There’s been a noticeable shift in how we communicate — to volunteers, to donors, and even within our own internal communications to staff. Some people are fans of emojis, finding them to be a shorthand to convey emotions, while others find emojis to be unprofessional and silly. So: emojis for nonprofits — yay or nay?
What is an emoji?
Emojis are a visual symbol of emotional cues that can be inserted into text. They exist in a variety of themes, including facial expressions, food and drink, objects, animals, celebrations, places, weather, and other themes. They’re most commonly used in emails, social media, and text messages, and as younger generations enter the workforce, they’re becoming more prevalent in workplace communications as well.
That’s all good and fine, you might be wondering, but how does that play out for nonprofit communications?
Well, for starters, emojis help your content stand out. They can be used in the subject line of an email to draw attention to your email in someone’s inbox. They can be used on social media to convey your brand’s personality. They can even be used in your fundraising communications if you’ve activated a text-to-give campaign. Here are some best practices in using emojis for nonprofits
Consider Accessibility
Emojis are fantastic, but should never be used in lieu of plain old words. Here’s why:
- Emojis are visual symbols. For those who are blind or have low vision, emojis may not be easily recognizable. Furthermore, screen readers don’t always reliably describe emojis, which can inhibit any sense of context intended by the use of the emoji.
- Similarly, some emojis rely on color to convey meaning or distinguish between different elements. For example, the meaning of a red heart emoji is very different from a yellow heart emoji — red signifies love, generally, while the yellow heart signifies joy, happiness, and friendship. Along those same lines, not everyone knows the meaning of each distinct colored emoji. To avoid confusion, stick to the most representative emoji.
- For individuals who use screen readers, using emojis can break up the flow of a sentence. If someone sent you a message that was read out loud as, “Laughing face, laughing face, laughing face, that was so funny,” it takes a lot longer to get to the point than simply saying, “That was so funny, laughing face.” Being mindful of emoji placement can ensure the message gets across to your intended user.
- Finally, while emojis are meant to be universal, not all users understand the meaning of a given emoji. Use emojis as a supplement, not a substitute for your words.
Consider Audience
According to this 2022 report from Adobe, 69% of respondents indicated that the use of emojis positively impacts likeability in the workplace, while 59% indicate it positively impacts credibility. A significant factor of the rise in acceptance of emojis in the workplace may be due to the increasingly hybrid nature of organizations. When face-to-face isn’t an option, employees opt for other ways to demonstrate the tone of a message to ensure the intent comes across effectively.
With that said, that doesn’t mean emojis belong in every communication. The most accepted space for emojis is within social media, which is more informal by its very nature. The next most common space for emojis for nonprofit communications is in email subject lines.
For example, a subject line related to an upcoming event can use a calendar emoji to indicate to the reader that it is date-related. You could even use emojis to represent the when and where of said upcoming event: a location pin emoji for place and a calendar and clock emoji for when. These visual shorthands don’t detract from your message but add a dose of personality.
If you’re not sure whether emojis make sense for your audience and you have the capacity to do so, try A/B testing! Just remember: relevance is key when it comes to deciding when to use emojis. Which brings us to our next point:
Consider Relevance
When using an emoji, make sure that the emoji itself is connected to your content and context. For example, if you’re planning an email appeal for a specific cause, a crying laughing face emoji may not convey the tone you’re hoping to get across. Instead, think about what emojis support your cause.
You can check out this curated list of most commonly used nonprofit emojis or visit Emojipedia to look up what each emoji means. You can also use those sources for inspiration to find new emojis that are related to your content — and then create copy using those new emojis!
Consider Your Brand
Finally, if you’re not sure if emojis make sense for your organization, refer back to your brand messaging framework! What is your organization’s personality? Tone? Who are those key audiences you’re trying to reach again? These can help determine when and where to use emojis.
Once you’ve determined where emojis make sense for your organization, save yourself time and energy by creating a little emoji cheat sheet. Include all possible emojis that your organization might use — and then refer back to it when creating new content.
If you have any questions at all about using emojis in your overall marketing and fundraising strategy, we can help! Reach out to Sunny Side Creative when you’re ready to get started!