Artificial Likes

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I hit “Publish” and it felt good. I had worked for hours on a rather long post, and I was eager to see the reaction. I couldn’t wait to read what my blogging friends had to say and right then and there –BOOM – the little bell showed me the first “Like.”

A LIKE from a fellow blogger. Isn’t that what we all live for?

“Wow, that was fast,” I thought, “Not even a minute later,” and there it was the first positive reaction.

It had taken me a long time to proof read my post, does that mean I am a slow reader? Or perhaps the LIKE had been given by a speed reader?

Perhaps it means I am liked as a blogger, but my posts are not worth reading?

Bummer!

I assume I should just take what I can get without questioning it, but then, that just isn’t me. I question things -can’t help it, it’s a birth defect, a curse, a blessing in disguise.

I thought some more about it and came to the following conclusion. There are different likes:

The Loyalty-Like:    Used by too many bloggers to show loyalty with the writer, even if they don’t like the content of a post. They like merciless everything and (almost) everybody.

The Stress-Like:    Following too many bloggers can be stressful. We all have a real life away from the computer (I hope). There is not enough time to read everything; that’s when they click LIKE after reading only the first paragraph. Sadly, the don’t ever read the rest of the post.

The Fishing-Like:    “If I like you just often enough, then you will like me back,” they seem to think, and if it doesn’t work, then they disappear and fish somewhere else.

The Back-Like:       “I scratch your back if you scratch mine.”

The Honest-Like:      Comes from bloggers who interact with you and interact with you via comments.

The Love-Like:         The highest reward for a blogger. It’s a simple and heartfelt “I love your post.” It’s the feeling I often get when I wish I could click LOVE instead of just a simple LIKE.

The Dis-Like:     Ouch…a comment without a LIKE, that’s a hurtful little bastard but very honest -if given for the right reasons.

Well, I don’t like anything artificial -besides my hair color and a Christmas tree which we had to buy after our dog had shown too much excitement with the real one.

And now I lean back and wait for my first LIKE. I wonder which one it will be. 🙂

'Every year about this time they put in an indoor toilet.'

Artificial

74 thoughts on “Artificial Likes”

  1. This is brilliant – raw, true…brillant. I, too wish there was a “love” button. This post would get it (lol). I was actually debating whether or not to create a thank you post for reaching 1,000 likes. I tossed around many of the points you made here. A post with a badge does ring insincere, yet I am honestly grateful for those who have given me feedback and more importantly positive encouragement for my work. I found this post, your post, because I searched “likes” in the reader to see what the community had to say about it. I noticed that there were several posts like the one I was thinking about doing and then I found yours and couldn’t resist reading it. I don’t know, what do you think Ladybug? To post or not to post, that is the question.

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  4. I’ve thought a lot about this and agree, those fake likes are just not worth it. I’d rather know that I worked hard for a reason. I don’t follow people unless I know I can actually follow them, and I don’t like something i haven’t read. I work hard on my posts and assume everyone else does to. We owe each other that much respect as writers. Great post; I really liked it! 😉

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    • You are already an outstanding reader because you thought about it. 🙂

      I don’t like what I didn’t read, I just don’t want to. It’s like signing a contract without reading it. Not a good idea, I learned that early on in life. 🙂

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  5. Yeah, good post—explains the way I often feel. I’ve been blogging for 10 years, and don’t have “very many ” followers, and sometimes the ego gets in the way, and I wonder, “how the ‘F’ does this or that
    person have 10,000 or 20,000 followers!!!!” Then, I slap myself really hard and remind myself to snap the ‘F’ out of it! I don’t have the time to keep track of 20,000 other blogs just to give “artificial” Likes. I have about 10 bloggers who I really appreciate for their interaction, and I try my best to really read their blogs and interact. Time is a factor…indeed. Thanks for your insight on this topic. 🙂

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  8. great summary of the kinds of like…a topic that has run through my head many times, including the question of whether to post about it…just a few added thoughts that help me deal with my similar curse that has me pondering the “likes” i get…the like in 15 seconds after the post may just be someone who likes first and reads second, i know i have done that a few times…the loyalty like can be interpreted, when it comes to content not liked so much (which is in the end a personal aesthetic thing), as a thumbs up for the effort, as encouragement for keep on keeping on, which we can all use…the stress like may be seen as a way of saying i got something good from this (an inspiration, a smile for phrase well turned, etc) even though the whole thing was not read (this may be from the past AA meeting that drilled into my head, it was a good hour-long meeting if you got one good thing that you could take away from it)…and finally, the like button does on some level operate as a “I was here” button, because as an artist, as some level it doesn’t matter whether the person liked, loved, disliked or even hated any particular work, what matters to me is that for a brief moment at least that particular work was at the forefront of his or her consciousness (and sometimes, given the particular work in question that might be going after a bit of shock value, if the viewer / reader reacts with anger or some other kind of dislike, then it is success)

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  9. Seriously I’ve never thought about this – but I think I would be scared to “like” a post without reading it – in case it was something I really disagreed with or thought was a terrible comment!

    Like most – my life is busy and it may take me a while to catch up with the blogs I follow but I do try to get there eventually x

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  12. An interesting breakdown of the likes, Bridget. I try to be a good blogging buddy. Sadly, there just isn’t time to comment on every post, so I do some “honest likes” now and then without commenting. And there are a few times when I’m without words too. Believe it or not 🙂

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  16. I was laughing, but sympathetically. I was brought up with a conscience so I cannot ‘like’ a post unless I have read it, or ‘like’ it unless I learn something or find something beautiful, or can empathise with the post. I have trouble with the ‘like’ button on posts describing something ghastly but important (e.g. treatment of refugees on Nauru), but I hit it to say that their post was good/important. However, I do think the LIKE button is very useful, so that you can wave at fellow bloggers and say I came, I read your post and I hear you, even if I have no time to comment or nothing useful to say or someone has already said it all. Not an entertaining comment, I fear.

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  17. I never hit a like until I have read a post. I think I hold more “worth” in the visitor numbers than the likes sometimes, because then you at least know they read more than the title. I am certainly guilty though of liking and not commenting… sometimes I just don’t know what to say other than I like this, which is already covered with the like button. But I too would like to see a love button for special posts. Sorry for the ramble. Great post though – I’d give it a love. 🙂

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  18. There are so many likes it is true- sometimes I like a post even when I have not read it completely because I want the writer to know I did see it and stopped by- I then go back and comment when I have read it thoroughly. I feel stressed trying to catch up especially when others comment on my blog- I answer every response – which is also time consuming. Meanwhile the vacuum never made it out today and the floor never got washed…. 😀 😀

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    • I often go back and read a post later on in the evening, when I have more time. Everything is so hectic during the day. I enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing.

      I try to answer every response but not the ones that are unfriendly or senseless (arrogant little me just can’t deal with it).

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  19. Hahaha, glad I wasn’t the first like. I agree with your categories, pretty much spot on and I have been several of those at one time or another. You should do a follow up post on types of followers, because I’ve noticed similar patterns of behavior with those as well. 😀

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  20. We should lobby for a love-like! There have been one or two times when I’ve wanted to show my love of something rather than a mere, ‘Yeah, I like it actually, but not enough to truly LOVE it like it.’ 😛

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  21. Sometimes I comment and forget to like. I only like a post if I have read all of it, but I have to confess that it is occasionally a comradely like rather than a real like.

    I also have likes within an unfeasible number of minutes after posting. I’m not egotistical enough to imagine that someone is there every Sunday just waiting to read my latest post, so I really don’t know how that works.

    Thank you for a stimulating post.

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  22. I never look a gift like in the mouth! A like in any sort of way truly feels so sweet. If they didn’t look at the whole post maybe they didn’t have time that day, or they liked the photo and bit that appeared in my reader, or maybe they just like me. Maybe they just want me to like them. It’s all positive. Take it in the spirit intended and don’t waste your time worrying about what other people do, or don’t do. That is up to them and I don’t like criticizing people unless I have too. If they like your post, be happy, don’t worry. They like YOU!

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  23. This is a post every blogger can relate to. Everyone has their own version of why they
    *like* and *comment* – or don’t. Sometimes it is all too apparent that a blogger has *liked* a post or started to *follow* simply because they are trawling for followers. I try not to get too hung-up on it.

    I admit I don’t always comment on posts. It’s usually because I have nothing to add … especially if it’s taken me a couple of days to get to the post.

    If I disagree with, or dislike, a post, I won’t *like* it, and rarely leave a comment. I have chosen not to use my time and energy that way.

    I can’t read everything that hits my mailbox … especially from bloggers who are very prolific. I have to use my limited time online to pick and chose. Over the past year, I’ve outright avoided almost everything related to the US elections. Not because I’m not American, but because the entire circus was making me crazy. Again – I’ve chosen not to use my time like that.
    …. but I won’t do a ‘drive-by’ – *liking* something I haven’t read just to make it appear that I was there.

    Sorry for the long comment, Bridget. As you’ve noted, we all have different versions of what we do, and why we do it. In the end, I guess there are no right or wrong answers – as long as no one is poo-ing all over my blog. THEN I will definitely have something to say! 🙂

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    • I appreciate your long comment and lots of what you way makes so much sense (if not all).

      I didn’t want to write about the election or politics EVER, but decided to write about “only” in this election because I don’t want to sit there one day thinking I could have/should have said something.

      I only read political or religious posts when they are either a) very interesting or b) controversial.

      I seem to have more time in fall and winter and less during the summer time. Like today, my football crazy husband is watching a game and I run away 🙂

      I have a “love” and a “like” group. A small group of bloggers I call friends and what they write interests me more, because I feel a connection. So, if you ever want to write a post about a salt and pepper mill, I will very much like it because you are in the “love” group. 🙂

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      • LOL – you’re definitely in my *love* group too 🙂
        It’s funny, but I hadn’t thought of bloggers quite that way, but you’re absolutely right. The *love* group gets preferential treatment when time is severely limited … which seems to be a lot lately!

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  24. I noticed I was your ‘first lik-ee’ on another post. And yeah I read it. The WHOLE thing too. I read all the posts (given time), and when appropriate I might say something. But I’m of the school of thought that one shouldn’t necessarily open their (written) yap unless they’ve got something to say. So maybe I’m a new category: The reading liker? Reads, likes, doesn’t always comment. And yeah, I speed read too. Just how my brain works. AND (thirdly and lastly I promise) I can’t always see your posts…I’ll click the “read more…” bit and nothing appears but a beige blank page with your cute logo at the top. So…I’m not sure what that’s about, but sometimes the Universe doesn’t want/let me see all your blogs. Hmm.

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  26. If I read the entire post, then I usually like it regardless of whether I agree or disagree. Then I leave a message saying why I agreed or disagreed.

    I feel that if someone put in work to write, proofread etc and it was something that made me think, or smile, or look at something from a different perspective, it’s worth a like regardless of whether I agree or not. In fact, I often enjoy reading the things I disagree with most of all. 🙂

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  27. So much truth in this post! If followers just hit like no matter which type it is and do not leave a comment it does live the writer wondering what they liked about the post or were they just going through the motions.

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  28. A like I often used is to show I have been on the site and read the post. I feel some bloggers have set their blog to like a y ppost I send. The like is too quite for the post to have been read. I smile at your different likes as I recognized the ones I use

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  31. I recognise all of those! Some people treat blogs in the same way they would either Twitter or Facebook. When I hit the like button it is to show approval of a post, whether that is for the content or the writing itself. The only exception to that is what I would call a ‘support like,’ for someone in a difficult place who has been brave enough to write about it.

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  32. What amazes me is that sometimes I have only uploaded my post and already I have the first 1-2 likes. Are they speed readers, do they wait for me to post, or is there something I have not yet discovered – who knows. One of the fascinating aspects of the artificial online world?

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  34. Well, That first line made me read the complete post! All the efforts penning this down was definitely worthwhile.
    I could only agree with smiles for all the kind of likes.
    I would also define a like-like: Just a like with nothing attached!

    Awesome post. Well taken for the prompt! I enjoyed this read.. 🙂

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  35. I read fast, and only like a post if I read and legitimately liked something about it. Not necessarily the post itself, or the topic, but sometimes the writing and honesty. You may very well see “likes” from me in under a minute.

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