Emojis and SEO: Is There an Impact?

What influence do emojis have on SEO? Google representative John Mueller noted during a presentation to specialists in this field that emojis are allowed to be used in the text of headlines and short content on web pages. However, he emphasized that they do not either enhance or detract from visibility.

Mueller was asked about emojis, specifically whether it is permissible to include them in the Title and Description meta tags. He responded that there are no prohibitions — emojis can be incorporated into both the text within the site and the tags. However, he could not guarantee that they would be visible to users in search engine results or on the site itself.

As previously observed, Google tends to change a significant portion of the Title meta tags. Yet, if allowed, the search system often demonstrates the exact title that was originally specified, with no guarantees that the emojis will be visible to users.

Emojis are not displayed by Google in situations where they may interfere with rendering the results in the search output, as well as if they somehow distort the meta tags. Instead of emojis, the search system usually strives to select the most suitable word related to the specific case.

In conclusion, it is necessary to state that emojis can indeed be integrated into both headlines and meta tags. However, if these emojis negatively influence search output or pose hindrances to user experience on Google, they will likely not be displayed in the SERP.

Mueller pointed out that if you have already added emojis to the text of a page or in the meta tags, you can confidently leave them there. Their presence will not have any effect — neither positive nor negative. Almost always, Google aims to find the most successful word to replace a given emoji. The weight of headings and meta tags will not be increased due to the emojis solely for the reason that they appear more eye-catching and attractive than plain text.

So, what can we conclude? You can use emojis in headings and meta tags, but be prepared for the possibility that users may not see them. You certainly won’t gain any advantages from integrating emojis in the SEO plan. However, if the search engine does end up showcasing them in the search output, you might achieve a higher CTR.