You Like Me, You Really Like Me!

‍Exploring the science & motivations behind why people “like” posts on social media.

There’s no ignoring the fact that social media posts with a ton of interaction seem to skyrocket to fame overnight. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other form of social media, heavily-liked posts generate interest, which in turn generates page popularity and more followers.

Research shows that on the emotional end of things, both liking and commenting on posts helps relieve loneliness, establish connections with others, and provide a sense of solidarity in some type of a community -- even a virtual one. For instance, in a study that analyzed 58,000 people, it was determined that you could figure out a person’s religious or political affiliation, sexual orientation, and age with overwhelming accuracy.

The simple act of “liking” a Facebook post seems to bring people together. But what’s the psychology behind what people deem worthy of liking? What kind of post is likely to generate a positive response for your business page?

Here are three quick tips to consider for increasing the number of “likes” on your next Facebook post. 

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We like what our friends like.

The thing about people is that we’re more like sheeple. Like it or not (no pun intended), you are psychologically inclined to like, favor, or prefer what your friends do -- and that includes what your Facebook friends are liking on social media.

As a business owner, you may post an exciting giveaway, a promotional offer, or an update about your business that one of your followers “likes.” Their “like” may, in turn, show up on their friends’ news feeds for them to like. This will not only boost interaction on your post, but potentially drive traffic to your business page.

This is one of the great things about Facebook: if someone with 5,000 friends likes your post, you potentially have that many pairs of eyes looking at your same post (and, hopefully, “liking” it for their friends to see)!

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We like visuals.

Did you know that photos on Facebook pages generate 53% more likes than the average post?

In fact, posts that incorporate photos far surpass posts with videos, links, or just plain text. Knowing this should provide you with powerful leverage the next time you create a post! Simply drop a relevant photo in the body of your post to accompany your text, and all of a sudden, you’re in a much better position to be liked by your followers.

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We like information (but not information overload).
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We humans are biologically hardwired to collect information. It’s one of the primary reasons why the vast majority of us are on social media, apart from the desire to connect with friends, family, and a community.

With this in mind, if there’s something informative you can share with your Facebook audience in a post, don’t hesitate to include it! We do, however, recommend that you keep it on the shorter side. In today’s fast-paced digital age, we’ve become masters at “the quick skim” -- so grab your audience’s attention with a relevant fun fact, and then proceed with the rest of your post. Leave ‘em wanting more, as they say!

Consider these three simple tips the next time you post to your business’s social media page. You’re likely to score a few extra likes as positive affirmation!