LIKE…It’s amazing how our perception of this word has changed since Bret Taylor, CEO and co-founder of Quip, built the ‘Like’ button at Friendfeed, the social network he built after leaving Google. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I thought it was created by Facebook”, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Facebook acquired Friendfeed in 2009 for roughly $50 million, and over one billion people began to “Like” things in a whole new way.
Described by Facebook as a way to “give positive feedback and connect with things you care about”, users can “Like” photos, comments, status updates, and fan or business pages. Doing so prompts updates to show in their News Feed AND “friends” can see what they’ve “Liked”.
This behavior has created a twist on traditional word-of-mouth marketing and has become an additional way for Business Owners to expand their audience. Marketers quickly learned that encouraging people to “Like” their page could help gain major brand exposure, cultivate relationships, and communicate with a targeted audience.
“Likes” also help build brand loyalty. When a Facebook user sees a friend has “Liked” a product or service, for example, it serves as a positive review. This builds trust. Prospective buyers must trust your brand to do business with you…..and what better way to gain that trust than a friend’s referral?
If your business does not already have a Facebook page, start building your online presence today, and take advantage of many benefits:
- Customer Interaction
- Personal Touch
- Loyal Fan Base
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
And let’s not forget…..IT’S FREE!! Your prospects and customers are already there…go get them.
Speaking of “Likes”…Please “Like” our new product page for Payentry!
Photo Credit: Paul
[1] “Inspired by Facebook, Israeli couple names their daughter Like”. Haaretz. May 16, 2011
[2] North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey, Forrester Research, 2013