Is there a place for emojis in business communications?

Emojis have become commonplace in the digital world. They’re a fun way to represent love and appreciation , anger and upset  , activities and interests  , celebrations   , and even what you had for lunch   , but how appropriate are they for business communications? 

Let’s look at situations where emojis can be suitable for corporate comms, and times that brands should definitely avoid them.

Five times that emojis can be used in business communications

Emojis can help build a connection between a brand and its customers in a way that feels more personal. Despite not being suitable in every situation, emojis can enhance certain commercial business communications, such as:

Social media

Social media platforms are a prime place to act a little less formally. Language and tone usually soften, and brands ‘let loose’ in order to connect with their customers in a personal way. Emojis can be used to respond to customer engagement on social media, making interactions more personal and friendly. Replying to comments with a , , or 

is a simple action that can make your brand appear more human and approachable. Emojis are also a great way to break up text, add visual appeal, and convey emotion in social media posts.

Targeting younger demographics

If your target audience falls under Gen Z, or even Millennials, including emojis in your communications can help your brand feel more relatable. Many Millennials were introduced to early forms of social media while growing up (back in the day when this :-) was a high-tech, innovative emoticon – apologies in advance to Joe who still frequently uses this in his blog posts and internal company communications), and the development of the emojis we have today is something that most Gen Z were very much exposed to throughout their teenage years. Including these familiar symbols throughout your brand communications is a way to nurture a personal connection with your target audience, leading to increased brand loyalty.

Informal email marketing

While not every external email you send out to your database will be suitable for emoji use, they can be a great way to promote a friendly, lighthearted tone. The eye-catching nature of emojis also works to your benefit when using them in an email subject line. Campaign Monitor reported that emails with emojis in the subject line had a 56% higher open rate and a 96% higher clickthrough rate than those without.

When sending seasonal emails, such as Christmas discounts or summertime offers, relevant emojis can make the email communication more relatable and timely, therefore customers are more inclined to engage with your seasonal offerings. 

Mobile marketing & push notifications

Emojis are mainly associated with mobile devices; if your brand has a mobile app which sends out push notifications, this can be an ideal place to incorporate some emojis. Emojis add a visual element to your notifications, grabbing attention on small screens. It’s also a great way to communicate your message while using less space, such as  for announcements or  for retail discounts and abandoned cart reminders.

Internal emails

Allowing employees to use emojis within their internal communications can have many benefits, from helping them express themselves, to enhancing a relaxed and informal tone. So long as each employee can distinguish between the suitability of emojis in internal comms and various types of external comms, there’s no issue with allowing emoji use internally.

Five times to avoid emojis in business communications

Targeting older demographics

In contrast to the note about Gen Z and Millenials above, if your brand is targeting any preceding generations, like Gen X and Boomers, emojis may not be the right choice for your external communications. The top end of the older generations often don’t quite understand emojis, and others see them as a juvenile addition to business comms. Always consider who your audience is, and whether emojis are the right way to connect with them.

Professional sectors

A bakery business can benefit from including relevant emojis like  ,  , and  , in their external comms, but some industries and sectors are less suited to corporate emoji use than others. Emojis can make any type of communication seem less formal, which is the wrong appearance for luxury brands, such as high-end retailers, restaurants, or manufacturers. Similarly, when companies that deal with sensitive topics, such as legal firms and those in the healthcare sector, use emojis, it can undermine the credibility of their communications.

Communicating sensitive topics

Context is key when it comes to successful emoji use. If you’re dealing with a customer issue or complaint, or sending out a crisis statement, emojis are definitely not the right choice. As mentioned above, despite being a common way to convey emotion, emojis can easily change the narrative of your comms, removing credibility and authenticity. When sending out sensitive messages to customers, don’t let emojis discredit the message you’re trying to convey.

Documents, policies, and contracts

Just like with sensitive topics, legal documents, policies, and contracts are not suitable scenarios for emoji usage. This can include employment contracts, privacy policies, modern slavery statements, terms and conditions, and compliance information. These documents need to be clear, concise, and professional – and emojis just don’t fit the bill.

Press releases

No matter the nature of a press release, they usually demand a formal tone. Journalists read press releases for information, facts, and insights, and seeing emojis strewn throughout the text will immediately give an unprofessional impression. Even using emojis in the subject line or body of the pitch email for a press release will get you off on the wrong foot with the journalist, and if we’re being honest, they probably won’t even open it!

Emojis can be a fun and creative addition to your business communications, but they can easily be misused. Don’t take this blog post as gospel – take the time to consider your brand’s industry, target customers, and overall tone of voice and messaging, before deciding whether emojis are the right choice in each scenario.