Facebook has launched a new ‘Reactions’ feature as an extension to the ‘Like’ button.
As of today UK users are able to express one of five emotions when reacting to a post instead of a simple thumbs-up. Users can still respond to a post or comment with the traditional “like” button. But by holding down the “like” button on mobile or hovering over the icon on desktop, users access an expanded menu allowing them to choose from six different animated emoji “Reactions”: Like, Love, Haha, Wow Sad or Angry. “Reactions” are designed to be an extension of the “like” button as opposed to a full-on replacement. Users will be notified when their posts receive ”Reactions” in the same way they’re notified about “likes.”
The social networking giant announced the global rollout of the feature in a post on its newsroom Today, claiming to have conducted “more than a year” of research.
The feature had been tested in Ireland and Spain in 2015 before the global rollout.
“We will continue learning and listening to feedback to make sure we have a set of reactions that will be useful for everyone. We hope you enjoy the new Reactions” Facebook said in the statement.
Despite widespread demand from some of its users, there was no ‘Dislike’ button included in the new rollout. A frequent criticism of the ‘Like’ feature was that it did not offer users an appropriate way to react to tragedies.
Similar to ‘Likes’, the emojis will help Facebook better curate the content users see on their newsfeed, the company said. But the statement did not clarify if, for example, an angry reaction would make it more or less likely for a similar post to reappear in the newsfeed.
“Reactions” should also help Facebook boost clicks. There was initial concern that housing “Reactions” behind the “like” button could make the feature difficult for users to find, but that hasn’t been the case. Users who have ”Reactions” have already been responding more frequently to posts than users without them. A bump in Facebook’s already strong engagement would be well received by investors, as well as by advertisers, who can learn more about users through data on their emotional response to content, the buttons will have the same effect on ad delivery as ‘Likes’.
