I’m in like and I don’t care who knows it! Thoughts on the Like Button in social media.

Buddy the Elf and I share something in common. He’s in love and I’m in like. To be specific, I’m in like with the Like and Favorite Buttons. Here’s why I don’t care who knows.

I’m a liker both offline and online. For example, I like almost every beer, except Budweiser. I like every pitch thrown by my sons, although umpires disagree with me. I like classic music genres, while currently enjoying contemporary music with my kids. See what I mean? I just tend to like stuff.

On Twitter I’m free to Like. I’ve doled out over 32K Favorites, its version of the Like Button. I stack up Favorites in my Notifications stream. I do so to let those who contact me via my handle know that I have read their tweet. Tweeps tend to enjoy communicating and connecting in a variety of quick ways, to include Favoriting, so the topic of Favoriting isn’t much of a topic at all there. Here’s A Complete Guide To The Art Of Twitter Favorites.

The original Like Button is a bigger topic on Facebook. The Atlantic published this article by Rose Eveleth, The Facebook Experience Without a Like Button which links to two Facebook experiments, I Liked Everything I Saw on Facebook for Two Days. Here’s What It Did to Me, and I Quit Liking Things On Facebook for Two Weeks. Here’s How It Changed My View of Humanity. Eveleth concludes,

The Like button isn’t just about you being able to shout “I like this” into the Facebook void. It’s also about your posts getting Liked, and the external validation that comes from the little red numbers that pool in your toolbar. Without either of those, Powers says, we’ll all have to find more intimate ways to tell each other what we like about them. Which might be a good thing for everybody.

Compared to tweets or Facebook updates, blog posts tend to take more effort to produce and are more intimate in nature. In general, bloggers write in order to be read, not liked. Recently I read, The Allure of the Like Button. After commenting that I was a liker, I was asked, “But the real question is, do you READ what you “like?” 🙂 “. I replied, 

Not everything. For example, I have a friend who only sends out photos. He sends out a lot so I like my faves. I read all the poetry, because it is short. The longer a post gets, I may scan. My intention is always to be truthful. When I like, there is something there that I like 🙂

My intention is to be truthful. When scanning my WordPress reader I may like a picture, a title, a first sentence. I may like the blogger and their effort. I avoid limiting myself to having to like an entire post from beginning to end and/or not allowing other factors to contribute to my like, such as a blogger’s kindness and generosity.

My intention is also to engage. I find ways to tell bloggers specifically what I like about them and their blogs beyond likes through views, comments, replies, follows, and other supports. When other bloggers like my post for any reason, I’m grateful.  I tend to not speculate about their intentions and assume the best. I assume, to even the tiniest extent, that they are in like, in like, with me and my blog.

Finally, my intention is to be me. As stated earlier, I’m a liker by nature. I’m extroverted and quick with a smile, hug, laugh, and cheer. Not everyone is an extrovert, a smiler, or a hugger. Not everyone has a loud laugh or is a cheering fool, thank goodness. Social media needs everyone as they are, sharing in a way that is format fitting,community building, and personally enriching.

What is your personal take on social media liking? What “style” of liker are you? Do you like receiving likes? What plans and hopes do you have for this week? I’m cheering for you ❤

Like ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc

 

47 thoughts on “I’m in like and I don’t care who knows it! Thoughts on the Like Button in social media.”

  1. I favorite a lot of things on Twitter. It’s my way of telling the person I liked their tweet. Or, sometimes I use it as a way to end a conversation. It’s a way of saying, “I agree” or “I like what you last said” to avoid just leaving the last tweet dangling. After reading the link you provided about starring tweets, I’m glad to learn I’m not alone. 🙂

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  2. I have bloggers that I read and like. But I don’t read a ton of blogs but I read pretty much everything they write and will like it.
    I like getting likes but I like getting comments even more. And I answer every comment, even if it is just to say thank you.

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  3. I don’t like the automatic likes, just because I follow a blog doesn’t mean I have to like everything. If I read something and don’t agree (like it) then I will leave a comment. This way the blogger knows I was there…does that make sense?

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    • Absolutely makes great sense, Bridget. I only have a few “automatic likes”. Over time, I’ve come to have real connections with these bloggers which has helped me to be more comfortable with the situation. You bring up a great point about what to do when you don’t like (agree) with something. That’s terrific that you leave a comment. I tend to let areas of disagreement slide by although, if time allows, I’ll jump into the discussion. I never “like” content that I disagree with or don’t have experience with because I wouldn’t want to mislead the author.

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  4. I favor a lot on twitter, because I really enjoyed the tweet. I love the diverse thoughts and feelings that come across social media and if something strikes a chord with me, I like/favor it. Also to support my fellow bloggers. No big plans for this week, other than staying inspired. Thanks as always, Angie ❤

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  5. I’m not on Twitter. If I add one more social media thing to my life, my entire real universe will collapse. It’s teetering on the edge now, for crying out loud. Not a big liker, Angie. If I read the post, I usually will comment unless I totally forget to go back to it for some reason. If I don’t like the post or find it tedious/boring, I move on like a phantom rather than click like. However on Instagram, I do like the posts there frequently. I follow a lot more people on IG than I do on WP though. There’s a terrific crew over there too!

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  6. For Facebook I sometimes wish there was a dislike button but don’t really care about the likes though it is had not to notice them. For blogging I sincerely try to read the whole post before I like or comment but keeping up can be difficult. On my blog I do appreciate the likes as it means that, perhaps, my post has been read. And I consider myself a kind person who tends not to be to critical and want to encourage bloggers as I have been encouraged. I am not on twitter or any other social media and still write letters and send cards. Old, I know! Here is a like to you!

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  7. I am a more subtle liker than you extroverts but none the less a liker. It’s better to give than receive, letting people know you acknowledge and appreciate their gifts is a great way to pick up your own day. Good thing there is room for all types in our world.

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  8. I am a commenter more than a liker, Angie McFly. I like stuff, but not just to like it, but if I do like it. But I really love to comment on my favorite friends’ blog posts that I really like. Ya know?

    And I like the way you like me, Angie McFly. It’s not easy, and blogs are many. But when a connection is made, you know it, and I know it.

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    • No one writes about the blogging connection better than you do, Mark. It was through your blog and comments that I could finally see what the heck I wanted to do here in blogland! As I see your blog grow, I appreciate more and more your ability to juggle it all. You go, man!

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  9. It would be weird (imho) if you didn’t like a lot of stuff online, like you said it is in keeping with your personality. I generally favorite/like as a reminder to myself and a little “hi” to whoever posted.

    I think I’m just going to start commenting “Like” instead to mess with FB’s algorithm. 😉

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  10. I suspect the “automatic like” sometimes comes into play. I have come to appreciate the comments so much more. But then, I realize that there are readers out there who are loyal but, for any number of reasons, never contribute to the dialog. ☺ Van

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    • When I see the opinion that comments aren’t a measure of a blog’s success, referring to views and hits as the be all and end all, I disagree. While views and hits do measure important matters such as reach which can affect how well a blog is selling their wares or ideas, I find that the relationships are what are enriching to me. I value and look forward to having more views, hits, and visitors but if I only had views, hits, and visitors, then this blog wouldn’t reflect me and how I value relationships. Then again, I could be making excuses for my prolific chatty ways 😀

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  12. great post, I did a similar one a while back on my blog and it was interesting to read all the comments…I like the “like” option personally, especially I am short of time and don’t always get to comment…liking something I have enjoyed reading or favouriting on twitter is something I do frequently but like you I am also a relationship person and will drop in comments whenever I can to build a stronger relation…here is a link to my post if you wanted to see some more conversation on the issue ❤
    https://forgottenmeadows.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/the-like-button-enabler-of-the-inactive-participant-or-advocate-of-the-introverted-blogger/

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    • Terrific, Neha! I’m reading your post as I reply here and just love how you explained your experience and opened the discussion up so actively in your comments. The Like as an enabler or advocate, great question! Like so many things, this is a tool and I like to assume that we all want the same thing, to be able to communicate our true selves well. Thanks for the link 😀

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  13. Very interesting post. I’m not a big “liker” unless it really strikes a cord with me. Sometimes I wish I was more of a “liker”, though, but I think my private nature keeps me from engaging too much. How funny (by the way) is it that this is now a thing… being a “liker” ha haha
    But I agree, too, with what you said that sometimes you like something just because you like that person or their work and maybe not necessarily that particular post so much.
    ahh the new age we live in 🙂

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    • Jill, one of the things I appreciate about you is your private nature ❤ You make a funny point about being a “liker” is the opposite an “disliker”? No! It’s as if we are missing words for all of this. New age indeed 😀

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  14. Hey angie, I like your take on likes (and favs) and you covered so many little angles. very cool. I used to like leaving a like on blogs as a way to say hello – (and only if I really enjoyed what I saw when skimming or reading – even though I do not comment without fully soaking it up) but I have to realize a few things. First, some of the blogs that have big followings might now even pay attention to who left a like – I know I miss many – but I never miss a comment. and so I think comments are the best way to say hello. I also know that wordpress stops users from abusing the like – they monitor stuff like that and if they see someone going around just dropping likes – that are in the hundreds – well it is not allowed. And that kind of monitoring has value – which ties into the facebook likes – which I know nothing about – never did fb – but I get the idea – and from the sounds of what happened there – people sometimes inflate the use of like to wear it is watered down. or to where they are bought – ha!

    and I like your point about bloggers usually prefer to be read and not necessarily liked – that is such a good point. But the like button can be such a gray area and some people remove that option from their blogs because it muddies things….. hm

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    • I’ve always appreciated your comments, Yvette, and agree that they are my favorite way to say hello. I didn’t know that there was a limit to likes on WP but that makes sense, looking at it as a form of spam.

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      • well I am not sure how they measure it and calculate when someone is abusing or misusing the like – but they run a tight ship and I think so often we forget how much is done to keep this interactive blogosphere running so well.
        and thanks for saying you appreciate my comments (smiles) – and I appreciate yours as well….

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  15. I like “Likes.”
    I like posts that I visit. It’s a way of showing that I stopped by to visit, I enjoyed my visit, I appreciate what you have to share…
    Sometimes – it’s all I can do – with the time that I have. I don’t always have time to post a comment. SO- I like “Likes.” 🙂
    PeAce!

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