How to use emojis wisely in your messages?

Here is a list of all the best practices you need to take into account when using emojis in your notifications or In-App messages.

What is an Emoji?

"Emoji" (also called emoticon or smileys) is a Japanese term to designate pictograms that can be added to your messages to emphasize your content and attract your users' attention. ​ Every emoji has a meaning. They can substitute a word, express a feeling and are a staple element of the current communication strategy. ​ They can be used in every type of business field.

Why Should I Add Emojis to My Content?

Emojis are fun, but they can help you get better at communicating with your audience. Use them to:

• Improve your open rate: Adding visual elements such as emojis impact positively your user attention. It has been proven that emojis increase the visibility of your message and thus your open rate by 80% (average between iOS and Android).

• Increase your user retention: When used as a tool of classification for your campaign, emojis help your users to know what subject is covered by your message. You now have a clearer way to communicate with your audience.

• Shorten your messages: Push notifications are short messages. Every character matters, especially in the title of your message. When it feels right, substitute words for emojis.

• Be more impactful: Users have a very short attention span. Train your audience to associate an emoji with a type of content when they see it.

• Think outside the box: Get creative by adding disruptive elements to your message that will make it stand out and differ from your competitors.

How to Use Emojis?

Step 1: Adding Emojis to Your Message

Here are all the existing methods to insert emoji in your title and body text:

• Windows 10+: Simply press the Windows key + the period button to display Windows's emoji keyboard on Windows 10. In case you are using an older version of Windows, you can copy-paste an emoji from Emojipedia: iOS / Android / Windows.

• Mac: press CTRL + CMD + Space to display the emoji keyboard and pick an emoji.

• Chrome 68+: Right-click any text field and select "Emoji" or "Emoji & Symbols".

• Using a browser extension: You can use the emoji cheatsheet extension on Firefox or Emoji Keyboard by EmojiOne on Chrome.

• Using Emojipedia: Or simply copy/paste emojis from Emojipedia.

Step 2: Use Them Wisely

Where Should I Add Emojis?

Emojis serve various purposes and can be placed in different positions:

• In the title: This is the most effective way to attract the attention of your users. You can use an emoji to inform them when a live show starts or present the topic of the message.

Example of adding emojis to the push title.

• In the body: As push notifications have to be short, you can easily replace a word with an emoji. This will allow you to save space, emphasize your communication and encourage users to open the notification and know more about your app.

Example of adding emojis to the push body.

• In the button of your In-App message: This space is also a good one to use emojis if you want to boost the performance of your campaign.

Example of adding emojis to an In-App.

• In your web push: As with mobile campaigns, you can add emojis to your web push campaigns. We recommend that you put the emoji at the beginning of the push body (so that it is seen and attracts the eye).

Example of adding emojis to a Web Push.

How Many Emojis Should I Use?

Feel free to use as many emojis as you like, as long as your message remains clear, understandable, or funny—depending on your goal.

Which Emojis Should I Use?

There is a large variety of emojis you can use. When it comes to picking the right emoji for the right meaning, the best solution is to stay relevant:

• When talking about sport/food/piece of clothing: Use emojis that embody the theme or the action ( 🥊, 🍔, 🎩, 🤳, etc).

• When talking about a live event: Use emojis that illustrate the upcoming event or a recording (🔴, 🔜, ▶️, 🆙, etc).

• When explaining a feature/service: Use emojis inviting the users to know more by opening the message (📍, ℹ️, ✅, 🆕, etc).

• When suggesting to open the app: Use emojis that show that there is more to discover in the app (👉, ➡️, 🔥, ⏳, etc).

You can find the top-used emoji in our Great Push Notifications Benchmark.

Can I Use All the Available Emojis?

Depending on your industry, some emojis may be inappropriate or confusing for your audience. Cultural context is key when crafting your message. For example, 🙏 can be interpreted as a prayer or a gesture of gratitude, while 🙃 is often seen as playful or sarcastic but is also used in text-flirting.

Also note that some emojis may be sex-correlated such as 📯, 🍆, 🍑, 💦, 🍌.

How Can I Be Sure Emojis Will Improve My Campaign Performance?

If you haven't used emojis with your audience before, try Batch's A/B testing module to measure their impact on your campaign's performance. Run the test over a period of time and analyze how your audience responds.

Click on "A/B Testing" at the top right corner to turn the A/B Test on.

Using A/B Test to try emojis.