A few short months ago, Facebook unveiled its Reactions system to the world. For years, the company has struggled with how to provide its users with more ways to express themselves other than the “Like” button. Brands were worried what the notion of a “Dislike” feature might offer in terms of effects on their pages’ visibility, but the social media network appears to have found a solution that works for everybody. While the Emotions system is still new, we can begin to imagine what sort of benefits it will provide to Facebook and to brands who use it. What might the Reactions system have in store for the future? Continue reading to find out.

Selective Targeting by Emotion

Content that generates a predominantly specific emotion from Facebook users provides Facebook with a wealth of information. When stacked upon millions and millions of times over, this information can make it far easier for Facebook to incorporate such emotions into its algorithms and deliver relevant and appropriate content to specific users. As social media continues to understand the innate connections between how users react to content and what types of content are most likely to be received positively by them, it will help Facebook in pinging servers with more ideal forms of content for each audience. This, in turn, helps your brand gain more relevant visibility and enjoy more interaction for each post or piece of content.

Improved Ad Impressions

Continuing on the broader concept mentioned above, Facebook will undoubtedly use its Reactions system to collect more concrete data about how people react to content. Some people are more likely to respond or engage with content that elicits sadness, for instance, while others will respond more positively to content that is funny. As this information continues to be refined and calibrated, it is very likely that such optimization will be added to Facebook Ads. This means that you’ll be able to specify a specific dominant emotion for each promoted post. In the end, Facebook will be able to deliver this content specifically to users who fit all of your other targeting criteria – but who also are more likely to resonate with the theme of your post or page.

Better Brand Data

Through the use of Facebook Insights and simple common-sense on the part of page admins, brands will be able to see which forms of content elicit the most desired reactions. Much how “likes” made it possible to measure which forms of content performed the best, the Reactions system can give greater detail and insight into this phenomenon, helping you to determine which pieces of content are best-suited for sharing on Facebook. This will help you avoid pinging servers with content – whether created by you or shared from elsewhere – that doesn’t generate the type of response you would like to see.

There is no doubt that the Reactions system will provide Facebook with a wealth of data that is necessary in improving overall experience for most of its users, but it will also boost brand performance for those who use it wisely. Even today, there are ways to utilize Reactions to learn more about your audience. Have you taken advantage of this data yet?