Recently, Facebook has announced that it will be rolling out a new feature called Reactions. Reactions will work as an extension of the already popular Like button, but offers much more flexibility to users who are engaging with a post on Facebook.
Options at launch will include buttons for the traditional “Like,” followed up by “love,” “haha,” “yay,” “wow,” “sad,” and “anger.” It appears that Facebook has determined that these six reactions should cover the majority of users’ input.
So how will this affect businesses using Facebook as a mode of communication, promotion and advertising? Facebook will include the amount of reactions your posts get in its Insights tool, which means you will be able to see just how many people are engaging with your content through the Reactions feature, including a breakdown for each type.
According to Facebook, “Reactions are treated the same as Likes for ads delivery (ex: Loves carry no extra weight than Likes in the auction),” which means businesses planning on using these new buttons as a way to boost their Calls to Action may want to replan.
What if your business’ post gets an “anger” reaction? This isn’t the end of the world for businesses. In reality, it offers an opportunity for small businesses and publications a chance to engage with their audience and understand their fans better. Just like poor reviews, pages should use “anger” reactions as a way to improve their business and better serve their customers.
Want to give the new Reactions a test-drive? The team at Social Media Explorer has put together a way to hack Facebook’s initial rollout and give yourself a sneak peak.
If you get it to work (we couldn’t), let us know what you think. This could be the next big step in social media engagement.
