Let's start with a quiz: why is 17 July World Emoji Day? Savvy social media users will know that the calendar emoji - although it could have chosen any day of the 365 available - chose to show 17 July.
Happy World Emoji Day! - Why 17 July?
Well, on Twitter it used to be 15 July, Twitter's launch date, but has since changed to 21 March, it's founding date. The 17 July is famous in the world of Apple - and therefore for its iPhone emoji counterparts as when the iCal for Mac was first announced back in 2002. There's some useful/less trivia for you.
Should My Brand Use Emojis?
But the real question is: should I be using emojis? When are they appropriate and when are they not appropriate? It probably goes without saying that in a whitepaper on legal software, emojis will be out of place. But, most brands actively engage with the quaint little figures to harness the fun side of their brand and to convey 1000 extra words that the character count won't allow. The standard idea behind emojis in social media communications follows the same rule as Buddha did - less is more. Placing a few key emojis relevant to your brand in the copy of your social post can enhance engagement - but bombarding the post with them looks as though someone's Aunt Sharon just got an iPhone. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.