World Emoji Day is here. But beyond the party poppers and smiley faces, here’s the real question many marketers ask:
Should you actually use emojis in your brand copy?
The short answer: sometimes.
The long answer: it depends on your channel, your audience, and your brand’s behavioural impact.
Understanding emoji usage can be tricky, but this guide will help you navigate when and where they’re appropriate to use.
Emojis in social media posts
✅ Use them when:
- You want to grab attention in crowded feeds
- You need to convey tone quickly (friendly, casual, playful)
- You’re breaking up text to make it more scannable
🚫 Avoid them when:
- You’re sharing serious, sensitive, or crisis information
- They feel forced or irrelevant to your message
💡 Nudge: One or two emojis can emphasise key points. A full line of random icons? That risks looking spammy and losing trust.
Emojis in email marketing
✅ Use them when:
- Adding an emoji to a subject line to boost open rates (e.g. 🔥 Limited Time Offer)
- Enhancing short body copy if your brand tone is informal
🚫 Avoid them when:
- Emailing senior decision-makers in B2B or formal sectors
- Writing for legal, financial, or professional services audiences, where tone must remain authoritative
💡 Nudge: Always A/B test emojis in subject lines. They can improve performance, but only if your audience expects playful or casual communication.
Emojis in website copy
✅ Use them when:
- Adding subtle prompts in microcopy or CTAs (e.g. “Chat to us 💬”)
- Your blog or FAQs have a conversational, informal brand voice
🚫 Avoid them when:
- Writing body paragraphs where clarity and accessibility come first
- Considering screen readers, emojis can be read aloud as literal descriptions (“face with tears of joy”), which interrupts flow and meaning
💡 Nudge: Emojis should enhance meaning, not replace words. Test for readability and accessibility before publishing.
Emojis in ads
✅ Use them when:
- Quickly conveying emotion or product benefits (e.g. “Stay cool this summer ❄️”)
- Aligning with platform norms, especially on Meta and TikTok, where emojis are part of the native user language
🚫 Avoid them when:
- They clash with your design aesthetic or distract from the core message
- Running B2B ads where tone and performance proof matter more than casual relevance
So, should you use emojis?
Emojis are like seasoning.
The right amount enhances the flavour. Too much ruins the dish.
Before adding them:
✔ Check they match your brand voice
✔ Ensure your audience expects them
✔ Prioritise clarity, accessibility, and authenticity
Final thought
Emojis aren’t a marketing strategy on their own. They’re just one tool in your copy and design toolkit.
Use them well, and your brand feels more human.
Use them poorly, and you might just look like a clown 🤡.
Want to refine your brand’s tone of voice guidelines, emojis included?
