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So many messages wander off in translation as you type or save. How to convey the tone of voice or feeling in a maximum of 280 characters?
According report, adding emoticons to social media posts increases engagement and lowers promoting costs. While old marketers scoffed at emoticons, these little smileys can add tons of personality to a boring message. And they don’t seem to be only for style.
Why use emoticons?
emoticons (*5*)add real value to your message. Intercom I discovered it Emails sent by an organization containing emoticons are 4 times more likely to get a response from the shopper. Adding an emoji at the tip of a sentence can tone down a message that will otherwise encourage sales. Listed below are more data that may persuade you:
- Emojis in the e-mail subject line can increase your open rate by 3-4%.
- The more emoticons you use in your Instagram captions, the more more interactions.
- Adding emoticons to your ads can increase click-through rates and improve overall performance.
- Humans are visual by nature, which suggests they will process emoticons faster than reading and understanding your sentences.
Related to: What can emoticons tell us about diversity and inclusion?
How to use emoticons in marketing?
Departing from the information and adding a smiley at the tip of the message may also add context and avoid misinterpretation. Emojis might help you say more with less effort and fewer characters. Listed below are 5 creative ways to use emoticons in your marketing.
1. Select distinctive emoticons for branding
There are over three thousand emoticons available. While there’s nothing flawed with using emoticons that fit your message, using too many could make your brand look too casual and unprofessional.
It’s idea to rotate between a handful of emoticons and use them as branding elements. Take into consideration how McDonald’s took ownership of the fries emoji while Taco Bell petitioned for the taco emoji – which emoji can you make your own?
Using emojis as a part of your branding might help customers remember you higher. It is usually a straightforward and effective way to stand out from the competition.
2. Humanize your tone of voice
All messages from brands might be received with some skepticism. Don’t let your audience think you’re only contacting them to sell them something (even when you are). Emojis are an amazing tool to make your brand feel more human and closer.
While easy messaging and social media cannot replicate the intimacy of face-to-face communication, emoticons can fill in basic points of communication comparable to facial expressions and body language.
Emojis are sometimes related to happiness, so adding an emoji at the tip of your message will show that you are willing to help and in addition make your recipients blissful.
3. When words are usually not enough
Emojis have a way of moving things forward when words aren’t enough to convey your message. According to psychologists, emoticons might help reinforce the meaning of a message. Adding emoticons might help set the tone for your messages, comparable to how you speak.
For instance, a straightforward “see you later” may sound completely different than “see you later” (smiley emoji). The previous appears like a forced formality, while the latter expresses excitement.
4. Create your emoticons
While few brands have the facility and pull of Taco Bell, which officially prompted the Unicode Consortium to add the taco emoji in 2015, there’s nothing stopping you from designing your own emoticons.
Brands like Sephora have created their very own emoji keyboard crammed with emoticons modeled after their products. Emoji Keyboard allows users to customize their emoticons, making the experience more exciting and personalized.
Having your own emoticons is an amazing way to strengthen your brand presence and switch your customers into brand advocates.
5. Polls with emoticons
You already know that emoticons can increase your engagement. Besides adding emoticons to your captions and text in your image, one other good way to integrate them into your marketing strategy is Interactive stickers on Instagram.
Use emojis to highlight the “this or that” vote in your Instagram Stories and discover what your audience thinks about your products. Combining interactive stickers and emoticons can effectively grab the eye of your audience and collect helpful information in a fun and interactive way.
Related to: 5 etiquette rules for using emoticons at work
But are emojis for you?
While the information may persuade you that every one these emotes are definitely worth the likelihood to be off-brand, it’s still necessary to understand the terms of the sport. If you’re in a more traditional industry like banking, you might want things to be emoji-free. Otherwise, you risk appearing unprofessional.
As with all the pieces, moderation is vital. Adding too many emoticons could make your brand look spammy. Consider running A/B tests on your ads to learn the way your audience will react to the change. Don’t add emoticons by chance only for the sake of engagement. At all times consider context and content, and do not forget that some emoticons can have double meanings.
Now that emojis have taken root in our day by day communication, it is time for brands to catch up. Use the following pointers to guide you and create a successful emoji marketing strategy.