Emojis: Why Less is More For Accessibility

Emojis: Why Less is More For Accessibility

As artists and creatives, we’re naturally drawn to visual expression, and emojis feel like a perfect fit. They add personality, break up text, and help convey tone. But when it comes to marketing your work online, especially in captions, newsletters, or social posts, it’s important to know when emojis are helping your message and when they’re getting in the way.

Too many emojis can reduce accessibility. For example, screen readers (used by people who are blind or have low vision) read out a description for each emoji. So a caption like:
🎉🎨✨ New drop tonight! 🎧🖼️🔥
…becomes a long string of spoken words like “party popper, artist palette, sparkles, new drop tonight, headphones, framed picture, fire.” Not only is it frustrating, it can obscure your actual message.

This doesn’t mean ditch emojis entirely. Emojis can add personality and emotion, but they work best when used with intention. Think of them as a finishing touch, not the main event.

A few simple guidelines:

• Use emojis to support, not replace, key words.

• Avoid long strings of consecutive emojis.

• Always write your core message clearly in plain text first.

Remember: clarity connects. A little restraint with emojis makes your content more readable, inclusive, and ultimately more effective.