Gone are the days when your only reactionary options to your Facebook news feed were to “like,” comment or share a post. In response to users’ requests for the ability to express a broader range of emotions with a click of a button, this week Facebook rolled out five additional ways to profess feelings about posts.
The aptly named “Reactions” update allows Facebook users to react to posts with “love,” “haha,” “wow,” “sad” or “angry” emoticons. To use one of these reactions, all you have to do is hover over the “like” button if you’re on a computer, or press and hold the “like” button if you’re using the app on a smart phone or tablet.
For the average Facebook user, the update puts a fun twist on how we can react to our friends’ content. But what do all of these new reactions mean for Facebook page managers? Although it’s too early to tell exactly what changes the update will bring, here are a few things to consider:
Increased page activity and interaction
Your Facebook audience now has five new ways to react to the content you post. This could be great news for your page activity, as users may feel more inclined to respond to certain posts now that more options are available.
Greater audience insight
We all know that “liking” a post doesn’t necessarily mean you like what it says. Sometimes we click the thumbs up icon simply to express our acknowledgement of the post’s existence, or perhaps because typing out a well-formulated comment just seems too tedious of a task. So, then, what do brand managers really learn from their audiences’ “likes?” … Not a lot.
With the five new reactions, page managers will be able to gain a greater sense of how their audience truly feels about their content.
Warning signs for a social media crisis
Giving your audience the ability to respond to your content with “sad” or “angry” emoticons may not sound like a positive, but look at this way: If you notice a controversial post getting negative reactions, you may be able to avert a social media crisis before things get messy in the comments section. It will also give you insight into what your followers will and won’t want to read about or see on your page in the future.
When it comes to running successful social media for your brand, staying on top of new trends and updates is absolutely vital. With this new Facebook update, we look forward to the opportunity to engage our clients’ followers in new ways.