London, Oct 16 (IANS): Why do we feel like sharing everything related to our life on social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter? It is perhaps because we feel an emotional connect.

Getting users to feel strong emotions and empathise with one another online is the trade secret that all social networks share.

The ultimate goal is, obviously, to keep you coming back for more meaningful human contact.

Facebook's latest "Reactions" -- an extension of the "Like" button which expands the range of emotions you can express -- is the new carrot that the social network is dangling.

The new "Reaction" buttons will serve a dual purpose. They will allow you to express yourself more freely on Facebook, and at the same time it will also enable Facebook and its advertisers to figure out how their campaigns, products and profiles really make you feel and, therefore, target you better.

While it is ostensibly a design decision, made to satisfy users who have been calling for a "Dislike" button, it is also a way to get people to engage with content more frequently, as well as naturally, according to The Telegraph analysis.

Your emotions can be used as proxies for your brand loyalty.

"We see this as an opportunity for businesses and publishers to better understand how people are responding to their content on Facebook," Facebook's chief product officer Chris Cox wrote in a blog post.

In other words, the more emotionally you react, the more moolah for the social networking site.