facebook reactions

Of course, Facebook is changing again. You may have thought you understood the original Facebook Algorithm (a bit) – but now it’s getting even more complicated. The Facebook Algorithm is essentially a good thing. It controls what posts we see – based on our likes, comments and who we interact with.

Previously on Facebook, you could either like a post or not. Now – it gets more complicated. With Facebook’s new “reactions”, you can like, dislike, be shocked, or sad about a post.

This does make sense in the Facebook world. Imagine something sad (like a dog dying) is shared on Facebook. You want to show your support, but don’t want to “like” the post. Add a sad or shocked reaction, and there you go!

So, how does this affect the Facebook Algorithm?

Right now, if you manage a FB page, you can keep track of your status based on likes and interactions. The more you have, the more people are viewing your content on their newsfeed. It is (currently) still the same with reactions. The reactions are lumped together and regardless of how they are “reacting” it is all the same for the Facebook algorithm.

But – something is coming around the corner. They are planning on weighing the reactions differently in the future. This will throw a curve ball into the current way we view the success of a Facebook page. If you receive loves instead of likes, this will affect your reach and the algorithm that controls your follower’s newsfeeds.

So, how will this affect our newsfeeds? How will people continue to see our managed FB posts? For now, we don’t know how this will play out. We will just have to wait and see!

But – if you were expecting to understand the algorithm completely, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Red Blue Top Takeaway:

Keep in the loop with Facebook’s new algorithm. Although (some of us) might not be able to completely understand it, we can aim for the best reactions possible! Create the best content to receive those reactions your striving for.

Do you think Facebook’s new reactions are a good thing or bad thing?

If you need any help with your current Facebook operations – contact us at Alyssa@redbluemarketing.com