Emoji Use in Business Communication: A Literature Review Using TCM and ADO Frameworks

ABSTRACT Emojis have become a pivotal element in digital communication, serving as valuable textual paralinguistic tools for businesses and consumers to foster engagement and express emotions in technology‐mediated interactions. Despite their growing commercial relevance, the systematic synthesis of the role of emojis in business communication remains limited. After retrieving 38 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection based on predefined inclusion criteria, the review described the general characteristics of the literature and performed a qualitative content analysis with the help of the TCM and ADO frameworks. The review systematically examined the theories, contexts, and methods utilized in these articles through the lens of the TCM framework. Concurrently, the findings reveal eight antecedents related to brands, consumers, and sociocultural factors that influence emoji use decisions, and identify 13 outcomes associated with brands, consumers, and relationships, demonstrating both positive and negative effects. This review provides valuable insights for future research and offers practical recommendations for businesses seeking to optimize emoji use in their communication.