Reliable shortcut for non-ASCII text insertion

I occasionally use text strings such as ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Unfortunately, I don't have a ¯ or a ツ on my keyboard, so using such strings can be a bit of a pain, usually involving a web search and copy and paste. I'd prefer to have an easier way of typing these. Here's what I've tried so far:

1. Set up a text replacement in System Preferences.
   • Problem: It does nothing in several apps such as Discord and Firefox.
2. Set up an automator service running this AppleScript:

   on run {input, parameters}
   
       tell application "System Events" to keystroke "¯\\_(ツ)_/¯"
   
   end run
   

   • Problem: It outputs ¯\_(a)_/¯
3. Set up a different automator service which

   1. Get Contents of Clipboard
   2. Set Value of Variable "clipboard"
   3. Get Specified Text "¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
   4. Copy to Clipboard
   5. Run AppleScript `tell application "System Events" to keystroke "v" using command down`
   6. Get Value of Variable "clipboard"
   7. Copy to Clipboard
   

   • Problem: Sometimes it does nothing, sometimes it pastes the original clipboard contents, sometimes it will actually paste ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Adding 0.2 second pauses both before and after step 5 did not fix the problem.

And with that, I've run out of straightforward, reasonably simple ideas that have a chance of having a return on investment somewhere in the vicinity of their cost. Web searches haven't really produced anything other than BetterTouchTool, which is a route I'd prefer not to take at this time.

Is there a reasonably simple, free, reliable, and legal method of doing what I want to do?

I'm running 10.14.6, on a Mac with a Touch Bar. Touch Bar only solutions are generally acceptable, though solutions that can work with or without the Touch Bar are preferable.