Email is one of the most preferred business communication channels. Still, the average email open rate is 21.33%.

But there’s a way you can make your emails stand out – Adding emojis to email subject lines.

In a study by Experian, subject-line emojis accounted for increased open rates for 56% of brands. Moreover, 92% of online consumers use emojis.

So it’s a no-brainer to be using emojis in email subject lines to make your emails stand out.

In this guide, we’ll go through:

• Benefits of adding emojis in email subject lines
• How to add emojis to email subject lines?
• Things to consider before adding emojis in email subject lines
• Some best examples of emojis in email subject lines

Top 5 Benefits of Adding Emojis in Email Subject Lines

1. Increase in Email Open Rates

Do you read email subject lines before opening emails? Most likely, you do.

In fact, a study found that 64% of people open an email because of the subject line; and more than half of these users are more likely to open an email from a brand that uses emojis in the subject.

Take a look at a few more stats:

• In an experiment, emojis in emails increased open rates by 45%.
• Econsultancy’s research also revealed that emojis bumped up open rates 60% of the time, in contrast with no-emoji subject lines:

So emojis can help you get your emails opened.

2. Conveys Messages and Emotions Effectively

It is important for a brand to understand its customers’ emotional motivators and to find ways to connect with them.

Studies have shown that emotional content can increase the effectiveness of marketing by as much as 70%. 

Conversations over text or email have lost elements that are normally present in face-to-face communication. It can be difficult to share emotional intent without visual communication.

This is where emojis come in handy, as they can convey emotions that words can’t express.😀

Emojis placed on the subject line can also set the tone of an email for the receiver.

3. Saves Time & Space

With just one emoji, you can say a lot.

Using emojis as word replacements can save you time and space in your email. Especially because the subject line on mobile devices is limited to 30 characters.

Here are some examples:

• Gifts, discounts, bonuses, etc get replaced with 🎁
• Save the launch date? Use this 🗓️

4. Eye-Catching & Attracts Viewers

Let’s face it: Most email inboxes have a boring, text-heavy interface.

So using emojis in subject lines can be a fun way to catch your reader’s attention.

Emojis can help your email stand out from the crowd of text and have a friendly, engaging appeal.

Brands like Coca-Cola have even created their own custom emojis to engage their audience:

5. Improves Brand identity

Your brand should be more than just the products you sell. People are more likely to connect with brands that have distinct personalities or identities.

In fact, 57.5% of customers buy from brands with strong personalities. Using emojis in your marketing and communications not only improves brand identity but also humanizes your brand.

For example, Cloud X uses a cloud emoji (☁) in their emails, which is a creative way of making their message easily recognizable in their audience’s inbox.

How to Add Emojis to Email Subject Lines? [3 Easy Steps]

1. Find Emojis

Have trouble finding the right emoji for your email campaign? Here are some resources:

• Emojipedia.org compiles a list of all available emoticons and their representations in various environments, including Facebook, Twitter, and Google.
• Getemoji.com is a similar tool to explore and copy popular emojis onto any social network or website.

2. Copy the Emojis

 Simply highlight the emoji from one of the source websites and tap Ctrl+C to copy the emoji.

3. Paste them to the subject line

Next, go on over to your email draft, place your cursor in the subject line field, and press Ctrl+V.

Things to Consider Before Adding Emojis in Email Subject Lines

While using emojis in your email subject lines can significantly boost your email open rates, using them inaccurately can also have negative impacts like annoying your audience or making them unsubscribe.

That’s why you should consider these factors before using emojis in emails and hitting the send button:

– Know your targeted audience

Do you know how many emails the average person receives each day?

As per research, 121 business emails are sent and received by a person each day on average.

And with the average open rate at 21.33%, most of your branded emails are likely to be ignored by the majority of your email list.

On the other hand, a targeted email to the right audience with a catchy subject line and a relevant emoji is far more likely to find customers.

So, knowing your target audience can play a vital role in deciding which emojis to use and whether to use them at all.

For example:

Here’s what Dominos did to target repeat customers in this email:

They kept their subject line short and to the point, with only one or two emojis to catch their customer’s attention.

– Choose relevant emojis

Emojis are meant to complement your email. That won’t happen if the emoji doesn’t fit the context.

Moreover, an email with too many emojis can be confusing for the readers.

So, it’s important to use emojis that are relevant to your brand or message.

According to ReturnPath, relevancy in the use of emoticons can increase open rates. For example, when they included a lips emoji (💋) in their email subject lines for Valentine’s Day, their open rate increased by 4%:

Use emojis sparingly

59% of B2B marketers find email lists as the most effective channel for revenue generation.

But the most common error when sending emojis in emails is using too many of them.

Using too many subject line emojis, or using them all over the content, could lead to subscribers mistaking your email for spam.

Overuse of emojis, as shown below, can do more harm than good.

Conduct A/B Split Tests

A/B or split testing of email subject lines involves comparing two or more versions to help you figure out what your audience likes.

An A/B split test is simple: send the subject line with an emoji to group A and the subject line without the emoji to group B. The results will help you understand your target audience better.

A/B testing also allows you to see if the emojis are properly rendered. 39% of consumers unsubscribe to receive emails in the future after they receive an unoptimized email on their smartphone. Here’s an example of how emojis will appear differently on various operating systems and mobile devices:

Some Best Examples of Emojis in Email Subject Lines

– Smiley Emoji 😊

The most commonly used emojis are the Smiling Face. Use it to express genuine joy and warm, positive feelings.

– Clock Emoji🕐

The clock emoji is commonly used for time-related content, such as countdowns and deadlines.

– Thumbs Up Emoji👍

A thumbs-up emoji is a gesture of approval and is equivalent to “sounds good” in most cases.

– Heart Emoji❤️

In warm emotional contexts, the red heart emoji can be used. Use it to express feelings of appreciation, gratitude, warmth, or love. In a study, using a black heart (♥) emoji provided an open rate boost of 2.2%.

– Happy Emoji😀

The Happy Emoji is used to express joy or excitement about something. This type of emoji is sometimes used to complement your text without giving it a specific meaning.

– Rainbow Emoji🌈

The rainbow emoji is commonly associated with a happy or positive feeling. The rainbow emoji is frequently used for various LGBTQ content.

– Fire Emoji 🔥

The fire emoji is often used to signify content that is very exciting.

– Eyes Emoji 👀

The eyes emoji is mostly used to draw attention to something that the user wants to highlight.

Conclusion

If you’re a marketer/brand that relies on email as a channel of communication, including emojis in your email subject lines can be a powerful tactic for increasing open rates and improving campaign engagement.

Like visuals in content, emojis can help people visualize your message.

When used correctly, it can provide more information about the email in a more concise manner while also capturing people’s attention.

But note that emojis in subject lines can be a double-edged sword as well. Excessive use or use of the incorrect ones can harm your marketing efforts. Always test any emoji in your email subject lines before sending it to your contact list.