LinkedIn support reactions allow members to quickly show appreciation or agreement towards helpful posts and comments. They are LinkedIn’s version of the “like” button found on other social networks. Support reactions allow engagement between members without having to leave a full comment.
How do LinkedIn support reactions work?
LinkedIn members can react to any post or comment by clicking the reaction icon (a thumbs up icon) located below the content. This will bring up the five different reaction options:
- Like – Shows general appreciation
- Love – Shows strong appreciation
- Insightful – Shows the content provided value
- Curious – Shows interest to learn more
- Support – Shows encouragement and empathy
Members can select one of these reactions to quickly show how they feel about the content. The number next to each reaction type indicates how many other members reacted the same way. Members can change or remove their reaction at any time.
Why are LinkedIn support reactions useful?
There are several benefits to LinkedIn support reactions:
- Allows members to easily interact without leaving comments
- Lets authors know their content is appreciated
- Helps build engagement between members
- Gives insight into how content is received
- Creates opportunities for discussion
Support reactions provide a “lighter” form of feedback than comments. They can show appreciation for helpful content or empathy for more emotional posts. Members can agree or relate to others without having to write out detailed responses.
Where can LinkedIn support reactions be used?
LinkedIn support reactions can be used on:
- Posts in LinkedIn Feeds
- Comments on posts
- News article comments
- Comments in LinkedIn Groups
- Direct messages between connections
Essentially any piece of content on LinkedIn that generates comments will also have the reaction feature enabled. This provides members with many opportunities to interact through reactions.
Who can see your LinkedIn support reactions?
When you react to a post or comment, it is visible to:
- The author of the post/comment
- Your 1st degree connections
- 2nd and 3rd degree connections if your settings allow
- Group members if reacted to a Group post
So reactions help engage not just the author but also your network. Members can see which types of content you find valuable.
How are LinkedIn support reactions different from likes?
There are a few key differences between LinkedIn reactions and simple likes:
| LinkedIn Reactions | Likes |
|---|---|
| 5 reaction types to choose from | Single like option |
| Shows nuanced feedback | Generic signal of approval |
| Visible to your network | Visible only to post author |
While likes show approval, reactions give more context into how the content resonates. The variety of reaction options allows members to be more expressive.
Best practices for using LinkedIn support reactions
To get the most out of LinkedIn reactions, keep these tips in mind:
- Use reactions to acknowledge quality posts from connections
- React to show empathy and support for emotional content
- Choose reactions that give meaningful feedback to the author
- React thoughtfully instead of just liking everything
- Consider commenting if you have more detailed feedback
The reactions feature creates more opportunities for engagement on LinkedIn. Using it judiciously helps build relationships with other members.
Why are some LinkedIn posts reaction-worthy?
Certain types of posts tend to attract more reactions from the community. These include:
- Industry insights and thought leadership content
- Career advice and tips
- Inspirational stories and quotes
- Valuable educational resources
- Breaking news and current events
- Entertaining or creative posts
Members react to show appreciation for informative, inspiring, helpful or otherwise standout content. Authors who consistently publish great content are more likely to receive reactions.
How do support reactions impact LinkedIn feeds?
The number of reactions a post receives can influence how it ranks in LinkedIn feeds. Posts with lots of engagement through comments and reactions tend to be shown more prominently. So support reactions can help increase the reach of quality content.
At the same time, members who frequently react to posts may see those authors more often in their feeds. Reacting builds affinity that the LinkedIn algorithm picks up on.
How are support reactions used by brands on LinkedIn?
Brands can leverage reactions as valuable social listening signals to understand audience needs and interests. Seeing which content and messaging attracts reactions helps brands optimize their approach. Brands should aim to inspire Love, Insightful and Curious reactions from their target audience.
Monitoring support reactions to competitors is also useful competitive intelligence. Brands may get ideas for new content or identify gaps in the market based on reactions.
Conclusion
LinkedIn support reactions provide an easy way to interact with content posted by connections and brands. They allow members to quickly show appreciation and empathy as well as gain insights. Although not a replacement for thoughtful comments, reactions help create a more engaging experience on the platform.
By properly leveraging reactions, both individual members and companies can build stronger relationships with their audience on LinkedIn.
