In a new study by Duolingo and Slack, Americans are more likely to find emoji-less texts or messages to be lacking compared to global respondents (71% vs. 57%). At the same time, a quarter of Americans are confused about the difference between the Loudly Crying emoji and Face With Tears Of Joy…. But Seven in 10 Americans feel that unless a message has an emoji in it, it is “incomplete,”
Now, let’s pair this with another new perspective from Google. TikTok is a threat to their core businesses, including Search and Maps. The head of Google’s Knowledge & Information organization referenced the popular social apps in a broader conversation at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference about the future of Google’s products and its use of AI.
In a discussion about the evolution of search, he somewhat offhandedly noted that younger users were now often turning to apps like Instagram and TikTok instead of Google Search or Maps for discovery purposes. In their studies, 40% of young people don’t go to Google Maps or Search when they’re looking for data like a place for lunch.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the difference in generations of workers – I suspect there will be more on this tomorrow too.
My own bias here – I struggle with emojis in texts, and never in emails, because of ensuring it communicates the proper intentions. However, Gen Z will speak this natively… and now, looking for answers not only expressed differently but in new places.
We care because this is the next generation, not only of workers but of customers. Can you speak effectively with them – and find them in the right places?