Are “Likes” Really Important on Social Media?

If you’re just starting out on your social media marketing journey, or have been going at it for a while but aren’t getting the results you had hoped for, you may be wondering if you should pay attention to page and post Likes. As it turns out, you not only should think about Likes-you need to. I have worked in social media for more than a decade. In that time, I’ve figured out how and why Likes matter. If you wonder why they are so important, read on!

Likes Enhance Credibility

Likes on social media platforms such as Facebook increase you and your brand’s credibility. If someone Likes a page on Facebook or a witty post on Threads, that person’s followers are more likely to both see and be interested in what the person or brand behind that page has to say. This creates organic, free reach and enhances reputation without you taking any extra steps to get there.

How can you encourage likes on your posts? The best way is to create content that your audience enjoys, which we will mention in a moment. You can also ask for likes, but this isn’t always the best solution as it can make you appear pushy toward your audience.

Utilizing strategies such as “like this post if you love this meme!” could be the best of both worlds. However, this type of approach usually only works if you have a lighthearted marketing strategy and an audience with a sense of humor.

Shares Lead to Views

As important as Likes are, you don’t want to put all of your social media marketing eggs in one basket, either. Shares on social media lead to your posts and your page being seen by a much larger audience across the internet. This creates free reach and builds a better online reputation than relying on post and page Likes alone.

You don’t have to pay a dime to increase your visibility on social media-you just have to put out great content. You may want to share your posts with your personal social media followers and friends to get the ball rolling, or ask your followers to share your content that they find helpful or entertaining.

Relevance Matters Most

Relevant audiences matter more than anything. If the audience providing you with Likes and shares is otherwise disengaged from your content or is not the audience you are targeting, you aren’t really achieving any social success. You’re just shouting into the wind and reaching some listeners who can’t actually help you reach your digital marketing goals.

Figure out who belongs in your target audience, what type of content will reach these people, and how to deliver your message to them. You will likely find that these three steps will make a world of difference in quickly enhancing your social media success. If you need help, consider reaching out to a social media or content marketing professional who can assist you in meeting your marketing goals on social media and beyond.

This article originally appeared on Business2Community.