have an Emoji Policy?

What? I hear you cry! Has the world gone mad? Are you one emoji banana 🍌 short of an emoji picnic basket 🧺? Do we really need an 'Emoji Policy'?

Well I can't speak for your internal business etiquette or whether rules about emoji use have made it into your company handbook, but, when it comes to your brand behaviour, I advise all my clients to include emoji rules in their Brand Guidelines.

Why your brand SHOULD use emojis on social media

It isn't so long ago that most companies were truly horrified at the thought of using emojis for marketing. But these days, they're present in every form of digital communication, so you will be missing a trick if you ignore them completely.

Brands that use emojis well connect with us on a human level and standout better in the social media clutter. Facebook posts that use emojis receive 57% more likes and 33% more comments and shares than those without them, and tweets with emojis have a 25% higher engagement rate.

If you own a beauty, fashion or sports brand, or your company is in any entertainment category then I would say incorporating emoji use is mandatory.

On the other hand, if you offer a more serious service, you may want to avoid them completely or be extremely considered in your approach. Nothing could feel more inappropriate than a funeral home using emojis in their communication.

If you are really clear about your brand personality (archetype) then this will help you determine how emoji use will work for you.

How should a brand determine its position on emoji use?

Take a look at my emoji checklist below and you'll be good to go! 👍

Think about whether you fall into the 'no-go' category when it comes to emoji use. This would be any brand that delivers advice or support in a serious category - for instance: legal, some financial services, some medical services or charities.
Don't over do it! One or two in each social post is fine and can enhance a user’s experience, but once you have more emojis than words, it's just not cool anymore.
Think carefully about which emojis best reflect your brand personality and which definitely do not - are you more of a smiley face brand or are there emojis that literally represent what you do, such as those depicting food, drinks, nature and travel.
If you don't know what an emoji means, don't risk using it! Think of emojis as slang - if you use them incorrectly you'll either look completely out of touch or even worse, you may communicate something extremely inappropriate. As an example, the peach 🍑 emoji could mean any number of things, so be careful! If you're not sure what an emoji means, check it on emojipedia first.
And finally, document your emoji guidelines and share them with your wider organisation. This document should include agreed 'on-brand' emojis, which digital formats they are permitted in and an explanation of how they fit your brand tone of voice. You probably also want to have a clear no-go list of any emojis that absolutely must not be used for your marketing campaigns.