Emoji are fun, right? They can add a flicker of color and a hint of personality to even the most boring email. They can tidy up social media posts. They can even convey certain messages and emotions better than words.

They are a great tool to have in your pocket … Literally.

What do you see? Or should I say 😂)

What if I told you that these little guys can make a big difference in your click-through rates, open rates, and general engagement rates – that they can breathe life into your brand? That kind of changes the game, huh?

That’s why we’ve put together this guide. We’ll cover why to use emojis, how to use them for business, and some popular combinations you can use in your marketing. Let’s get started! Keep reading, or use the chapter links below to jump around.

What is Emoji?

Emojis are small icons and images created using Unicode Standard. They are used in text messages, on websites, and as part of other digital communications. The word “emoji” comes from the Japanese e (絵, “image”) and moji (文字, “character”).

Emojis can be well-known yellow smileys or common objects such as weather, food, animals and more, and they are used on both desktop and mobile devices.

However, emojis are not emoticons. What’s the difference there?

A Brief History of Emoji

Emojis haven’t been around forever. They are barely around twenty years old … 😲

The first emoji were created in 1999 by a coder used by NTT DoCoMo, a Japanese mobile service provider. He created the first 180 emojis, which several Japanese providers later used for text messages and other communications.

In 2010, emojis were incorporated into and standardized by Unicode, allowing them to be used outside of Japan. Over the next six years, thousands of emojis were added to “language”, including zodiac signs, sports equipment, places of worship, and various skin colors.

As of March 2020, there are more than 3,300 emojis in the Unicode Standards list.