Hope everyone is having a great week!
We see emoticons and stickers popping up everywhere and clients often ask what my take is on using them within their business. Are they professional? Will they add value to their posts?
The fact is, emoticons and stickers are flying around everywhere, 6 billion of them (per day) to be exact. 74% of people use them daily and the average person uses 96 of them per day. I find these numbers mind blowing but the science behind it definitely makes perfect sense.
Scientists have found that when someone looks at a smiley face online, the same part of their brain is activated as when they look at one in person. Emojis can affect our mood and trigger true emotion and empathy. We were not born with this ability, it is essentially this new social media culture that has created a new brain pattern within us. Isn’t that cool?!
Before the use of emoticons and stickers, it was difficult to create that connection and trigger emotion through online posting and communication, now we can use them to truly convey our message and express our feelings.
I highly encourage clients and business owners to use emoticons and stickers to connect with their followers, encourage engagement and to add that extra personal touch to their posts and messages. Think of what message you are trying to get across and be creative in the emojis you use to support it. It is also important to keep in mind the voice and tone you want for your message and choose emojis that support it. How people interpret emoticons and stickers varies depending on their demographics so always make sure to choose ones that fit your audience and target market.
Basically, before you go crazy with emojis:
- Know your emojis.
- Know your audience.
- Know how emojis fit your voice and tone.
If you use them right, emojis can grow your business. You’ll be surprised at the difference a little smiley face or heart can make!
(Photo cred: Mailchimp)
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