Should your business use emojis?
In its most basic form, social media is simply a method of communication. Emojis are part of that communication. They are informal, personable and often inject a bit of humor into any digital conversation. So, as a business, should you use them?
Using emojis in your business communication online is a judgement call. You need to think about the following points:
• Would using emojis enhance or positively develop our brand?
• Would using them suit our brand?
• What rules would we follow if we were to use them?
• Are there any negative connotations with using emojis?
• How would using or not using emojis affect our communication strategy?
Why your organisation should use emojis
Emojis are a communication tool that can offer several advantages to any organisation that chooses to use them. It can be a great way to break down barriers to your target market and communicate on a more personal level. It is also a great way to differentiate yourself from more formal competitors.
After all, who would you purchase from, a friend or an organisation trying to sell your something?
Why your organisation shouldn’t use emojis
If your organisation is an authority within your sector, regulated or deals in legal matters using emojis might not be the best choice. Remaining formal has its own advantages. Firstly, you maintain a clear communications strategy and secondly you do not have to worry about miscommunication.
You may also find using emojis is just not relevant to your audience online. If they also communicate in a formal manner they will not appreciate the informality of using emojis.
Common Emoji Questions
Can I make my own emoji? Yes and no. Of course, you can make your own little symbolic graphic but it cannot be added to the public domain emoji catalogue. This is overseen by the Unicode Consortium. You can, however, submit a proposal for an emoji here.
How many emoji characters are there? With various way of counting emojis, this number can vary but the overall figure is more than 2,000.
Which emojis are the most popular? It is thought the ‘Face with tears of joy’ is the most popular emoji character. Click here to view real-time use of emojis on Twitter
What is the craziest emoji fact? There are many but we think the craziest one is the translation of the book Moby Dick into Emoji Dick, an emoji translation of Herman Melville’s classic book.
Are you an emoji user, abuser or hater? Use an emoji or two this week and see how your audience reacts.
