Emojis have become an integral part of digital communication. Used to express emotions and enhance conversations, emojis add color and vibrancy to otherwise plain text. With LinkedIn adopting features similar to social media, users can now add emojis to their posts and comments on LinkedIn.
Why Use Emojis on LinkedIn?
Here are some key reasons why using emojis on LinkedIn can be beneficial:
- Make your posts more engaging and eye-catching
- Help convey tone and emotion
- Add humor and personality to your communications
- Can replace textual expressions or punctuation
- Aid in storytelling and expressing ideas visually
- Help you better connect with your audience
Used thoughtfully, emojis allow you to showcase your brand personality and creatively communicate with your connections on LinkedIn.
Ways to Insert Emojis in LinkedIn Posts
Here are the main ways you can add emoji icons to your LinkedIn posts and communications:
Copy and Paste Emoji
The easiest way is to simply copy an emoji character from an emoji keyboard or reference site, and paste it directly into your LinkedIn post or comment. Here’s how:
- Find an emoji you want to use through your phone’s emoji keyboard or a reference site like Emojipedia.
- Copy the emoji character.
- In your LinkedIn post, place your cursor where you want the emoji to appear.
- Paste the copied emoji.
The emoji will now appear inline with your text.
Emoji Keyboard
LinkedIn’s mobile app and desktop site have emoji keyboards to select emojis from:
- Mobile: When composing a post in the LinkedIn app, tap the smiley face icon to open the emoji keyboard.
- Desktop: Click the smiley face icon that appears when drafting a post to pick emojis from a popup emoji selection box.
Tap or click an emoji to add it to your post. This is handy for quickly inserting relevant emojis without copying/pasting.
LinkedIn Emoji Shortcodes
You can type colon codes to add select emojis in posts and comments. For example, typing “:thumbsup:” (without quotation marks) will render a thumbs up emoji.
Here are some of the commonly used LinkedIn emoji shortcodes:
:thumbsup: | 👍 |
:thumbsdown: | 👎 |
:clap: | 👏 |
:tada: | 🎉 |
:heart_eyes: | 😍 |
Typing the shortcodes automatically converts them into emojis when posted. Note that this only works on LinkedIn – other platforms don’t necessarily support the same codes.
Emoji Limitations and Restrictions on LinkedIn
While you can freely use emojis in posts and comments, keep in mind that LinkedIn does impose some restrictions:
- A maximum of 3 emojis are recommended per post or comment to avoid looking unprofessional.
- Don’t overuse emojis or use too many inappropriate/unrelated ones.
- Emojis don’t show up in all text fields on LinkedIn, like summaries, titles, etc.
- Some emoji shortcuts may not work on 3rd party LinkedIn apps.
- Take care not to overuse emojis or seem like you’re including them just for the sake of it.
Best Practices for Using Emojis on LinkedIn
To ensure you’re using emojis effectively on LinkedIn, keep these best practices in mind:
- Use no more than 1-2 emojis per post/comment.
- Pick emojis relevant to your content and industry.
- Ensure emojis you use align with your brand persona and style.
- Avoid using emojis in formal communications or with senior contacts.
- Don’t overdo emojis just for the sake of seeming casual/friendly.
- Use them thoughtfully in a way that adds value for your audience.
Emoji Uses and Examples on LinkedIn
Here are some examples of effective emoji usage on LinkedIn:
React to Content
Use applicable emojis to react to someone’s post or comment, like a clapping emoji on content you find useful.
Express Emotions
Insert emojis like joy, laughter or tears to express how some content made you feel.
Augment Storytelling
Pepper your stories or examples with emojis to add color and enhance visual storytelling.
Add Humor
Insert funny or wink emojis to add an element of appropriate humor to your post.
Convey Tone
Emojis like smiles or frowns can convey tone that plain text may miss, like using a smiley to soften constructive feedback.
Highlight Key Points
Use icons like check marks or light bulbs to highlight important points or key takeaways in your posts.
Replace Words or Punctuation
Substitute repetitive terms like “congrats” or punctuation like exclamation points with a party popper emoji.
Conclusion
When used thoughtfully, emojis are a great way to creatively communicate and better engage your audience on LinkedIn. Just be sure to follow best practices, and avoid overusing emojis or inserting too many irrelevant icons in formal posts. Pay attention to emoji limitations, and always ensure they align with your brand voice. With the right strategy, emojis can give your LinkedIn content a fun, lively and approachable tone that your community is sure to love!