“Don’t forget to like us on Facebook”, is a phrase heard from nearly every business out there. So it’s become obvious that you as a social media marketer want likes. But why do they crave them? What value do likes have to a company like McDonald’s, or in my case the YMCA of Indiana County. Are they even as important as Facebook wants us to think? The answer seems to be a resounding maybe.
In its basic form the like button was designed to merely acknowledge a post you have enjoyed. This in turn increases the odds you will see more from the person or company who posted in your news feed. This is all great news for you as a marketer then, right? Well for the most part yes, but it might not be as powerful as you would imagine. One downside is that the like is a simple one click acknowledgment. There is no real conversation taking place. For example, I posted a picture of one of the Y’s trainers on Facebook in the hopes of promoting him to future clients. A teenage girl from Arizona is browsing using the hashtag personal trainer, sees the trainer and thinks he is oh so cute. She of course likes the picture. Now the next time I post about the Y it may appear on her page, but so what? She has no interest beyond the photo that she liked. So I’ve gained a like that basically has zero value to me as a marketer.
Where the likes value is at its greatest is when it is a genuine understanding and appreciation for your post. This is information they enjoyed, and want more of. Now when you post in the future, you can expect it to appear in the right people’s news feed. It also provides you with more data on the “Insights” tab of Facebook. This new info will tell you more about your Facebook followers such as age, location, and gender, which in turn will help you gear your posts more towards your audience.
Now that you know the importance of likes, remember that no like is a bad like. They just might not be worth that million dollar promotion you’ve been pushing for. Budget wisely when it comes to mining for them, because an empty like has no value. What is your opinion on Facebook’s like button? Do you think there is such a thing as a bad like? Go ahead and leave a comment below and please… like my YMCA of Indiana County’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to hit the share button below because gaining knowledge is the first step to wisdom; sharing it is the first step to humanity.
