Liking and following are two common ways that people interact with pages on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. At a basic level, liking involves clicking on the “Like” button for a page’s post or their overall page, while following means actively subscribing to receive updates from a page in your feed. So is liking the same thing as following? The short answer is no, liking and following are not the same thing and indicate different levels of engagement with a page.
What does it mean to like a page?
When you like a page on social media, it means you appreciate or support the content they post in some way. Liking a page’s individual posts or content will make them show up higher in your personal feed. Liking a page just shows a one-time interaction and passive interest in some of their content. Some key things to know about liking pages:
- Liking does not subscribe you to ongoing updates from the page
- Pages have no way to directly contact people who like their content
- You can like multiple pages without having to actively check for updates
- Liking something is quick, easy, and requires minimal engagement
So in summary, liking a page shows appreciation for some of their content but does not indicate an ongoing interest in keeping up with a page. It’s a fairly low level of engagement.
What does it mean to follow a page?
Following a page on social media means you want to actively subscribe for ongoing updates from that page. When you follow a page, their posts will automatically show up in your main feed without any additional effort. Some key aspects of following pages include:
- Following subscribes you to a page’s updates and content
- The page can directly message and notify followers
- You only follow pages that you want regular updates from
- Following requires an active subscription and higher engagement
So following shows an ongoing interest in a page and its content. It requires subscribing and checking for updates, rather than just passively liking an isolated post.
Key Differences Between Liking and Following
While liking and following can seem similar on the surface, there are some notable differences between these two types of engagement:
Level of Engagement
Liking tends to be more passive, while following is an active form of engagement. Liking means you simply appreciate a particular piece of content at that moment. Following means you want to regularly see posts from that page.
Access to Updates
When you like a page, you will not automatically get ongoing updates unless you also follow the page. Liking alone does not subscribe you to future posts.
Ability to Directly Contact
Pages can directly message and notify their followers. But there is no way for pages to individually contact people who have only liked their content.
Number of Pages
People tend to like many more pages than they actively follow. You can like posts from hundreds of pages without expecting updates. But following requires more selectivity.
| Engagement | Liking | Following |
|---|---|---|
| Level of engagement | Passive | Active |
| Access to updates | No | Yes |
| Contact from page | No | Yes |
| Number of pages | Many | More selective |
Why do people like and follow pages?
Now that we’ve compared liking and following, why do people engage in these behaviors on social media? Here are some common motivations:
Liking Pages
People often like pages for these reasons:
- To acknowledge content they find interesting or amusing
- To privately show support for brands, celebrities, or organizations
- To increase visibility of positive/entertaining content
- Requires minimal effort and engagement
Liking is a simple way to quickly interact with content. You can like pages without expectations of following them.
Following Pages
Some top reasons people follow social media pages include:
- To get regular updates from brands, celebs, creators they love
- Stay on top of news, events, releases, or drops
- Directly engage with the page and its community
- Show public support as a fan/loyal follower
Following requires more investment but gives ongoing access to favored pages. It signals a deeper interest in a brand/creator.
Pros and Cons of Likes vs. Follows for Pages
For the pages and creators managing social media accounts, are likes or follows more valuable? Here are some potential pros and cons to consider:
Pros of Likes
- Likes make content appear more popular and visible
- Can drive up engagement metrics and analytics
- Require less commitment from users
- May convert likes into follows later
Cons of Likes
- Not as valuable as more active follows/subscribers
- Harder to retain or convert likers into followers
- No way to directly contact or update people who only like
Pros of Follows
- Followers actively want your updates and content
- Easier to retain and engage followers long-term
- Can directly message and notify followers
- Followers invested in your brand, creations, etc.
Cons of Follows
- Follower growth tends to be slower than likes
- Need to continually create valuable content for followers
- Followers expect interaction and can unfollow if disappointed
So while follows require more effort to grow and engage, they tend to be more valuable long-term fans compared to passive likers. But utilizing both engagement types has its benefits for pages.
Tips for converting likes to follows
For pages looking to convert likers into active followers, here are some tips:
- Offer an exclusive discount, promo code, or deal for followers
- Run a contest or giveaway for current followers
- Ask likers to follow to see upcoming announcements, releases, etc.
- Communicate the value of following – exclusive content, sales, etc.
- Use hashtags or links in posts to drive follows
- Suggest relevant and interesting accounts to also follow
Making the benefits of following clear while incentivizing the transition from passive liking can help pages gain more active, engaged followers over time.
Conclusion
While liking and following both allow engaging with social media pages, they signify very different levels of interest and commitment. Liking enables easy, low-effort interactions while following represents an active subscription and ongoing relationship.
Both types of engagement have their own pros and cons for social media users and page owners. While follows tend to be more valuable long-term, pages can utilize both likes and follows to extend their reach, build their audience, and better connect with fans or customers. Strategic use of likes and follows can help grow an authentic, dedicated community over time.