Only about 17% of your Fans see your Facebook Page posts…
That angers me a little.
I can’t help it. The fact that I can post to my Facebook page and have that message show up in only 17% of my Fans news stream is angering.
Damn you EdgeRank!
OK… Complaining about Facebook algorithms is akin to hollering at the Moon, so I will stop.
What does a good Blogger do when faced with social network algorithm issues?
That’s right, a good blogger figures out how to best work the system for maximum exposure.
If you’re asking yourself, “What is EdgeRank?” Edgerank is one of the ways that Facebook decides which posts to include in a user’s news feed. The equation is very simple:
Affinity + Weight + Time Decay = EdgeRank
You can read more at EdgeRank Checker. (the image below is from Edge Rank Checker Blog.)
The Facebook Button
So we all have ways to share our content to Facebook (If you don’t that’s a MUST DO right now!) in the form of a button placed somewhere on your blog.
Ms. Ileane uses the DiggDigg floating social media buttons that trail the post as you scroll down. That is one way to do it.
Some people place their social media buttons at the beginning of the post, others at the end and others yet, at both the beginning and end.
I use a social media plugin called Socialize which places social media buttons at the top of each blog post and then creates a Feature Box at the end of each post with additional social media buttons (Check out my post on stupid ebook publishing mistakes as an example).
The point is I don’t care where you put your social media buttons, but you need to have them and a Facebook button is a MUST.
So now the question is… Which Facebook button should we use to increase post exposure?
Share Button vs Like Button
Tying our initial problem (only 17% of our Fans see our posts) to our question (Which Facebook button should we use to increase post exposure) we’re left with a decision…
Should we encourage our blog visitors to use the Facebook Share Button or Like Button?
For those that don’t know the Share Button looks like this:
And this is what the Like Button looks like:
I encourage to try both right now and see the difference in how they share content on Facebook.
Why I will always use the Share Button
There are two reasons why I will always use the Share Button and not the more common Like Button:
- The Share Button attaches an Affinity score to the post shared and the Like Button does not.
- The Share Button carries a higher Weight score to the post shared than the Like Button.
Maybe these two items don’t seem like a big deal.
You’re saying, really Ryan, those are the two reasons that you use the Share Button over the Like Button?
And my response would be ABSOLUTELY YES!
For anyone that been blogging for more than three months knows every little thing counts when it comes to getting your content found Online!
The difference between Share Button and Like Button may seem small but if that small difference gets your content in front of more readers than it’s worth it… No doubt.
BONUS VIDEO: HOW TO ADD A LINK TO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE BACK TO YOUR BLOG
The Rub
Last time I wrote a Guest Post for Ms. Ileane I discussed the Zombie Apocalypse and your Newsletter Subscribers.
What I don’t want to see is your Facebook Posts getting lost in post apocalyptic EdgeRank world as well…
Use the Share Button… Get in your Fans news feed more often!
Thank you,
Ryan H.
Recommended Reading:
- How to Generate Leads and Grow Your List with Facebook Marketing
- Why You Should Have a Social Media Strategy
- 5 Ways to Keep You From Looking Clueless on Social Media
{ 136 comments… read them below or add one }
Twitter: india_darshan
April 27, 2012 at 5:35 AM
Social media sites are proving like life line for your site/blog because this is that kind of platform where you can make your value.
Twitter: wonderoftech
April 27, 2012 at 7:07 AM
Hi Ryan, Great to see you here at Ileane’s place. This article is fascinating. I had no idea about Edge Rank before I read this.
A couple of questions. First, couldn’t we both “Like” and “Share ” our posts? Second, do you recommend that we eliminate the Like button so Facebook sharing is the only option for the readers?
People often want the path of least resistance and clicking Like may be all they are willing to do.
Thanks, Ileane, for having Ryan here at your place!
Carolyn recently posted..FotoSketcher – For the Artist in You!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 8:46 AM
Carolyn,
What I didn’t go into in the post but I think is very important is understanding who reads you blog and making a decision based on that determination.
For my insurance agency’s website I have the Like Button because (just like you said) the Like Button is more common and less resistance. The people that read my insurance blog or most often not Tech people so I want to make sharing easy for them.
With my Marketing blog I use the Share Button but the readers are a little more sophisticated with Tech so I’m willing to take a few less likes for the more powerful Share.
Does that make sense?
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: webmaisterpro
April 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM
I think both can be implemented successfully, as the best option is always to leverage strategy as much as possible. I am gonna check EdgeRank, sounds quite interesting and this is the first time I see it.
Carl recently posted..Super User created new blog entry Evolution of the Android Market in Infographics
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 9:33 AM
Carl,
Definitely do… I find it to be a little annoying but if you knows the rules you can always use that to your advantage!
Thanks
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Great post!
I’m using the share button for a long time now and I can say definitively that it is much more effective than the like button that everybody else uses!
It manages to bring the right content to the people who want to see it.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 1:25 PM
That is a great way to put it! Thank you!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Hi Ryan,
When I like any post then I also prefer share button over like button because it carries a higher Weight score to the post and share button gets your content in front of more readers and like button doesnot.
Pete Goumas recently posted..Vitalicious Discount Coupons & Review
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 1:25 PM
Absolutely Pete! Thanks…
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 1:30 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Pete!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Straight-Up Truths About Blogging and They Hurt!
Hi Ryan, it is good attempt to explain the the difference between like and share. Most of the readers do not know the anatomy of these terminologies
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 1:30 PM
Thanks Azam… Would you agree with my breakdown and reasoning?
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
@Ryan According to my knowledge it is your valid research and have value in online business but if we move a step ahead
Twitter: comptalks
April 27, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Simply use the new like button and you’ll get the share option too when you like a particular post.
Bishwajeet recently posted..Top 10 Best Facebook Games of 2012
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 1:31 PM
Good point! Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: TechTricksWorld
April 27, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Sharing button is better I think.
Atish recently posted..Blogging Tips For Beginners
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:32 AM
For sure it is Atish… Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Completely Stupid eBook Publishing Mistakes
Twitter: BlazingMinds
April 27, 2012 at 2:43 PM
I initially went with the “Like” button, then after a while tried the “Share” button and did notice an increase in the numbers with the Share button, so I’m still using that one now.
Karen recently posted..Avengers Assemble 3D – Blazing Minds Film Review #ApolloRhylFilmReviewer
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 27, 2012 at 2:48 PM
That’s great feedback Karen… Thanks!!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: BlazingMinds
April 28, 2012 at 6:06 AM
Thank you Ryan
Karen recently posted..How To Posts Dominate Last Weeks Top Posts On @BlazingMinds
Twitter: COinjuryattrny
April 27, 2012 at 5:19 PM
Ooh this is really interesting! I didn’t know that Facebook used an algorithm to decide what showed up on a news feed. I just thought it was a sort of “all the news that’s fit to print” type of deal. Thanks for these tips. Now I know how to use this new technology!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Robert…
Facebook is actually rolling out a new algorithm soon called GraphRank which is going to be even more intense…
Everyone is trying to figure out the best way to deliver the most relevant information.
Thanks!!
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: kg_photography
April 27, 2012 at 7:21 PM
I love the share button because (1) I can add my own comments explaining why I’m sharing and (2) I can sometimes choose where I share (my profile or one of my pages).
Great post! It feels great to know that I’m getting something right (for me, that is).
Kimberly
Kimberly Gauthier recently posted..Have a WebCam? Increase Blog Traffic with YouTube
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:35 AM
Kimberly,
You’re definitely right on and I agree I’m a big fan of being able to share information where I want being forced into one profile or another.
Thanks!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Straight-Up Truths About Blogging and They Hurt!
Twitter: vasimpleservice
April 27, 2012 at 7:47 PM
Very good point! The only concern is that it’s much easier and requires less steps and action for someone to like versus share. It would be interesting to see the number of people who decide to avoid the share because it’s more “work”.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:36 AM
Genevieve,
You are right. There are going to be people that don’t SHARE and would have LIKED.
So I recommend taking a good look at your visitors based on the Cost/Effect of choosing each Button.
Good Luck!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: ajacwebdesign
April 27, 2012 at 9:30 PM
I wasn’t aware there was a difference in the share/like button. Oops. Good info, going to have to make some changes. Appreciate it.
Just as a sided note, your ‘click here to comment’ button confused me for a minute. Was looking for an anti-spam click and I couldn’t find one.
Charles Daniels recently posted..QR codes for your Michigan business. Part 2: Putting QR Codes to use.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Good luck Charles… Love to know if you see an increase in action…
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: evangelist32
April 27, 2012 at 10:13 PM
You’re right! Facebook “Like” isn’t used as much as it needs to be! I also think that integrating a Facebook comment section is another good prompt to get people to share. Great post, I agree with you 100%!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:38 AM
I’m intrigued by Facebook comments but I don’t like how Facebook owns the comments.
So if Facebook decides it doesn’t like Facebook Comments and closes the App your Comments are gone.
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: devesh
April 28, 2012 at 1:45 AM
Great stuff, Ryan and glad to see you here on Ileane’s blog.
Share button works way much better than the like button (at least on marketing & blogging niche blogs).
Anyways, I’m using both the buttons – share button in the floating bar and like button at the bottom of the post.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
-Dev
Dev recently posted..Welcome to the BlogPreneurs Blog
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:39 AM
Dev,
I actually think your strategy is perfect. Placing the buttons right next to each diminishes the chance either will be used.
But by placing them in separate locations there is a chance Both will be used.
Love it!
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: rancorinfotech
April 28, 2012 at 3:59 AM
Hi Ryan,
I think you’re quite right here, by choosing Facebook share over Facebook Like. Facebook Share gives you opportunity to get more exposure and it does contain more weightage than Like.
Aasma recently posted..ecommerce Website Development
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:40 AM
Thanks Aasma!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for sharing the differences between FB Like and FB Share. The Share help you in sharing your work so that it reaches more and more audience. The FB Like is simply for the acknowledgement and you may not get the appropriate exposure.
Thanks
Aditya
Aditya recently posted..Bump Reviews
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:41 AM
No doubt… Great point Aditya! Thanks for stopping by.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: howtospecialist
April 28, 2012 at 6:18 AM
I also think that the Share button has more advantages than Like, but it a little more difficult to get the same number of shares. Nevertheless, the best results will be obtained with the share button.
Jack Sander recently posted..How to build a gazebo
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:42 AM
The right share has so much power Jack… Thanks!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
using share button the news is seen on every one’s news feed but using a like button it appears only on our fb feed..
Twitter: m_bloggers
April 28, 2012 at 7:51 AM
Nice post……!!
now i’ll also go for share button………
Twitter: itechcode
April 28, 2012 at 8:28 AM
I think both are same
But share button best i think. Thanks Ryan for sharing this tips.
Amit Shaw recently posted..Google Drive Features and Functionality
Twitter: Psychicmediumtx
April 28, 2012 at 8:39 AM
I always get a lot of ideas from your posts, thank you for sharing!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 9:41 AM
You’re very welcome Marveena!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: HappyHealthyetc
April 28, 2012 at 10:39 AM
This is a terrific observation about Facebook like and share. I never thought about it! I will definitely going to go ahead and change it on my blog. This is such a valuable information! Thank you for sharing!
blog giveaway recently posted..7 Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 28, 2012 at 1:52 PM
Thank you Blog Giveaway…
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Hi Ryan – This is the first time am visiting your blog. Must say that its informative. Am amazed also, why is facebook promoting like button over share , despite the fact that facebook share seems more authoritative wherin user likes content so much as is accepting to share content with his community.
I’d go with the share button. Yes people can see when you like things but when you share an item it stays on your page for a while so there you go, if I want people to see something I share it rather than like it!
Harriet recently posted..Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:23 PM
Thanks Harriet I appreciate you taking the time to leave me some feedback…
Have you seen good results?
Thanks,
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How to Take Advantage of Google Search through Blogging
Twitter: MyUniqueHoodia
April 28, 2012 at 2:12 PM
I currently only have the like button on my website but I’m definitely going to look into putting the share button there too.
I personally use the LIKE button on my blogs since more people will “like” than “share” something I believe. I also think have a high “like” count will have great effect on search engine rankings.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:29 PM
Anita,
I definitely agree that the number social shares (Likes) you have can help in search results…
So what you have to do is determine how many more Likes will you get than Shares and if that will have a greater effect on Search Results than the loss of News Feed performance in Facebook…
Thanks!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How To Triple Your Blog Comments Today
Twitter: raajtram
April 28, 2012 at 3:31 PM
Yeah, I’ll prefer the share button. Moreover, any posts shared have the number of times the post is shared. So, if the number is high, more people prefer reading that shared post.
Great article and amazing discussion going on! Cheers
Raaj Trambadia recently posted..Need a Business Blog? – “MyBlogIsMyMoney.com” – Domain Name For Sale!!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 6:18 AM
Thanks Raaj,
The Share Button definitely counts and I agree there has been a fantastic discussion on this Board.
Ryan h.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: alifeoflight
April 28, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Thank you for this article, Ryan and Ms Ileane. I have been finding that as I do more and more on Facebook, that it seems there is more and more to learn about. I knew a little bit about Edgerank before, but had no idea what the formula is. Now that I know a bit more about how it works maybe I can get my posts seen by more people online. that would be a really nice outcome.
Michael recently posted..Open Door Policy
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 6:21 AM
Michael,
In general I assume that most people think every post they write finds it’s way into every friends or fan’s news feed.
It’s eye-opening really considering how much time people spend putting the posts together.
Thanks,
Ryan h>
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How to Take Advantage of Google Search through Blogging
as many have pointed out, it is all about effort…but 17%
now thats an interesting statistic
share does get more views, which is good, liking takes less effort…but hey…its only a few extra seconds right?
thanks
Twitter: carollynnrivera
April 28, 2012 at 5:44 PM
I was one of those people ready to jump off a building when I heard that I’m spending all this time posting to Facebook… for very little reason. It’s really a lot of work for such a low return, but like you said, there isn’t much use in complaining. I didn’t realize that the Share button actually carries weight, which is great to know, but I like it anyway because it means someone is actually posting your content to Facebook, which is much better for increasing the potential for being seen. Thanks for the tip!
Carol Lynn recently posted..Sabotaging Success Part 1: How ‘Fear Of Failure’ Will Wreck Your Business And Crush Your Dreams (Unless You Take Action Now)
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:31 PM
Carol,
One thing that can help you with Shares is to write a bog post to teach your readers “How” to share on Facebook and tell them that if they are going to Share your content that prefer the Share Button…
That will help!
Thanks,
Ryan H>
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Why Blogging is a Cold Callers Best Friend [Video]
Twitter: TechInitio
April 28, 2012 at 7:04 PM
I think share button is better. And as i can see, you agree with me. Sharing means that you showed more interest on the link, and you wish to share it with others not just like it.
Rashmi Sinha recently posted..Google Drive – Review at techinitio
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Thanks Rashmi! I completely agree.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Straight-Up Truths About Blogging and They Hurt!
Twitter: BrankicaU
April 28, 2012 at 8:00 PM
Love the post and I always try to use Share button over the like button. But I did read a long time ago that FB “discontinued” the share button so now I can’t get it, they removed it from the Social Plugins page and a lot of sharing plugins don’t have it. Any ideas about the workaround?
Brankica recently posted..[Video] How to Add Pinterest to Facebook Page
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:15 AM
Bran,
If you do a Google Search for “Facebook Share Button” the Developers page will come up. Click that like and you’ll get the code for the Share Button.
Let me know how that works…
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: learnit2earnit
April 28, 2012 at 10:39 PM
I was reading about the EdgeRank and other changes with all the new Facebook timeline both on our personal and now, our fan pages. I made a decision when the FB Share button first came out — I love it!
My friends and family really don’t want to see all the ‘business’ articles, videos and posts that I like (which I enjoy sharing other peoples content, like this!) So when the Share button came out, I wrote a post right away to show other business owners how you can share your ‘business’ information to your Fan Page or even to your groups.
However, with the new EdgeRank it does sound like your information will not be seen by all your fans. I would like to point out, that since the new Fan Page timeline, my posts and information that I ‘share’ have been getting a lot more activity and engagement.
I think it will depend on the consistency of how you share our information on all social platforms.
Lynn Brown recently posted..Increasing Traffic To Your Blog With Twitter
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:16 AM
Lynn,
A absolutely perfect breakdown… Thank you!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: marthagiffen
April 29, 2012 at 1:52 AM
Is the share button still available? I thought FB had discontinued it! (as a plugin)
Martha Giffen recently posted..How To Step Out, Step Up, and Not Get Stepped ON!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:09 AM
If you search “Facebook share button” in google the Code should come up in the search results…
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Hi Ryan,
When I like any content then I share it because I feel it is better than like button but I didn’t go in details as you go and now I think that I was always right
Syeda Mehwish recently posted..Native Remedies Coupon Codes
Twitter: intlQuest
April 29, 2012 at 10:06 AM
I agree. Using the “Share” button extensively increase the people that see your posts. This would also be very useful if you have a bunch of pages or groups where you can post to and receive feedback as well as have the same people visit your page. Liking a link however, as said on your post, detains how many people will see your post. Thanks for this great article!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:20 PM
Thanks John… I appreciate your thoughts!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How to Take Advantage of Google Search through Blogging
Twitter: trickybloggers
April 29, 2012 at 10:07 AM
I always use Facebook Share button. you are right it gives more weight to post in compare of like button. but we should also add a like button on post.
Prem Pandit recently posted..How to send Profile Picture In Facebook Chat
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:18 PM
Absolutely Prem… I like the idea of keeping them in separate locations though…
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Straight-Up Truths About Blogging and They Hurt!
Twitter: rlivermore
April 29, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Ryan, you definitely gave me a lot to think about here. It is hard to keep up with all of the Facebook changes and how they figure things, so blog posts like this really help. I appreciate the amount of detail and the way you explained it so well. It looks like I have another change to make on my blog!
Rebecca Livermore recently posted..How to Keep Track of Blog Post Ideas Within WordPress Using Post Ideas+
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:17 PM
Rebecca,
That’s why we all must work together to stay up on what’s going on…
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..7 Completely Stupid eBook Publishing Mistakes
Twitter: _LisaLorraine_
April 29, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Thank you for this great information, I always wonder why my Facebook page draws so little activity.
Twitter: makewebworld
April 29, 2012 at 1:37 PM
Ryan, I like Share button on top of like button…its good if people share the content which they like. Currently I do use both buttons but use share button in sharebar to give more exposure..
Sanjeev recently posted..Premise – Landing Page Creation and Digital Marketing Gets Easy
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 29, 2012 at 8:19 PM
Sanjeev,
Do you do anything to draw attention to your Share Button?
Thanks…
Ryan Hanley recently posted..There is Always Another Way to Do Business
Twitter: makewebworld
April 29, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Currently nothing more then having it in sharebar, I only have share button in my sharebar and people tend to use it more..
Sanjeev recently posted..Google’s Slap for Over SEO Optimization
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 6:22 AM
Sharebar is definitely a good tool.
Thanks for the feedback!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 14
Twitter: keepupweb
April 29, 2012 at 8:31 PM
Ryan, I just had a real “duh” moment. I know the difference between a FB share and a like but wouldn’t you know it? The last time I switched my plugin, I configured it with the like button! So, thanks so much for the nudge. I’m all set now and I’m a happy camper.
Sherryl Perry recently posted..Commenting On Blogs – What Strategy Works for You?
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 6:25 AM
Haha… No doubt Sherryl… That’s why all us bloggers work together even when the help is a “Duh” moment!
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How To Triple Your Blog Comments Today
Twitter: Tubeblogr
April 29, 2012 at 8:59 PM
Very interesting stuff. I hadn’t made up my mind yet which button to use for my blog.
Nicko Gibson recently posted..The 5 Most Influential People in the History of Computers
Twitter: online_edublog
April 30, 2012 at 2:44 AM
Ofcoure, share button gives more exposure to people, as you have complete post which people can view but people tend to click on like button more than share. so they must be used in a balanced manner to get max benefit out of it..!
Ray recently posted..Why More and More College Students are Choosing Online Courses?
I honestly had no idea facebook even used a system like EdgeRank. I have both fb like and share on my blogs and I’m contemplating removing the “like” button so more people are inclined to use the “share” button
Adrianna Huang recently posted..Warmrails Heatra Classic Drying Rack and Towel Warmers Review
Twitter: JimiAntoniou
April 30, 2012 at 3:47 AM
OMG! Edgerank??? I had never heard of this. Now I know!
And I must say that you persuaded me to change my buttons from “like” to “share”.
Thank you!!!
Jim Antoine recently posted..Before you post a job
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 6:28 AM
Thank Jim… You’ll have to come back and let everyone know if you see any change in exposure on Facebook.
A good idea might be to let your audience know what and why you’re doing it.
Ryan H>
Ryan Hanley recently posted..There is Always Another Way to Do Business
Twitter: vignaat
April 30, 2012 at 4:14 AM
IMHO , the like button does everything , sometimes even more than that share button. With the evolution of Facebook Ticker, everyone sees , what the user has liked and where he has liked. IN addition to that, you can add comment , too , with liking the post
Vignat Vora recently posted..Nokia Lumia 710 Review
Twitter: intlQuest
May 2, 2012 at 8:55 PM
Do you realize how useful the Facebook Ticker is for Facebook? It is a really great addition to the news feed. You will be able to see your friends’ update live. Just imagine if you have a profile that you use solely for business and your friends are actually other companies in your circle of competition.
Twitter: salman1507
April 30, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Never thought of implementing both like and share buttons…. But as I read your article, I realized that the shared content is of no use if it doesn’t hit most of the fans newsfeed. So its better to use both share and like buttons on the webpages !
Thanks for the share Ryan…
Salman recently posted..Tower of Hanoi – Recursion
Twitter: LogAllot
April 30, 2012 at 2:24 PM
I never thought about the differences with each button, but I am listening now. Maybe I am just use to seeing that feature (like button) on so many other sites, that I figured it was simply the norm, but I didn’t think about the Share button and how easily it would be to share posts too. Thank for the slap up side my head with this one. I have to change some stuff around and make sure that feature is prominent on my blog too. Thank you for the tip!
Sonia recently posted..Do You Trust Guest Posts For Your Blog?
Twitter: adriennesmith40
April 30, 2012 at 6:02 PM
Hi Ryan,
Thank you for sharing this information.
I knew that certain content can be counted as more relevant with the Edge Rank but I wasn’t aware that the shares verses the likes made that much of a difference. I just wanted to give my readers the option since I don’t personally share everything that I read on Facebook. I don’t want to overdo it you know.
I’ve read that they suggest only sharing about four to five posts a day and of course, at certain times on Facebook but maybe this will encourage my readers to share my posts more on Facebook with their friends. I’ll give this a test and see how that works.
Great post and thanks again for sharing this. Okay, I’ll share this post tomorrow on my Facebook page.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted..Why Blog Maintenance Is Important
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
April 30, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Thanks Adrienne… Definitely let me know what you think of a Share Button focus… It would be very cool if you saw measured results and could share with us!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How a Google Hangout Changed my Entire Perspective on Google+
Twitter: Robertabud
April 30, 2012 at 7:15 PM
Interesting and what I was suspecting was true. And when you live in tomorrow relative to the rest of the world, it is a real challenge to get a decent feed going without the love of others or a decent VA or automated program
Roberta Budvietas, recently posted..How to simplify numbers in business.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 1, 2012 at 8:27 AM
You definitely need the support of your readers… That is a Must!!
Thanks.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How a Google Hangout Changed my Entire Perspective on Google+
Twitter: vineetsaxena4
April 30, 2012 at 11:13 PM
Hi Ryan, I prefer the like button as people are slightly more bent towards liking your content rather than sharing it.
Vineet Saxena recently posted..Create A Facebook Page For Your Blog
Twitter: amar_aaleemyahoo.com
April 30, 2012 at 11:17 PM
Hi Ryan
I was not aware from the share button and like button for best facebook exposure. Your post made me well aware from this concept. Thanks.
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 1, 2012 at 8:26 AM
My pleasure Ammara!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How a Google Hangout Changed my Entire Perspective on Google+
Twitter: jschahal
May 1, 2012 at 12:49 AM
Hi Ryan,
First of all! A good post.
I personally think that both Like and Share go hand in hand. The thing is that it is just a mental game. Some people feel the authority to `share` and some just `like`s your post. I guess both of them does pretty much the same thing in the end. So for me its just a mental game and in my experience `Like` work better than `Share`. But they can be implemented with great success on the same page.
Cheers!
Jaspreet Chahal recently posted..get_avatar not working
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 1, 2012 at 8:17 AM
Jaspreet,
I certainly agree that both can be added to a blog page and have successful sharing with both buttons…
Getting everyone to hit both would be best case scenario!! ha!
Thanks,
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How a Google Hangout Changed my Entire Perspective on Google+
Twitter: arsalan_1101
May 2, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Hi Ryan
Great post really very helpful post for social website button.
Muhammad Arsalan recently posted..How to make money with coupon code sites
Twitter: donnamerrilltribe
May 2, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Hey Ryan, Great information here. When I syndicate, I like to use the share button so I can have something good to say about what I am syndicating. My mindset is one of branding myself on Social Platforms, so whatever I choose to like, I need to tell people why. Thanks so much for this
Donna Merrill
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Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 2, 2012 at 5:49 PM
Donna,
That is really… Really good way of looking at it and I like the fact that you used the word syndicating as that is what you’re doing.
Great thoughts!
Thanks,
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..The Reality of Online Marketing and Working Harder
Twitter: SuccessBB
May 3, 2012 at 3:26 AM
I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of Edgerank (or GraphRank, for that matter), but I’ve long prefered to use the Share button instead of the Like button for the same reason Kimberly does. In fact, I’ll sometimes try to tease something in the post, like for this one, I might say “Do you know the 2 reasons you should choose one over the other?” or “One of the comments (besides my own) has the reason I use one over the other!”
Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing!
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Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 3, 2012 at 7:16 AM
Grady,
A good way to get more shares as well is to write a post explaining to your readers How to use the Share button…
That will help.
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..The Reality of Online Marketing and Working Harder
Twitter: berget
May 3, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Hi Ryan,
This is an awesome guest post. I had no idea about EdgeRank before I read your post. But I have been thinking about the difference between Facebook Share and Like, and to me, it seems that shares will be visible in my newsfeed, but likes won’t? I have no idea if this is the case, but the only time I see any likes is in the scrolling sidebar (on the right side). I haven’t seen any in my newsfeed for a long time.
Jens P. Berget recently posted..Niche Marketing – The Most Important Research
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 4, 2012 at 9:18 AM
That’s the deal Jens… You got it!
Thanks!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 15
Twitter: indblog
May 3, 2012 at 7:09 PM
I am using both on my blog and the share button is winning hands down. My Twitter button seems to be the most popular.
Dean Saliba recently posted..April 2012 Blog Income Report
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 4, 2012 at 9:19 AM
Dean,
The Twitter button seems to be the Least Resistance button for people… For sure.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 15
Twitter: YosefMor
May 3, 2012 at 11:24 PM
I too prefer “Share” over “Like” because — as already mentioned — “Share” allows me to add a Comment and specify Privacy settings.
However, “Share” also has a big disadvantage. When a reader proceeds to “Like” the item that was shared, what actually gets “Liked” is the “Share” itself, and not the item being shared!
For example, if I “Share” a Facebook page, and friends who see my post naively press “Like,” then what gets “Liked” is my post. In order to directly help the Facebook page, my friends would need to click through my post and then press “Like” on the Facebook page itself! The “Call To Action” in this “Share” scenario is much harder for me to explain and for my friends to perform — as compared to the trivial “Like” scenario.
I also point out that, according to https://developers.facebook.com/docs/share/ :
“The Share button has been deprecated in favor of the Like button, and will no longer be supported.”
ONE ITEM IN FAVOR OF LIKES — Most comments missed this but Yosi got it, I see something SUPER IMPORTANT amiss in the OP, in favor of ‘Likes’ which is not covered.
When I share one of my Page’s photos on my personal FB and my ‘lazy-or-ignorant’ friends use the ‘Like’ action, they are liking my action of sharing something not the photo itself [an almost wasted vote], so it does not increase the likes rank on the photo itself because those Likes are not Hot-Linked to the original; in order to increase the statistics on the photo they would need to actually 1st click on the photo, then a 2nd click to like or share it………
Versus:
When I ‘Like’ my page’s photo, each subsequent like from a friend is pegged to the original photo because those are Auto-Hot-Linked, BIG DIFFERENCE.
A big advantage on LIKE being better than SHARE. Why few notice this?
To further visualize this, look in your personal FB Newsfeed, a Liked picture will show the total thousands of votes at the bottom… Versus a Shared picture may show 3 votes when it actuality the original might really have thousands. That’s because you can like a share but you CAN NOT like a Like. Likes on a share stay with the share do not get forwarded…. Attempted Likes on a Like all go to the original content.
Subsequent shares are not affected either way.
I have not decided which one I find better.
Twitter: bobandrosemary
May 4, 2012 at 7:10 AM
Hey Ryan,
Thanks for the education! I have to admit I didn’t know the difference in the FB Like and Share button when it comes to Edgerank, and I’ve kind of used both interchangeably and without a plan.
No more — it’s Share for me from now on. Thanks!
Bob Clarke recently posted..Our Free Coaching and Home Business Training Offer
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 4, 2012 at 9:24 AM
There is a lot that can be done with the Share button for sure Bob… Especially if you audience knows how to use it.
Thanks!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Content Creation Curation – Social Media RoundUp – Week 15
Twitter: nickyvitality
May 4, 2012 at 8:44 AM
Great piece of advice ! – I actually use the same social plugin as this site, but what I noticed was that my shares and likes were the same number. I am not sure if this was a bug in the plugin, but to remove any doubt I removed the like button and left the share button.
I knew I needed to do it, I just didn’t know why, so thanks for sharing that!
Nicky
Nicky recently posted..Article Marketing Strategy Post Google Penguin
I always install a share button on my sites, so much more valuable than a like!
Twitter: koundeenya
May 6, 2012 at 1:35 AM
Cool! I dint know, Like and share have different impact on our blog. But still, i love people Liking my post
Koundeenya recently posted..Why Should You Start Using Google Plus?
Twitter: russellworld
May 7, 2012 at 1:09 AM
I have also thinking same que. – which one is better – like button or share button. I am using like button in my site but still I am in confusion which one is better.
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I put both of them on my blog, share and like..
XD
Twitter: internetdreamof
May 29, 2012 at 1:40 PM
That is it! Have both. Can’t just say one works better than the other one since they can both be implemented just nicely.
Samuel recently posted..How To Write A Good Article!
Twitter: She Loves Simple
May 10, 2012 at 4:27 AM
I prefer the Share button myself. It just makes me feel that the reader thought the post was good enough to share with others. I use the like button when I want people to know I read the post but don’t have a comment especially. Share is so much better. I have both on my blog.
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Twitter: chantel_mario
May 12, 2012 at 2:15 AM
Hello Ryan. I believe social media sites like Facebook are a really good platform to share your blogs. However, is it the best option because apparently, people do not seem o be ‘into’ Facebook like before? What I mean is that people nowadays are very busy with work and other activities. So, would you still recommend Facebook as a very strong platform?
Mario M. recently posted..The Coolest Blog Commenting Plugin For WordPress!
Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 12, 2012 at 8:37 AM
Yes… I definitely would… Especially if you have a Market segment that resides there.
Ryan Hanley recently posted..How to Add a Click to Tweet Link in a WordPress Blog
Twitter: chantel_mario
May 13, 2012 at 4:20 PM
I would go with the Share Button! But I think both sharing and liking should go together! The more, the better! I had a question – Is sending Facebook messages and linking to an article/site good?
Twitter: AgcToPenicillin
May 16, 2012 at 6:11 PM
Wow, I always thought that the share button is the same thing as the like button.
Thanks Ryan for clearing that up, and you’re right everything counts, I’m going to be using the Share button from now on.
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Twitter: RyanHanley_Com
May 17, 2012 at 6:56 AM
Great Jacky!
I’m glad you found the article useful!!
Ryan Hanley recently posted..Opportunity and Success Through a Different Set of Eyes
Twitter: bloggerstech
May 20, 2012 at 10:47 AM
LIKE button is the better option for users or fans but share button is more better for the author or blogger.However both has extra identity to clarify own works.
Twitter: malikadeel44
May 25, 2012 at 4:01 AM
Nice artical. will u guys plz help to create face book like page. i am trying make Facebook page and also i wanna put like butoon on my website but i am not able to do. some one can guide me?
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Twitter: andrew
May 28, 2012 at 2:50 AM
Really a great post you shared with us.when i put a facebook like button or facebook share button on my blog then i got direct visit or traffic from the facebook.its really a great way to get traffic from the facebook.
Twitter: internetdreamof
May 29, 2012 at 1:39 PM
Why not have both. They seem to do just fine, both of them for me. Liking is the natural way of getting to know what someone likes.
Sharing is now not even supported by Facebook, and I now use the send button since it is just as effective.
Samuel recently posted..How To Write A Good Article!
Twitter: Lady_webmaster
June 11, 2012 at 8:57 AM
No doubt LIKE button has better impact to publicize any blog post or web page.So LIKE is better for me .
Shazida Khatun recently posted..Lady Webmaster’s Thoughts On Asian Top Canvassed With Deepest Attention Of Life
Twitter: astrageeks
June 23, 2012 at 5:49 AM
Facebook Share gives you opportunity to get more exposure and it does contain more weightage than Like.Differentiated two aspects very well and it is very useful post.Thanks for the article.
Twitter: emo_ph
October 25, 2012 at 2:26 PM
Awesome post learned a lot. Didn’t even know there was such a thing as an edgerank lol. I still have a lot to learn about social media.
Malds recently posted..Sembreak is almost here, just 2 more papers to go + future post plans
I have both the Like and Share button on my site but I also want people to “Like” the individual pics as well and it doesn’t let them, just the entire website. If I delete the FB meta tags it lets people like the individuals pics but doesn’t show a pic of the site when people “Like” it. Can anyone let me know how it is feasable for people to “Like” both the site and pics without deleting the meta tags? I would greatly appreciate it!
17% reach? its the best reach i have seen My updates are reaching to max 10% of fan and it is very rare common is4-6% reach. and yes facebook share button is better than like button
Syed Danial recently posted..Top tips to compare and evaluate web design software programs
Twitter: ariherzog
January 11, 2013 at 9:45 AM
Suggestion you may want to edit the above because you obviously use the Like button these days (per the leftmost choices).
Ari Herzog recently posted..Facebook LinkedIn Twitter in 2013
Twitter: Ileane
January 11, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Hi Ari! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your concern. I think you noticed that Ryan Hanley is the author of this post and not me
At the time the post was written the Like Button I was using did not facilitate sharing of the post on Facebook. Since that time the functionality of the button that I’m using has changed and it does allow for sharing. However that is not the case for every like button around and the post is still valid.
I just visited a couple of blogs with Like buttons that don’t open a sharing window like We Blog Better, for example.
Chat soon Ari!
Ileane recently posted..How to Boost Your Brand on Facebook and Drive Traffic to Your Blog
Twitter: freeatdating72
March 11, 2013 at 12:55 PM
This post provides great information about the share and like buttons. I have been using both facebook buttons on my site. I have a dating site. On the homepage and each profile page, I placed the LIKE button. On the blog of my site, I placed the SHARE button.
However, after reading this article, I may try to use the SHARE button more on my site.
Thanks.
good informative post on facebook share button and facebook like button most of the people don’t know this basic difference
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