In the ten years of the world celebrating World Emoji Day annually, more than 3,000 different emojis are available today, and a whopping 900M emojis are sent every day without text on Facebook Messenger.

That is how prevalent and viral the usage of emojis has been. It is a universal language - a version of modern hieroglyphics that is no longer used just amongst friends or social media.

There has also been a 775% increase in emoji usage in business messages, and eCommerce brands have been using and experimenting with them to notify app users and potential customers even when their app is not running.

With such fierce competition in acquiring and retaining customers, diminishing marketing budgets, and the necessity of personalizing their shopping journey, using emojis in push notifications are integral in keeping your buyers engaged.

This is common knowledge to marketers- resulting in an enthusiastic surge in Emoji marketing, but many do it poorly if not terribly, leading to high uninstall rates and low engagement!

In this blog post, we’re quickly going to show you why using them is necessary and the right way to add them to your messages so that your customers love hearing from you - and don’t uninstall your shopping app!

Why Should You Use Emojis in App Push Notifications?

Emojis are not just an additional element to an app push notification. Let’s take a look at how they impact the performance of your app push notification campaigns:

1. Increases Engagement & Personalization

Take a look at the above example of push notifications from some of the popular eCommerce apps out there- which ones did you notice first?

Emojis are eye-catching.

They stand out in a sea of text and discount codes, making your push notifications more noticeable and engaging.

Your customers are also used to receiving emojis from friends and family - so seeing them in a brand’s marketing message can make them less wary, and make your brand feel more personal and relatable, enhancing customer engagement and loyalty.

2. Evokes Immediate and Emotional Responses

Notice how you felt looking at each emoji.

Did you feel a tiny bit alarmed at the urgency conveyed through the warning sign emoji? Perhaps you felt encouraged and empowered looking at the one with flexed biceps.

You cannot have missed the red cross with the baby and the injection emoji - it would have taken your brain milliseconds to process this is to do with a child’s health and should not be ignored.

When you add emoji to push notifications, there is an instant reaction from your brain. According to a study, when a person sees an emoji in a message, their brain reacts the same way as when they see a human face.

Emoji marketing can add a touch of humor, excitement, urgency, or any other emotion that text alone might not fully capture.

This can help create a stronger emotional connection with your customers, enhancing their overall experience with your brand.

3. Improves Message Clarity and Brevity

Let’s be honest - no one has the time to read through your notifications - however much time your copywriter has spent crafting them.

Emojis can replace words, making your messages shorter and easier to read. A well-placed emoji can convey a message quickly and effectively, saving your customers time and improving their experience.

Look at the notifications above, all from one brand - using emojis to show a pink bag, lingerie and purse - you might instantly make the connection to Barbie without reading the full message.

In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, where customers often skim through messages, and there is limited space to convey your message, this can be a game-changer.

4. Appeals to a Wider Audience

Emojis are universally recognized and used across different age groups, cultures, and languages.

By using emojis in your push notifications, you can appeal to a wider audience, including younger generations who heavily rely on emojis for communication.

In the example above, you can easily make out the brand’s personality and how they engage the younger generation through a mix of copy and emojis.

Dominos allows customers to place an order using a pizza slice emoji, and Dove created curly-haired emojis to promote their products.

By using emojis that align with your brand and products, you can make your push notifications more unique and memorable.

5. Increase Click-Through Rates (CTR)

Conversion is only possible when you've managed to capture your customer’s attention.

There is no sale when it doesn’t even register in their minds, let alone gets them intrigued and engaged.

According to one study by PushEngage found that emojis can boost the click-through rate by up to 85%. When there’s more traffic coming to your app, traffic that is positively conditioned through fun emojis, your conversion rates can increase drastically.

6. Stand Out from Competitors

Nothing beats a visual memory. And interestingly, emojis outperform even images by 9%.when used in push notifications!

Take a look at the two examples above and compare them to the other screenshots of push notifications with emojis shared above- which looks more fun and exciting to tap and check out if they deliver on their promises when you open the app?

7. Increases Retention Rates

According to a study by Kissmetrics, personalized push notifications, including those with emojis, can increase retention rates by up to 28%.

For users in the United States using Android smartphones, the retention rate on the second day increased by a significant 28% when emojis were used in the notifications.

28% increase, particularly at a crucial stage in the user journey where ensuring continued app adoption is key is an excellent result eCommerce brands should aspire to and can get with emoji marketing.

How to Use Emojis in App Push Notifications?

Using emojis in push notifications is not just about adding random symbols to your messages. It requires a strategic approach to ensure that they enhance your message rather than distract from it. Here's how you can do it:

1. Replace Punctuation with Emojis

Emojis can be used to add emphasis to your message. Instead of using an exclamation point, consider using an emoji that mirrors that to convey urgency or surprise faster.

2. Use Emojis to Start and End of Your Notification

Visually, it is easier for people to register emojis before and after a sentence instead of sprinkling too many in between words. You can also use the  same emoji to center the text!

3. Replace Words with Emojis

Emojis can replace words, making your message shorter and faster to read. For example, instead of saying "time is running out," you could use a clock emoji.

Do's and Don’t of Using Emojis in App push notifications

While there are several ways to use emojis in app push notifications, overdoing them can be harmful to readability and campaign performance. Here are some dos and don’ts to follow:

1. Natural Usage

Only use emojis when it feels natural and the meaning is clear. If it seems forced, it's better to skip it.

Remember, you want your customer to instantly understand the hook or message and any confusion caused will work against you.

Squeezing in text and emojis in a single notification can overwhelm your audience. Give them time and space to process and understand your message

2. Avoid Double Meanings

Always check EmojiPedia to avoid embarrassing surprises or unintended meanings.

Remember, some emojis can have different connotations or cultural contexts in different countries.

For example, the clapping hand emoji has a different meaning in the U.S. compared to China so always double-check.

3. Preview and Test Before Sending

Always preview your push notifications before sending them out.

There are various tools that you can use to see how your customer will see your notification, on Android or iOS. If your word count is higher than recommended, then your emoji will not be seen, which defeats the purpose!

It's okay to take risks with your emoji usage, but always test your push notifications before sending them to all your users.

4. Use the Right Emoji for Your Audience

With 3363 emojis in the Unicode Standard, it's important to choose the ones that resonate with your audience.

For eCommerce apps, there are many emojis to communicate outfits or accessories, and even universal symbols to communicate urgency or time-bound offers!

5. Use Emojis Sparingly and with Purpose

Be strategic with your emoji use. Don't just randomly sprinkle emojis into your push notifications or add too many between words, making it look visually overstimulating.

6. Segment Emoji Preference

If a part of your audience responds better to certain emojis in push notifications, consider segmenting your audience based on their emoji preference.

Preference for emojis can depend on age group and demographics, even industry. For example,

A study by Hubspot on the health and fitness industry found that one of their top-performing emojis was the "completed hourglass" which communicates feelings of completion, satisfaction, and challenge completed.

However, in a twist of irony, one of their least effective emojis was the "incomplete hourglass” which reminded customers of not being able to complete their workout or fitness goals.

7. Avoid Emoji Exploitation

Don't use emojis just because everyone else is. Test to ensure that emojis actually increase your engagement rate. This guide for dos and don’ts would not be needed if eCommerce brands did not misuse or overuse emojis!

8. Avoid Using Emojis with New Users

Emojis are more personal and intimate and are best used with consumers who already know your brand. Best to save its first use in a powerful irresistible hook after the user has already interacted with your app.

4. Don't Rely Solely on Emojis

Emojis can't always explain the intent clearly. Use words to clarify when necessary and avoid making your people think what you mean. Words and emojis need to support each other to help them realize a single narrative.

5. Don't Overcrowd Your Message

Squeezing in text and emojis in a single notification can overwhelm your audience. Give them time and space to process and understand your message.

Getting started with Shopify eCommerce mobile app Push Notifications

Emojis can be a powerful tool in your eCommerce app push notification strategy.

They can make your messages more engaging, personal, and memorable, ultimately leading to higher open rates and customer engagement.

However, like any tool, they need to be used wisely.

At Shopney, we understand the power of effective push notifications and can help you use push to increase your app sales.

Our team of experts can guide you on how to use emojis effectively in your push notifications, tailored to your brand and audience.

Book a demo with us today to learn more about how we can help boost your eCommerce business!