The Power of ‘Like’

Image Source: socialprchat.com

Yesterday I wrote about feeling overwhelmed with all the information available today.

But I’m also a blog addict.

Well, saying I’m reading addict would be more accurate, I suppose.

I love to read, and I love to learn new things.

I also love to share what I learn, hence this blog. 😀

But when you are starting out as a new blogger (something I’ve done multiple times), it can be hard to motivate yourself to keep going.

You feel like you are in the middle of a crowded room, talking – but no one is listening.

Part of the appeal of blogging for me is the discussion that my writing (hopefully) generates.

So having someone comment on something I wrote makes my day. (Truly!)

‘Likes’ and ‘shares’ and ‘pingbacks’ are also appreciated.

But how many of us actually do those simple things?

I Blame Facebook

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know how I feel about Facebook.  -.-

However, over and above their shameless selling of our data for their profit, they did introduce the ‘like’ to most people.

We now find ‘like’ buttons everywhere.

‘Like,’ ‘favorite,’ upvote – whatever term a site uses, they’ve got a button for it.

These buttons have become so ubiquitous that most people don’t even notice them (or, apparently, use them) anymore.

Has ‘liking’ something become unfashionable now?

Take Back the ‘Like’

If you read blogs (like this one), do the authors a HUGE favor and every once in a while, press that little ‘like’ or ‘share’ button.

I have a friend who recently started blogging and is, like most bloggers, hoping for some feedback.

Whether it’s a like or comment, all he wants is some feedback.

I’m not sure why people don’t ‘like’ things the way they used to.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you give people ‘pity’ likes.

No one wants that.

But if you genuinely ‘like’ something that someone wrote, let them know.

If you have something to say about something they wrote (or took a picture of, or whatever), let them know – positive or negative.

For example, I have a Flickr account.

I check every day to see what fabulous photos people have taken.

But I very rarely ‘favorite’ any of them.

Why?

Because it’s too much effort to push that button?

Because I don’t want them to get a swelled head from my ‘favorite’?

Or is it because we don’t really know what we ‘like’ anymore?

My Challenge

My challenge – to you and to myself – is to take a few moments this week and push that little button.

Only if it’s something that you truly like, of course.

Surely over the course of a week, you come across at least a few things you like, right?

I’m challenging myself to like and/or comment on blogs.

It’s kind of hypocritical to complain that no one likes/comments on your blog, if you never do it either.

I’m also challenging myself to ‘favorite’ pics on Flickr.

There’s almost always a picture that makes me stop for a moment – so I take that moment to ‘favorite’ it.

I know how great I feel when I get a like, a favorite, a comment – whatever.

So if I can share that feeling by liking others’ work, I do.

I challenge you to do the same. 😀

(P.S. For those of you who have liked/commented/shared anything I’ve written – THANK YOU!!)