Twitter monetizes emoji with targeted ads
I don't consider myself a millennial, but according to some sources, my year of birth makes me one. Other sources list me as a "Gen Xer". No matter the box in which you put me, I love emojis -- something often associated with millennials. Why do I love them? As someone who recognizes the value of body language in communication, the written word can often lack sentiment, leading to misunderstandings. Emojis can enhance your emails, texts, and tweets, helping the reader to better understand your intention. In other words, they aren't inconsequential.
As emojis become more popular, companies will undoubtedly try to somehow monetize their use. Today, Twitter announces just that. The social network will offer targeted advertising based on a user's emoji use. This is significant, as according to Twitter, more than 110 million emojis have been used in tweets in the last couple years. Whoa.
"We’re always looking for ways to improve our precise targeting capabilities to help drive deep engagement and better performance for brands. Just in time for World Emoji Day on July 17, we're excited to announce the availability of emoji keyword targeting for Twitter Ads", says Neil Shah, Product Manager, Ads API, Twitter.
Shah further says, "now, advertisers can target people who have recently Tweeted or engaged with Tweets featuring emojis with the help of select Twitter Official Partners: AdParlor, Amobee, HYFN, Perion, SocialCode, and 4C. This new feature uses emoji activity as a signal of a person’s mood or mindset -- unlocking unique opportunities for marketers".
How could this be used? Well, I can see it being used in many ways. If someone was to tweet a pizza slice emoji, for instance, a company like Dominoes could offer an advertisement with coupons. On a more serious note, someone tweeting sad emojis could be targeted with ads for anti-depressants. The possibilities are absolutely endless.
Whether or not users will appreciate Twitter's emoji targeted ads remains to be seen, however. Quite frankly, such targeted ads could negatively impact people's use of emojis on the social network. If the ads are too frequent or obvious, the backlash could be significant. I don't think there is anything wrong with Twitter's use of targeted ads with emoji, but balance will be key.
What do you think of Twitter targeting users with ads based on emoji? Tell me in the comments.
Photo credit: Irina Strelnikova / Shutterstock