• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, November 14, 2019

Maybe you’re one of those misfits who find emojis annoying -- a dumbing down of human communication. You’re in the minority, according to a report by Emma, provider of an email marketing platform. 

For one thing, 56% of brands that use the dreadful images in email subject lines draw higher open rates, according to Experian, the report says. 

And Emma quotes Email Marketing Daily itself that emoji use is growing at a rate of 775% a year. (Did we say that?) 

Actually, 64% of consumers are likely to open an email from a brand with their favorite emoji in the subject line, and 58% will open messages with any emoji, according to a recent report from Adobe. And 44% are prone to buying products that are advertised using emojis.

What’s more, 60% like firms that use emojis and 52% will comment on brand posts that feature them. In addition, 48% are likely to follow brands in social media if they use emojis. Finally, 64% in general will buy via an emoji. 

What will these emoji lovers buy? A meal (19%), movie tickets (15%) and clothing or apparel (13%). 

So jump on the trend. To start with, Emma claims that emojis can help your subject lines stand out from the crowd. In fact, you can and should use more than one, as Journeys and Hungry Harry’s do.

In addition, you can use emojis to say more in less space. When targeting a mobile device, where space is limited, emojis can evoke a mood — with a single character. 

You can also use emojis to make an emotional connection. "Whether you choose a heart to express love or raised hands to convey excitement and celebration, these simple symbols are an effective communication tool.” 

Emojis can increase your open rates, so start testing them in your holiday emails to figure out which ones work.

But there are some drawbacks, Emma warns:

• Not all browsers support emojis.
• You can overdo the emoji bit.
• Emojis might not work with your brand.

It’s what we’ve thought all along. Brand should put their logos in subject lines, as they can do using BIMI ((Brand Indicators for Message Identification). 

Meanwhile, Mojichat is offering animated 3D, personalized,  full-body emojis.

These are dubbed emotes. A relationship with Streamlabs will enable Mojichat emotes to be used on any streaming video gaming platform. 

The company says streamers can create custom emotes that will help increase their donations and brand sponsorships. 

It's like Frankenstein coming alive.