My daughter often rolls her eyes at me ? when I use an emoji in my texts to her. Apparently, kids make fun of adults for trying to look cool. When I explain that I’m not trying to look cool – I’m simply expressing my emotion visually – she rolls her eyes again ??.
Emojis are part of our world. They appear not only in text messages, but in social media posts, in blog articles, and in all types of digital engagement. They can express a lot in one tiny character (a picture speaks a thousand words), and if you are creative, they can be used for so much more. But as a professional business person, when are emojis cool ? to use?
At Streambank Media, we often use emojis for our clients’ posts – even those who have high-end, serious brands. Yes, some emojis are whimsical and lighthearted, but others simply add a touch of creativity, interest, and visual appeal to a professional post.
Here are some of our team’s favorite emojis to use, and what they are used for:
Lists / Bullet Points
List Posts are popular, but instead of listing with 1) 2) 3) or simple bullet points, we like to choose an emoji that aligns with the content. For example:
While digital health is transforming the healthcare industry, many are concerned that the personal touch will be eliminated in patient-doctor interactions. It’s important to realize that the purpose of this technology is to support and enhance the work of providers, not replace them. Benefits of digital health include:
? Greater access to healthcare providers, especially in rural regions
? Lower costs to deliver healthcare to patients
? Reduced workload for physicians, which leads to less burnout
Find out more about the benefits of digital health in this article (link)
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It’s time to SHINE! I like to begin from the inside out. Here are my favorite ways to make sure you shine from within:
☀️ Vitamin C: brightly colored fruits and vegetables help keep your skin firm and elastic
☀️ Water: The more you drink, the plumper and more radiant your skin
☀️ Turmeric: This anti-inflammatory ingredient can be ingested or used in a face mask to naturally alleviate many skin ailments.
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Though the possibilities for using video to connect with an audience are practically endless, here are three specific ideas of ways to use IGTV to grow your business:
? Film a weekly Q&A
? Show us Behind-the-Scenes
? Do product reviews
Learn more: https://streambankmedia.com/igtv_for_business
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Here are the team’s favorite emojis to use as bullets:
► ➡︎ ✦ ☞ ? ✔️ ✅ ?
Setting the Tone
The written word can easily be misunderstood. Without the added value of voice inflection, people may mistake your meaning. Emojis help readers understand the tone behind your words.
There is a difference between:
I really can’t wait for Monday.
and
I really can’t wait for Monday ?
Replies are also an important place to set the correct tone. Since replies are conversational, emojis are very appropriate and help explain your meaning. Again – remember that people can’t see your face or hear your intonation when you are typing online, so if you are being sarcastic or funny, make sure that your tone is clear.
Yes, that sounds like a perfect idea.
evokes a totally different meaning than
Yes, that sounds like a perfect idea ?
Emphasis and Drawing Attention
? The pointing down hand emphasizes something below the post – like an image or a link. It can also mean simply: “This!” to show that you completely agree and support something.
? Eyes looking sideways can help draw attention to something. They can also mean that you are keeping an eye on something. When someone asks for recommendations for a good business book, you might want to let the writer know that you’ll be looking out for others’ responses.
? The 100 emoji shows total agreement and acknowledgement that something is perfect.
Bottom Line
We also use emojis that seem appropriate for a specific post if they are in alignment with the client’s brand. Our account managers have even been known to throw in a pineapple ? at times ?
What are your go-to social emojis?
