How to Use Emojis in A Text Message Marketing Campaign

January 17, 2019 Posted by Pocketstop in Other Social Share

Written language is in a continuous process of adapting itself to our communication needs and to the times we are living in. For the past 5,000 years, language and the way we use it in writing has played a significant role in defining who we are, how we choose to broadcast messages, but also in shaping interactions within our communities. Whether we are talking about written conversations between friends, messages exchanged in a work environment, or between customers and their favorite brands, the way we write makes a difference when it comes to how our message is understood.

Modern times and the way we interact with technologies are paving the road for endless possibilities when it comes to written commination. The year 2015 marked the recognition of symbols and signs other than punctuation in a more official manner, when the Oxford dictionary chose ‘emoji’ as the word of the year, yet visual aids in the written language have been around since the beginning of civilization, going back as far as cave paintings.

But what does it mean to go beyond the use of words in the written language and how can using emojis and other communication visual aids be helpful for your company’s text message marketing campaigns?

What Are Emojis and Why Your Company Should Use Them

On September 19, 1982, the first emoticon was invented by a professor from the Carnegie Mellon University. Emoticons became a mean of communication beyond the rigor of words, bringing people who were apart closer together by allowing them to easily express emotions. As the years passed and our need of communication changed, emoticons have evolved into something more visually pleasing. Emojis were invented in 1999, and as of 2018, are available in more than 2,800 options.

Studies show that people remember 80% of what they see, and only 30% of what they read, therefore visual communication should be an important strategy for all companies that want to improve the way their message is being broadcasted. As emojis become more and more popular, they also become more versatile and provide users with complex options for a wide array of situations. Therefore, their popularity is crossing the boarders of personal communication, with more and more companies turning to them for enhancing their text message marketing campaigns.

Using emojis in the communication between you and your customers should be regarded as a path towards a better personalization of the message, but also as a better mean of expressing emotion. Customers are expecting a personal and intimate communication with the brands they love, and if properly implemented in your campaigns, emojis can offer just that.

How to Use Emojis in a Text Message Marketing Campaign

As is the case with all text message marketing strategies, the use of emojis in a campaign needs to be based on an in-depth analysis of everything related to said campaign. From customer demographic to company goals and objectives, everything needs to be analyzed and understood before drafting your marketing campaign. Emojis provide you with a great mean of personalizing your message, but in order to do so you will need to know what your customers are expecting from you. Also, you need to make sure you are using the emojis that fit your products or the information you want to broadcast through a campaign, such as the organizing of an event or a seasonal sale.

Always Use Emojis Organically

The best thing about emojis is that they allow you to convey sentiment and express emotions that are sometimes not that well-expressed with just words in a short text message. This is why you always need to use emojis organically, and not force them into your messages just for the sake of it. Customers interact better with organic communication, as it makes them feel important, and tells them that you are paying attention to their needs.

Use the Right Emoji for the Situation

With so many options available, it is understandable that sometimes you might end up using the wrong emoji, or using the ones that you think are popular with your demographic. Once you have aligned your strategy with your audience and with the needs of your marketing campaign, you will also need to align your emoji use with those metrics. Depending on your target audience, you might need to go with different emojis when conveying the same emotion. For example, younger demographics interact better with new emojis, while older customers might feel more comfortable with traditional-looking emojis.

Design Your Own Emojis

Major companies from all over the world are making the most of what visual communication can bring to brand awareness and brand recognition by designing their own emoji sets. Capitalizing on this trend will help your customers recognize your brand with ease, and invite them to interact with your campaigns in a more intimate way. Make sure that your customized emojis can stand the test of time, don’t design your main emoji around a seasonal product or a season offer.

Do Not Overuse Emojis

It can be tempting to overuse emojis but the truth is that such a strategy will only cause your customers to be confused regarding the message you are broadcasting. Using a one-dimensional approach in the interactions with your customers will not send the right message about your company, so make sure that your strategies are organically blending means of written communication that are loved by the public. The timely use of emojis is an important aspect you need to consider when designing your text message marketing campaign.

According to statistics, by the year 2020, 48.7 million consumers will opt in to receive text messages from businesses, so why not make the most of this trend and update your text message marketing campaigns with emojis?

The essential benefits of using Emojis in a text message marketing campaign:

• It adds emotion to your marketing message in a fun and engaging way
• Emojis are attention-grabbing and help your customers remember your message
• It will help build brand awareness and set a clearer tone for your product selling
• Emojis help keep communication straightforward, intimate, and engaging
• Emojis come with a wide range of options, therefore helping you provide your customers with better and more personalized messages and brand information
• Using emojis helps your company take cognitive fluency from theory to marketing-aiding strategy

Regardless of how you choose to use emojis in a text message marketing campaign, being informed about their benefits and means of implementation will help you better convey your message, and make the interaction with your customers more intimate. Make sure that your goals and objectives are aligned to your use of emojis, and that you are gathering and analyzing customer feedback so that you can easily update and improve your strategies accordingly. Visual communication is changing rapidly, and keeping up with those changes will help you company stay one step ahead of competitors, but also keep your customers satisfied and eager to maintain their relationship with you.

---

  Social Share