By Bethany Spain, Digital Communications Assistant
Every year on 17 July, World Emoji Day celebrates the tiny icons that have become a part of how we communicate online. Whether it’s a 🎉 to celebrate funding success, a 💚 to show support, or a 📅 to highlight an event, emojis can help social media posts feel warmer, more engaging and more human.
For charities and community organisations, that’s important. We want our communications to feel welcoming and approachable.
But there’s one question we don’t often ask: Are our emojis accessible?
Why emojis are so popular
Emojis can be a great communications tool. Used well, they can:
- Add personality to your posts.
- Help convey emotion or tone.
- Break up large blocks of text.
- Draw attention to key information.
- Increase engagement on social media.
They’re now a normal part of digital communication, and there’s no reason organisations should avoid them altogether.
The key is using them thoughtfully.
Why emoji accessibility matters
People who are blind or visually impaired may use screen readers to access social media and websites. Rather than seeing an emoji, the screen reader announces its description aloud.
For example:
❤️ becomes “red heart”
🎉 becomes “party popper”
If your post says:
Great news! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
A screen reader may announce:
“Great news! Party popper. Party popper. Party popper. Party popper. Party popper.”
Now imagine reading an entire post like that. What feels fun visually can quickly become repetitive and distracting for someone listening to the content.
Making small changes to improve emoji accessibility can make your content easier for everyone to enjoy.
Top tips for better emoji accessibility
1. Use emojis sparingly
You don’t need an emoji after every sentence.
One well-placed emoji often has far more impact than several repeated throughout a post.
2. Put emojis at the end of a sentence
Instead of:
🎉 We’ve opened bookings for our summer event!
Try:
We’ve opened bookings for our summer event! 🎉
This allows people using screen readers to hear the message first before the emoji description.
3. Don’t replace words with emojis
Avoid writing:
We❤️ volunteers.
Instead write:
We love volunteers. ❤️
Everyone interprets emojis differently, and assistive technology may not communicate your intended meaning.
4. Avoid long strings of emojis
A row of six clapping hands or ten hearts may look celebratory, but it creates unnecessary noise for screen reader users.
One emoji is usually enough.
Accessibility benefits everyone
Accessible communications aren’t only for people using screen readers.
Clear, well-structured content also helps:
- people with dyslexia;
- people with cognitive disabilities;
- people reading in a second language;
- people quickly scanning content on their phones;
- anyone reading in a busy or distracting environment.
Making small changes to improve accessibility often results in clearer communication for everyone.
Before you hit publish…
Before sharing your next social media post, ask yourself:
- Does the message still make sense without the emojis?
- Am I using emojis to support my message rather than replace words?
- Have I avoided long strings of repeated emojis?
- Would someone using a screen reader have a positive experience reading this?
If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you’re already making your communications more inclusive.
A small change that makes a big difference
World Emoji Day is a reminder that accessibility isn’t always about making huge changes. Sometimes it’s about thinking differently about the small choices we make every day.
Emojis bring warmth, personality and celebration to our communications and they absolutely have a place in the third sector. By using them thoughtfully, we can make sure our messages are welcoming and accessible to as many people as possible.
After all, the best communications are the ones everyone can enjoy.
Communications takeaways
Try this today: Review one recent social media post from your organisation. Could you remove a few emojis, move them to the end of the sentence, or replace an emoji-only message with clear text? Small improvements like these can make a real difference to accessibility.
