For years, avid Facebook users have been calling for a dislike button, a way to show the world that they disagree with your post about supporting Donald Trump for president, are sad to hear that your grandma passed away, or that they think the dinner you cooked and photographed looks gross. Alas, Mark Zuckerberg and his team have set to work in creating a way for us to share our displeasure with a topic without having to use our words.
According to Zuckerberg, “what they really want is the ability to express empathy. Not every moment is a good moment.”
Last week Facebook revealed that they will start testing “Reactions” buttons, a set of six emoji that can be chosen when it just doesn’t feel like a like will be the best option.
Users can hover over the choices including love, unhappiness (I think that’s what the one all the way on the right is anyway) and laughter to choose something that conveys the appropriate emotion for the situation.
“As you can see, it’s not a ‘dislike’ button, though we hope it addresses the spirit of this request more broadly. We studied which comments and reactions are most commonly and universally expressed across Facebook, then worked to design an experience around them that was elegant and fun,” said Chris Cox, chief product officer at Facebook.
What that means for marketing…
Some speculate that the look of Facebook ads will change once the reaction buttons are offered on posts. Is there ever a time when a brand wants anything but likes on a post? Generally, no.
Allowing marketers to feel the pain of a dislike or unhappy face button on posts may be unlikely due to all of the revenue Facebook earns from ads – almost 90%. Giving people a reason not to advertise would be a silly move for Facebook’s business.
Others see the potential for marketers to grab much needed insight into what their customers think and feel about the brand or specific product or service. Hate is a feeling after all…
I tend to agree with those who think Facebook needs to tread lightly across the board on the reactions we are allowed to express on posts. Making it easy to mindlessly dislike posts could get ugly quick, creating brand shaming, bullying, and lack of true insight into what exactly it is that consumers are thinking and feeling. Taking away the voice of the consumer and replacing it with a quick fix button may actually cause us to lose insight and ultimately think twice about turning to Facebook with our ad dollars.
new & improved. 