Should Small Businesses Utilize Emojis in Online Marketing?

NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Many small businesses have resolved to increase their online marketing efforts in 2016 in order to build awareness and boost their brand's profile. From creating a company blog to establishing a presence on social media, there are several strategies to explore when determining the best approach to take.  For small businesses in the pursuit of higher levels of audience engagement, one tactic worth exploring is the use of emojis in their online marketing messages.

Marketing Director for Pubsoft, Heather Wied, discusses the benefits of an emoji marketing strategy and provides tips on when best to use them. In her most recent article posted to the PR Toolkit, "Embrace Emojis in Your Online Marketing," Wied delves into the following:

• Step 1: Know your emojis.  Emojis that seem innocuous can carry a different meaning than what is explicitly pictured and Wied suggests familiarizing yourself with the meanings of each before jumping on the emoji bandwagon. Sites like http://emojipedia.org/ can help provide further context and meaning.
• Step 2: Cadence. Treat this tactic as you do others, and ensure your cadence doesn't impact the overall effectiveness of your efforts. Wied suggests reserving emoji usage for lighter marketing messages in order to emphasize a particular point.
• Step 3: Alignment. Ensure this concept aligns with your other marketing tactics. Messaging and audience fit is a must. Social platforms like Twitter are a great way to embrace emojis and take simplistic messages to the next level.

For further discussion on the benefits of emoji marketing and tips to incorporate them into your overall strategy, read Wied's post here.

PR Newswire's Small Business PR Toolkit is a comprehensive resource that provides small businesses and entrepreneurs the tools to develop an affordable public relations and marketing plan that helps generate interest from potential customers, engage with key audiences and grow their businesses. The toolkit features relevant content such as informative white papers, interactive webinars and how-to articles and premium access to educational resources, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of special offers designed specifically for small businesses. To request information on how PR Newswire can help your small business, click here. You can receive updates on new Small Business PR Toolkit content by following @prnsmallbiz on Twitter.

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