The Real Value of Likes

The Real Value of Likes

Over the past few months here at EzyInsights we have been talking a lot about engagement levels in Social Media and how the number of likes alone does not add any real value to your Social Media presence.  Last week we published a pretty funky infographic on why it’s about more than just Likes . Today we follow up with a few more interesting statistics.

Get seen by more fans

Whilst getting high numbers of fans and followers may get you into top lists, it doesn’t guarantee that you will get seen by all that follow.

5-10%

Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm ensures that a page with a massive following that is not being actively engaged, is almost completely worthless, as none of the page’s posts will appear in the news feeds of fans. ( The recent changes to Edgerank only make these issues more relevant)

Engagement = Activity

shares vs likes

Facebook itself quotes “shares” as being 1300% more important than “likes” and research done by Edgerankerchecker shows that comments have a 400% higher click through rate than likes alone.

A ‘like’ is merely a gesture. REAL ENGAGEMENT is the start of something valuable.

True Value

The value of a Facebook fan is directly related to the fans’ level of activity and engagement within the community

Getting someone to click a like button doesn’t change their behaviour, and so does not create any value.

Engaging with someone after they click the like button however, can shape their perception and future behaviour. For this reason fan value can only be created through engagement.

Conclusion

As a metric, likes has its merits, but without activity and engagement, even the largest Facebook pages are barren, unexploited assets.

The level of engagement with your community is what matters – being able to entertain, monitor and respond to the concerns of your audience. Page growth needs to take into account engagement levels, not just the amount of likes.

Use measurements that matter. EzyInsights can tell you what works and what doesn’t on Social Media. Quickly and easily. Register now for early access.