How Important is a Facebook Like, Really?

A ‘Like’ is the simplest form of engagement on Facebook. All it requires is the

click of one button. To marketers, a ‘Like’ can mean the world. But what is it

really worth?

To answer this, we must think about what causes someone to ‘Like’

something in the first place. The answer seems kind of obvious doesn’t it.

They ‘Like’ it because they, well, like it. They might agree with what you are

saying. It may be an exciting piece of news that they like. Maybe it’s

something they want to know more about. Thispost from WordPress Website Builder lists reasons such

as Free Stuff, Contests, Humor, and Social Causes as other reasons why someone may like your

Facebook post. For example, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon recently asked for the assistance of ConvoSpark’s

Facebook application development team to develop their first ever Facebook presence. People “liked”

their fun application and they surpassed 16,000 likes in its first month. In this case their fun application

was a probable reason for liking the page, but whatever their reason was, we can be sure of one thing:

They are paying attention!

But just like fans and Twitter followers it’s important not to get caught up in the numbers. Sure a ‘Like’

means they read your post, but it doesn’t mean they read all your posts. It doesn’t mean they are a loyal

fan, it means they saw something attractive about your page and decided to acknowledge it. After all, a

‘Like’ is not a binding contract.

What we’re really looking for is continued engagement. Does that person leave a comment? Do they

stay a fan after the contest or promotion is over? Do they purchase or express further interest in your

product or service? Are you continuing to provide them with great content that they ‘Like?’

Don’t dash your hopes just yet. A ‘Like’ is not worthless. But it’s not about who ‘Likes’ your post. It’s

about what they do with it that matters!