How to Add WordPress Reaction Buttons to Boost Engagement

November 29. 2022

Looking to increase the number of active users on your site and boost engagement to a whole new level? We’ve got a solution for you – add WordPress reaction buttons. Adding reaction buttons to your website lets visitors express their opinions on your blog posts without actually having to write a comment. We at WP Full Care know how valuable users’ feedback is and to help you easily get it, here’s how to add reaction buttons to your website.

Why and how to add WordPress reaction buttons to your website?

There are plenty of reasons why you should add WordPress reaction buttons to your website. The biggest benefit is that reaction buttons increase reader participation. The reason for this is simple – not everybody is comfortable enough or has the time to post a remark.

That’s why sites like Facebook have introduced the “Like” and “Heart” buttons as a means of increasing user interaction. Put a Facebook “Like” button on your blog entries if you want to increase your readership. There are plenty of Facebook plugins for WordPress that can help you do this.  Facebook’s “Like” button will allow your users to express their opinions in a simple way.

With the help of WordPress’s reaction buttons, you can increase user engagement. These make it easy for readers to interact with your post. In fact, they can express their opinions with a single click. You can use the feedback you get from your audience to find out if there are any areas of improvement you should focus on.

Now that you know how your website can benefit from adding reaction buttons, let’s examine how to incorporate them into your WordPress website.

Adding WordPress reaction buttons to your website

The easiest way to add WordPress reaction buttons to your website is to use the free WP Reactions Lite plugin. It’s pretty straightforward to install and activate. For this article, we’ll use the plugin’s freemium edition. However, you can also purchase an upgrade with enhanced functionality including more social media sharing buttons.

After activation, you can adjust the plugin’s settings in WP Reactions » Global Activation. When you get there, you simply need to turn on “Reactions” by toggling the switch. And that’s it – all of your WordPress posts and pages will now include reaction buttons. With the click of the “Customize Now” button and the aid of the WP Reactions setup wizard, you may modify a number of settings for the reaction.

How to customize reaction buttons for your WordPress website?

Most WordPress sites successfully use the basic settings of the WP Reactions plugin. Nonetheless, there are numerous alterations you may make to make them work better for your website.

By default, the bottom of the screen will initially display the seven predefined emoticons. You can reorder the emojis or swap them out entirely by dragging and dropping them. If you notice that an emoticon’s color is blue, this indicates that the specific emoji is already included. After making your choice from the reaction buttons, proceed by clicking the “Next” button.

When you click through to the next page, you’ll have the option of customizing the emojis’ font size. Here, you’ll also be able to choose if you want to animate them. In addition, you get to pick the shade of the badges that indicate the number of times users clicked on each of the reactions. If you are a pro user, you can also fully disable these badges.

Using the controls on the screen’s bottom, you can now determine where the response buttons will appear. You can place them before, after, or in the middle of the content on posts, pages, or both. You can also choose whether they will be oriented to the left, the center, or the right. When you’ve made your choices and are satisfied with them, click the “Next” button.

Setting up your reactivation buttons

Next, you can proceed to customize the call-to-action (CTA), backdrop, and border. Above the toggles, it will say “What’s your Reaction?” by default. However, you have the option to alter or remove this content, as well as modify the font style and size. When you are ready, proceed by clicking the “Next” button.

Optional social sharing buttons can be customized on the next page. You can decide whether you want to add social media share buttons, email, and instant messaging buttons. If you’re a pro user, you’ll also have the option to include LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

After any user clicks on a specific reaction, the plugin will automatically provide these sharing options. However, in the “Button Behavior” tab, you’ll find the option to alter or remove this feature. You’ll also have the option to choose the size and color of the share buttons. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and you’ll find these settings.

And when you’re happy with this bit, click the “Next” button to proceed. And that’s it – you’ve just finished setting up the response buttons in WordPress. Please remember to use the “Save & Exit” option to permanently save your changes. To see the response buttons in action, simply go to any post on your site.

Wrapping up

As you can see – with the help of the WP Reactions Lite plugin it’s very easy to add WordPress reaction buttons to your website. It’s a great way to not only boost user engagement but also gather valuable feedback which you can further use to better your content. However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect other aspects of your website. So while you’re focusing on your marketing efforts, you will still need your website to run smoothly. Why not reach out to reliable WordPress experts who’ll take care of your website so you can focus your energy on growing your audience? It’s a win-win!