In the financial services industry, companies tend to adopt a more corporate and professional tone for their communications. However, it’s important for companies to stay up to date with the forever changing and developing elements of social media, to help improve their engagement with their existing audiences and to attract new ones. Since it’s World Emoji Day, we want to discuss the impact emojis can have on a brand’s social media and communications.

‍The power of emojis

‍The infographic below gives an overview of some potentially surprising stats which show how effective emojis can be, proving that – when used correctly - they can be a beneficial addition to your messaging, even if that means pushing the boundaries of the professional tone your company is used to.

Why use emojis?

‍If the above stats aren’t enough to convince you, there are various reasons why your brand may wish to consider using emojis in its messaging. From expressing feelings and replacing text to creating a more informal ‘social’ tone and making your communications look more appealing without relying solely on imagery or video, emojis can be a powerful way to make your content stand out.

Using emojis to create an informal, relaxed tone can make your company more likeable and relatable, but also make followers more willing to engage with your social media posts. Achieving high engagement rates is important in order to maximise the reach of your content, to keep your brand growing and improve your credibility for new and existing clients.

Furthermore, using emojis to change and adapt your tone can help tailor the content to your target audience, and make it stand out as they scroll through their feeds of text-based posts. Now, with the huge range of emojis available, you’re bound to find one that works for your company’s communications. For how easy it is to include an emoji in a caption, why not try it and see how it performs?

‍How to decide which emojis to use‍

There is a difference in the way people use emojis for personal use compared to how brands use them. Brands are more likely to use emojis that relate to the topic of the post, that spark emotion or grab attention, or emphasise the call to action, whereas personal use of emojis usually centres around expressing emotions. You can see here the most popular emojis used by people and brands, showing the difference in style.

Our advice would be to use emojis strategically and in moderation. Don’t go from using zero emojis to flooding your feed with them overnight. Select appropriate emojis for a few posts where they add relevant personality, and don’t force it. For example, if you are celebrating a company achievement, consider including the clapping hands emoji (👏). If the key focus of your post is to drive your audience to click on a link to your website, consider using an arrow emoji to guide them (➡️).‍

Are emojis just for social media?

‍Emojis don’t have to be limited to just your social media posts. Using emojis in your email communications is another great way to capture your audience. Think about how many emails you receive each day. Are there some you glaze straight over while sifting through to the important ones? Including an emoji in your email subject line or preview text will make your email stand out against all the others your audience receives in their inbox throughout the day - therefore, potentially resulting in higher open rates for your emails.‍

Are you feeling 😃 about emojis now?‍

We’re huge advocates for trialing the latest trends and marketing tools to test what works best for your messaging and what sets you apart from your competitors. Particularly in the financial services space, marketing is all about building relationships with your target audiences. Emojis are a great place to start – and today is a great day to do it!‍

Give us a 📞 or 📧 if you’d like our help!