Using Email Emojis | Twilio SendGrid

Using emojis in email marketing has always been a hot topic. Some argue that emojis stand out and grab readers’ attention, while others say that emojis look unprofessional and spammy.

The jury has not yet decided, and you won’t find a universal answer for all of them. Our advice: if it feels right for your brand, do it. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. At Twilio SendGrid we like to occasionally use emojis here and there, but we also try not to overdo them.

Would you like to get started with emojis in your marketing email messages? We’ll cover you.

Below we will walk you through everything you need to know about how to add emojis to your email, whether you add them to the subject line or the text in Gmail or Outlook.

Why should you use emojis in emails?

Before we get into the how, let’s look at the data behind that why. Here are some reasons why you should use emojis in your marketing email messages:

• Emojis are ubiquitous –92% of the digital population uses them every day because they are used to and familiar with this form of communication.
• Emojis help people articulate what comes to their mind—70% of people think that emojis can express their thoughts better than words.
• Emojis can say a lot in just a few characters – recipients can typically only see 27–73 characters in a subject line.
• Emojis help open – subject lines with emojis tend to have higher open rates.

Research shows that open rates, unsubscribes, click rates, and spam reports when using emojis vary by brand and industry. So, tossing an emoji in your subject line isn’t a one-time solution to increasing your engagement forever. However, it can resonate more (or less) with your audience and have an impact.

The only way to find out is to experiment with an A / B test. Try sending an A / B test with an emoji and a non-emoji version of an email and see which one does better. For example:

• Emoji version: 🌹 Get your flowers before it’s too late!
• Non-emoji version: Get your flowers before it’s too late!

You may need to run this test for multiple campaigns to get a definitive answer to your target audience’s reactions.

Where to insert emojis

Emojis aren’t just for your subject lines – you can use them in your email body and preview text too. Here’s how you can use emojis in your inbox.

Emojis in the subject line

Want to know what the recipients are most interested in in their inboxes? According to our research, it’s the sender and the subject line. As a matter of fact, 82% of email users Receive at least 25 emails a day – that’s a lot of competitive messages. A well-placed emoji can make the difference between whether a recipient reads your subject line or completely overlooks it.

Emojis in the preview text

The subject line isn’t the only place for emojis. Some brands are finding clever ways to incorporate them into the preview text (that little bit of text you can see next to the subject line). A lot of marketers still use emojis in the subject lines, however, which means your emoji-loving subject line might not be very different from the rest of the crowd – not many brands have tried to incorporate them into the preview text yet.

Emojis in the email body

Emojis can be a fun way to mix up the copy of your email, especially if it’s a little wordy. Use them to add a little personality and pop to your messages.

How to add emojis to email

Adding emojis to your email is easy. Whether you want to add emojis to your personal emails in Outlook or Gmail, or add emojis to your email marketing campaigns in Twilio SendGrid, the process is relatively simple.

How to add emojis to Outlook

Outlook supports tables, charts, symbols, GIFs, and a small set of standard emojis. However, users can also use the Windows 11 fluent style emojis in Outlook. Here’s how:

1. Add an emoji in Outlook with the text code for that emoji. For example, if you enter “<3”, a heart emoji ❤️ is inserted.
2. Use Windows 11’s Emoji Picker by pressing the Windows key and the Period (.) Key at the same time. Select the emoji you want from the emoji picker by clicking on it. This will add it to your email.

How to add emojis to Gmail

Gmail makes adding emojis easy. Just click the “Insert Emoji” icon on your formatting toolbar. (Note: it looks like a smiley face.) Select the emoji that you want to add to your email.

How to add emojis using Twilio SendGrid

You can add emojis to your subject lines, preview texts, and body text in Twilio SendGrid. Just navigate to where you want to add your emoji in the email design tool. visit Emojipedia to find the emoji you need – it also shows you how each emoji appears in browsers, apps and devices.

For example, this is what the fire emoji 🔥 looks like on different platforms and operating systems.

When you find the emoji you want, click the Copy button, then paste it into the Twilio SendGrid Email Builder.

Email Marketing Emoji Examples

Need some inspiration on using emojis in your campaigns? Check out these email marketing emoji examples:

aim

Target’s subject line is simple but lively. Not only does it rely on emojis to draw the eyeballs – there is also a 20% discount at the beginning of the series. The subject line would have looked more bland if only it had used a roll of paper or kitchen knife emojis.

The hustle and bustle

The Hustle loves to use clever emojis in almost all subject lines. It is a pro at finding the perfect emoji to use to convey a feeling or to illustrate a concept.

Spotify

Think of this subject line without the shuffle emoji. It would be pretty boring, wouldn’t it? The addition of this bright orange emojis adds a pop of color that will grab readers’ attention.

Get creative with your email marketing with Twilio SendGrid

Email doesn’t have to be dry and boring. Bring your email campaigns to life with emojis, GIFs, videos, tables, interactive elements and more.

Some email designs will flop while others hit the bull’s eye. However, none of your email campaigns are really going to skyrocket unless you try to fly. So don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. You may lose a subscriber here or there, but the long-term insights and rewards are worth the short-term losses.

Do you need help getting your creative juices flowing? Check out our Expert’s Guide to Email Design. It’s packed with expert advice from real-time designers responsible for a wide variety of email programs across all industries. Stop by for inspiration for your next email campaign.