Emoji etiquette: 4 ways to use emojis effectively in your beauty business

Emojis are small, visual icons used in online communications to convey or enhance a particular message, for example using a thumbs up (👍) to communicate you agree with something, or a sad face (😞) to show you are upset. But when should you be using emojis in your beauty business, and when should you take a more professional approach to messaging?

Despite being used in inter-personal communications for years, there has been an increase in the professional use of emojis. Companies use the icons as an effective marketing strategy, enhancing business-to-consumer interactions, which can often lack emotion and a personal touch.

A study has found that emojis enhance intended messages, resultant of how they are processed by the brain, as non-verbal communicative icons.

So, to emoji, or not to emoji? The statistics speak for themselves:

• Instagram content featuring an emoji sees an engagement increase of 48% (SignHouse).
• Facebook content with emojis evidences a 57% increase in engagement (SocialPilot).
• 63% of people think positive emoji usage increases credibility (Adobe).

Despite promising statistics, you wouldn’t be alone if you have experienced hesitation around the modern marketing approach, when traditional business communication styles could consider this practice as ‘unprofessional’.

However, the creative aspect of the beauty industry means emojis are typically encouraged and largely utilised. There must be a balance, however, as emojis used must fit within your brand message. Steer clear of the icons when handling sensitive subjects.

Here are 4 ways to use emojis in your beauty business:

1. Boost engagement

The statistics above highlight the power of an emoji as a marketing technique; whether aiming for an increase in social media likes, followers, shares and comments, or a higher click-through-rate onto websites or booking pages, they can be useful tools to boost engagement.

Here, you can see Scratch Stars multi-award winner, Kirsty Meakin, using emojis to encourage an intended action; having released her Wireless E-file Pen, she asks followers to comment either a pink heart or a black striped icon, to communicate which colour they would opt for, increasing engagement.

The use of the shocked icon (😱) also emphasises her message, gently applying pressure and a sense of urgency, encouraging followers to shop the product.

@kirstymeakin

2. Make content stand out and emphasise messages

Using emojis in social media posts also enhances the visual aesthetics of the post, making particular messages or content stand out. For example, which would your eyes most likely be drawn to?

Attention! We have just opened a new salon in London. The first 10 customers get a free manicure – so be quick!

📣Attention! We have just opened a new salon in London. The first 10 customers get a free manicure 💅 – so be quick! 🚨

The second uses a megaphone as a visual prompt, communicating quickly that there is an announcement. The nail painting emoji shows what is being offered, while the alarm tells customers they need to be quick and alert, grabbing customer attention and encouraging them to take action.

3. Email marketing

According to research, emojis also belong in email marketing; a study has found emails that include emojis in the subject line have a 56% higher open rate, compared to those without emojis. Subject lines for newsletters and booking confirmations are an effective way to grab client attention and encourage clicks, so they will actually read the important information inside.

4. In-house communications

While emojis are powerful marketing tools, don’t underestimate their benefits within the workspace. In 2022, Adobe found that 79% of emoji users reported that using emojis at work helped the sharing of ideas, with 58% believing the icons boost creativity within the workspace.

So, don’t be afraid to send an emoji to a colleague, whether praising them, putting forward an idea or as a quick way to communicate you’ve received their message.