Giving someone a star on Facebook is a way to show appreciation and recognition for a post or comment they have made. When you give a star to someone, a notification will appear in their notifications feed letting them know you have “starred” their content. Stars can only be given to individual posts or comments, you cannot star a person’s entire profile or page. Giving stars helps promote positive interactions on Facebook by highlighting quality content.
Prerequisites for Starring on Facebook
Before you can start starring people’s posts and comments, there are a couple requirements you need to fulfill:
Have an Active Facebook Account
Firstly, you need to have an active Facebook account in good standing. Give starring is a privilege reserved for real Facebook users, so ensure your account is authentic and hasn’t been restricted or banned.
Enable Notifications
You’ll also want to check that you have notifications enabled for interactions on your posts. This allows you to receive alerts when someone has starred your content. Go to Settings > Notifications and ensure “On Facebook” notifications are turned on.
Update to Latest Facebook Version
Starring on Facebook may not be available on older versions of the app and website. Make sure you update to the latest Facebook app on your mobile device or the newest website version on your desktop.
How to Give Someone a Star on Facebook
Once your account is ready, giving a star is easy and only takes a few clicks. Here are the steps:
1. Locate the Post or Comment
First, navigate to the post or comment you want to star. This can be on your own page, a friend’s page, or any public page or group on Facebook.
2. Click or Tap the Star Icon
On the web, the star icon appears alongside the other reaction icons under the post. On mobile, you may need to double tap to expand the reaction options.
3. Confirm the Star Notification
A notification will pop up confirming you want to “Star this”. Click or tap on the notification to confirm giving the star.
4. See Your Star in the Feed
Once confirmed, an alert saying “You starred this” will appear. The star icon will also be filled in and bolded to indicate you have starred the post. Others viewing the post will be able to see your name and profile picture beneath the bolded star icon.
Where Do Star Notifications Appear?
When you star someone’s post or comment, where does the notification go? Star notifications will show up in the recipient’s notifications feed with your name and profile picture. Tapping on the notification takes them directly to the post or comment you starred.
If they have notifications turned off, they won’t receive the star notice. But the bolded star icon will still appear on the post itself.
Does Starring a Post Share it?
No, starring a post or comment does not share or re-post it to your own Facebook page. The star appears anonymously on the original post only. The only place your name shows up is in the starred notification that goes to the author.
So you can freely star posts without worrying about cluttering up your own timeline. The star stays directly on the original piece of content.
Can You See Who Starred Your Post?
When someone stars your post or comment, can you see who it was? Yes! If you receive a star notification, it will have the name and profile picture of the person who starred your content.
You can also view the list of people who starred a specific post by clicking on the bolded star icon. This will bring up a list of users who have given a star to that post.
Names and profile pictures appear unless the starrer has their settings adjusted for anonymous activity.
Do Star Counts Appear Publicly?
While you can see who specifically starred your post, there is no public star counter displayed. Unlike reactions, where the total number shows up, stars are more private.
Only the author can see the complete list of people who have starred their content. For everyone else, a star just shows up anonymously with no totals.
Can You Take Back a Star?
Have you given out stars accidentally or changed your mind? Unfortunately Facebook doesn’t allow you to undo or delete a star once it’s been given. There is no take-backs!
You can, however, give other reactions on the post to dilute the star’s significance. The only way to fully remove a star is to delete your original comment or post that you starred.
Do Stars Expire or Disappear?
Nope, stars are permanent! There’s no expiration date once you give someone a star. The star will stay on the post or comment forever unless the original content gets deleted.
Even if you unlike or unfollow the page, your past stars will remain. You don’t have to constantly re-up or renew stars over time.
Are There Ways to Get More Stars?
Since stars help highlight quality content, what are some good ways to get more stars from people on Facebook?
Post Engaging Content
Thought-provoking, funny, informative, or emotional posts tend to attract the most stars. Offer value to your audience with content that resonates.
Join Relevant Groups
Engage in niche hobby, interest, and professional Groups where people are invested in the subject matter. More targeted audiences are often more active with starring.
Comment Thoughtfully
Adding thoughtful, witty, or helpful comments on others’ posts can earn you stars in return. Provide value by contributing to the discussion.
Give Back
Don’t forget to pay it forward! When you see content you appreciate, take a second to give the author a star.
Pros of Starring on Facebook
Now that you know how it works, what are some of the benefits of giving and receiving stars on Facebook?
Recognition
Stars provide a way to get recognition for great posts that may otherwise get lost in the shuffle. They help validate the author’s efforts.
Positive Reinforcement
Seeing those star notifications pop up creates a positive reinforcement loop. It motivates people to continue creating stellar content.
Building Connections
Exchanging stars can help foster more meaningful connections between people with shared interests and values.
Gratitude
Stars provide a low-friction way to simply say “thank you” or show gratitude for informative, inspiring, or entertaining content.
Cons of Starring on Facebook
Of course, there are also some potential downsides to be aware of with starring:
Muted Engagement
Stars don’t necessarily drive the same level of engagement as reactions and comments. They are more private.
Jealousy
Seeing certain people or posts get a ton of stars could potentially stir up jealousy among some users.
Self-Promotion
Some users may star their own content with alternate accounts to try and make it appear more popular than it really is.
Misconceptions
People who star controversial posts could be misconstrued as endorsing the content, even if they just found it interesting.
Do Stars Affect Algorithmic Ranking?
One of the biggest questions around stars is whether they impact where posts appear in people’s feeds. According to Facebook, stars do not currently influence ranking in the algorithm. Stars are treated as a purely social signal.
Facebook has said stars are meant for users to express appreciation, not to boost distribution. So don’t expect stars alone to increase reach or virality dramatically. Focus on creating engaging content that delivers value.
How Do Stars Compare to Likes & Other Reactions?
Stars function differently than Facebook’s classic Likes or other Reactions like Love, Haha, Wow, etc. Here’s a quick comparison:
Likes
– Public counter
– Tap to Like
– Contribute to algorithmic ranking
– Can be rescinded
Reactions
– Public counter
– Double tap to choose reaction
– Also influence ranking
– Can change or remove reactions
Stars
– Private list of starrers
– Dedicated star button
– No known ranking influence
– Cannot remove stars
In general, Likes and Reactions are more overt and public, while stars offer a more private way to acknowledge appreciation.
Conclusion
Facebook Stars provide a straightforward way to recognize and show gratitude for posts you truly enjoy and find valuable. While not as prominent as Likes, stars enable more personal validation. As Facebook continues evolving features to foster meaningful communities and connections, expect stars to potentially become more integrated into the experience.
But for now, don’t be afraid to spread a little stardust on standout content from friends, family, creators, and public figures you admire! The stars you give today could motivate and uplift someone and brighten their day.