Raise your hand if you’ve ever seen 🚀🔥🎯 in someone’s bio, brand or story. Or 🥰😍💕.

This is me, and probably you, too: 🙋‍♀️.

In fact, Facelift Data Studio found that a whopping 57% of all analyzed Instagram profiles contained emojis.

Source

Now, your next question might be: But…why?

In this post, we’ll answer just that. We’ll explore why emojis are so powerful in social media marketing, plus how to use them effectively to elevate your brand’s voice.

What are social media emojis, and why are they popular?

Emojis are small digital icons or symbols used to express ideas, emotions, or reactions. Anything from 😂 to 🧠 to 🏳️‍🌈 counts as a social media emoji. Most platforms—like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok—support them in captions, comments, bios, and messages.

So, why are they so popular? In short, they make communication feel more human.

Text alone can be a bit… flat. Emojis add colour, context, and emotion, helping you say more with less. “Nice job” can sound polite or sarcastic depending on the context. But “Nice job 👏🔥” instantly feels enthusiastic and supportive. They help bridge the gap between written and spoken language, adding tone and nuance that plain text often lacks.

Emojis also make content more engaging and easier to digest. They break up walls of text, grab attention in a crowded feed, and help users quickly scan content. In a fast-scrolling world, an eye-catching emoji can be the difference between a post being read or ignored.

How emojis are used across different platforms

Here’s a quick look at how emoji culture varies across the primary social channels.

Instagram

On Instagram, emojis are everywhere. Think bios, captions, comments, Stories, and even usernames.

Popular trends include using emojis to tell mini-stories (e.g. 🛫🌴🍹📸 for a holiday recap) or create aesthetic “vibes” in a post.

Comment sections are also often full of emoji-only reactions. Think 🔥 for something cool, 😍 for admiration, or 🤯 for mind-blowing content.

Finally, brands use emojis in captions to grab attention, break up text, or add a personal touch.

Facebook

On Facebook, emoji reactions (Like 👍, Love ❤️, Haha 😂, Wow 😮, Sad 😢, and Angry 😡) let users quickly express how they feel about a post without typing a comment. These reactions also feed into Facebook’s algorithm, influencing the visibility of certain content.

In posts and comments, emojis are used more sparingly compared to Instagram. But they still help add warmth or humour to conversations.

LinkedIn

Emoji use is more restrained on LinkedIn, but it’s definitely growing.

Reactions include Like 👍, Celebrate 🎉, Support 💙, Insightful 💡, and Curious 🤔—each encouraging different kinds of engagement.

In posts, emojis are often used to structure content (like ✅ bullet points) or add a bit of visual interest to professional updates. So they can humanise business content when used thoughtfully, but overuse can feel unprofessional.

X (formerly Twitter)

Emojis are used on X to express strong emotion or sarcasm, often replacing words entirely.

They help add context to short tweets, especially now that character limits are more flexible.

Trending emojis can be part of viral moments or memes. Think 🧢 to call out a lie, or 💀 to mean “I’m laughing so hard I’m dead.”

Brands also often use emojis to convey personality, react in real-time, or join trending conversations.

TikTok

Emojis are big in captions, comments, and even overlaid on videos on TikTok.

Creators use them for humour, to enhance storytelling, or to hint at meaning without saying things outright (e.g. 🍵 for gossip or drama).

Some emoji combinations become trends or inside jokes within specific communities.

Emojis also help content appear in search results, as TikTok’s algorithm recognizes them.

The marketing psychology behind emojis

Emojis aren't just playful icons. They're powerful tools that tap into human psychology to boost engagement and relatability in marketing.

Why emojis increase engagement and relatability

Emojis function as visual cues that convey emotions, tone, and context, bridging the gap between written text and human expression. They can trigger emotional responses similar to those elicited by facial expressions in real-life interactions, making messages feel more personal and authentic.

Here are some compelling stats I think every marketer should know:

• Enhanced engagement. Including emojis in brand-related user-generated content on Instagram is associated with a 72% increase in likes and a 70% increase in comments compared to posts without emojis.
• Improved email performance. Emojis in email subject lines can lead to a 56% higher open rate and a 28% increase in unique click-through rates.
• Increased social media interaction. Tweets featuring emojis experience a 25.4% boost in engagement. Facebook posts with emojis see a 57% increase in likes and a 33% rise in comments and shares.

Which emojis perform best—and why

HubSpot compiled a list based on data that includes the 10 most popular emojis, the top 10 most likely to increase engagement, and the top 10 most likely to encourage click-through.

The top 10 emojis most likely to increase engagement are:

🙆

🍒

🐠

💃

🌤

💘

😔

💕

😢

💓

And the top 10 emojis most likely to encourage click-through are:

🐙

🐴

👖

🍒

🚂

🏳

🌉

🆓

👇

🎟

Best practices for using emojis in social media marketing

Using emojis in your social media marketing can make your brand feel more relatable, modern, and expressive. But only if they’re used effectively. Here are some best practices to help you strike the right balance.

✅ Use emojis in all the right places

• In captions and headlines. Emojis can add personality, catch the eye, and set the tone. Use them to highlight key points, express emotion, or make a post feel more casual and friendly. For example, “New blog just dropped! 👇📖” feels more inviting than plain text alone.
• In comments and replies. Emojis are great for engaging with your audience quickly and playfully. A simple “Thanks so much! 🙌” goes a long way towards humanising your brand voice.
• In bios and profile names. A well-placed emoji in your bio can add a splash of colour or a hint of what your brand is all about. Think a 🌱 for sustainability or a 📍for location-based services.
• In Stories, Reels, and video overlays. Emojis can enhance visual storytelling, making content more dynamic and expressive.
• In call-to-actions (CTAs). Using a 👉 or 🔗 next to a link or prompt can guide the viewer’s attention and boost click-through rates.

🚫 Avoid overuse or misinterpretation of emojis

• Don’t go emoji-happy. Using too many emojis can overwhelm the message or come across as unprofessional. Especially on platforms like LinkedIn or in business-to-business (B2B) contexts. Stick to one or two well-placed icons rather than a whole string.
• Watch for mixed meanings. Some emojis have different connotations depending on the audience or culture. (Hello 🍑 and 🍆.) So be cautious when selecting emojis, especially for formal or public-facing content.
• Test before you post. Emojis can render differently across platforms and devices. Always double-check how they look on both mobile and desktop to ensure your message is clear and consistent.
• Know your brand voice. A financial advisor and a lifestyle influencer will (and should) use emojis in very different ways. Make sure your choices align with your tone, values, and audience expectations.

🔍 Use emojis to enhance, not replace, your message

Emojis should support your copy, not replace it. Relying on emoji-only posts or captions (e.g. “🚀🔥💯”) might be trendy in some circles, but it often sacrifices clarity.

Especially if your audience is broad or not familiar with the latest slang.

Aim to use emojis as emotional or visual cues that complement your words, rather than confusing them.

Every Social Media Logo and Icon in One Handy Place

Read the guide

Emoji tools for social media marketers

Whether you're choosing the perfect emoji for a campaign or analysing how your audience responds to them, a few handy tools can make emoji use easier, smarter, and more strategic. Here are some great resources to explore:

• Emojipedia. The go-to emoji dictionary. Look up the meaning of any emoji, see how it renders on different platforms, and stay updated on new emoji releases.
• Get Emoji. A simple copy-and-paste emoji tool—great for quickly grabbing emojis to use in captions, tweets, or replies without relying on a device keyboard.
• EmojiCopy. This tool lets you select and copy multiple emojis at once, making it easy to build a set of icons for your posts or campaigns.
• Canva Emoji Picker (within Canva). When designing graphics or social posts in Canva, you can easily drag and drop emojis directly into your designs for added flair.

Most social media management tools that allow you to create and schedule content, such as Sendible, also support the use of emojis.

Sendible features a centralised compose box called Smart Compose, which allows you to optimise your copy, schedule posts for when your audience is most active, and capitalise on evergreen content that can be reused.

The reporting feature will also be key for this. You can easily see which posts perform best and then identify which emojis you used within those to determine what resonates with your audience.

FAQ Section

What are the most-used emojis on social media?

According to DooFinder, the top 10 most commonly used emojis are 😂, ❤️, 🤣, 👍, 😭, 🙏, 😘, 🥰, 😍, 😊. Here’s a graphic of the top 100:

Source

How do emojis affect social media engagement?

Emojis boost social media engagement by making content more visually appealing, emotional, and relatable. Posts with emojis tend to get higher interaction rates. Studies show they can increase likes, comments, and shares by up to 57%. Emojis help convey tone quickly, catch attention in busy social media feeds, and encourage more human connection between brands and their audiences.

Can emojis be misunderstood across cultures?

Yes, emojis can be misunderstood across cultures. The same emoji may have different meanings depending on cultural context, slang, or regional trends. For example, the 🙏 emoji is perceived as a prayer gesture in some countries and a high-five in others. To avoid miscommunication, marketers need to consider their audience's cultural background when using emojis.

Conclusion

Emojis may be small, but their impact is huge. They add emotion, personality, and clarity to digital conversations. When used thoughtfully, they can help brands connect more authentically and creatively with their audiences. So go ahead—speak the language of emojis, and let your brand's voice shine. 🎯✨