Tests are being conducted including very limited number of Facebook users
Popular social network Facebook s Like button has given birth to thousands of serial likers (Yes, I just made it up). Apparently to live up to the true motive of liking and sharing user-generated or uploaded content, Facebook had introduced new Share button last year. Till date, you could like almost everything on Facebook but can t share the same in your News Feed with your connections. Mashable reports that the Like button is soon getting Share functionality and thereby you can share the posted content with others.
Upcoming features at Facebook always keep showing up during the testing phase. Facebook spokeswoman Malorie Lucich informed that Facebook will continue to carry the Share button on the website. Lucich said, We re always testing new products that incorporate developer feedback as we work to improve the Platform experience, and have no details to share at this time.
Basically any post, photo, video, or link you Like on Facebook would get the Share functionality as well so that you can share it with others. In a way, it s just going to increase the noise by duplication of same post. To Like something on Facebook is very different from sharing it with others. Marketers and publishers would certainly admire the new Share functionality of the Like button since the audience will be anticipated to like and share the content.
The new feature has its own set of merits and demerits. The merit lies in the fact that users can share whatever they like with others after hitting Like button. But the demerit lies in the fact that just because one hits Like button doesn t mean user wants to share it with his/her friends. In fact just like several complain about certain users hitting Like button for everything and everywhere possible, it just becomes difficult to judge accurately whether the purpose was served or not.
The share functionality for Like button would be visible mostly on the Facebook web interface and mobile interface only. It won’t impact the individual Like and Share plugins available as part of Social Plugins. However, we do not underestimate the Facebook users for several know what each feature stands for. Hence I hope if and when this new feature rolls out, users will make use of it judiciously.
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You: Facebook’s Like button: More about sharing than approval (washingtonpost.com)
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Facebook Like button takes over Share button (cnn.com)
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Facebook Testing Like-Minded Links (blogs.wsj.com)
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Facebook Like Button Now Acts like Share [Sweet News For Publishers] (fastgush.com)
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New Facebook ‘Like’ button takes over the ‘share’ button (browsermedia.co.uk)
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Facebook phasing out Share button in favor of the Like button (geek.com)
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Facebook Brings More features to The “Like” Button (techie-buzz.com)
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Facebook Like Button Takes Over Share Button Functionality (mashable.com)
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Facebook Like Button Takes Over The Share Button (mindjumpers.com)
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The Facebook “Like” Starts to Replace the Share Button’s Functionality (readwriteweb.com)
