Never has a drawing been more apt to explain the perverse and (unconscious) mechanism behind likes.
Until a few years ago I still found some articles that explained the intricate mechanisms of likes. Probably today that social media is a common thing, no one gives more weight to what was once defined as something halfway between success and perdition.
Yes, because something similar could represent perdition if it becomes an end. In fact, many do not adapt the social to their lives but adapt their lives to their social for the exclusive purpose of getting as much as possible.
The psychological gratification of the similar is the engine of our interaction
This is surely the crux of the matter.
The psychological gratification resulting from a like on social media can arise from several factors:
- Social validation: Receiving likes can make a person feel appreciated by others and confirm their identity or self-esteem.
- Sense of belonging: how you can make a person feel part of an online community, creating a sense of connection and belonging.
- Dopamine reward: Receiving such activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine, which can generate feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
- Confirmation of one’s opinions or actions: Likes can confirm that a person’s opinions or actions are shared or approved by others, thus strengthening one’s belief in one’s own point of view or behavior.
- Motivation to continue sharing content: Receiving likes can be rewarding and motivate a person to continue sharing content on social media to gain further positive interactions.
However, it is important to note that excessive seeking of gratification from likes can also lead to an addiction to social media or an overestimation of one’s worth based on the online reactions of others.
Likes do not always reflect the goodness of a subject (whether person or page)
The most obvious way to “mystify” a profile is to buy fake likes and followers. Fake likes are mainly used to deceive users and manipulate the image of a person, a brand or online content. Some ways they are used include:
- Increased visibility: Fake likes can be purchased to artificially increase the visibility of a social media post or account, making it appear more popular than it actually is.
- Creating Credibility: Fake likes can be used to create the illusion of credibility or popularity around a brand, product, or person.
- Influence opinions: Fake likes can be used to influence users’ opinions, making it appear that certain content is more appreciated or supported than it actually is.
- Advertising Scams: Some individuals or companies may use fake likes as part of advertising scams, promoting products or services with fake reviews or testimonials.
- Earn money: Some people can earn money by selling fake likes or offering paid social media popularity boosting services.
However, the use of fake likes is often in violation of social media policies and can result in consequences such as account suspension or loss of credibility.
The various likes on social media
The importance of likes varies depending on the context and social platform. However, generally speaking:
- Facebook: In the past, Facebook likes were considered an important indicator of engagement and popularity, but in recent years, Facebook’s algorithm has given more weight to other forms of interaction, such as comments and shares, in determining the visibility of the contents. Facebook likes are still important, but they’re not the only metric considered.
- Instagram: Likes on Instagram are still considered a significant metric and are used to evaluate the engagement and success of a post. However, Instagram has recently experimented with hiding like counts in some countries to reduce social pressure and focus on quality content.
- TikTok: On TikTok, likes are extremely important and are one of the main indicators of popularity. Likes help grow a user’s profile, get their content seen by a wider audience, and improve their chances of appearing on the “For You” page.
In summary, while likes are important on all three platforms, their relevance and impact may vary slightly based on each platform’s specific algorithm and culture.
The thumb as the first like symbol (facebook)
The little hearts of Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok against the iconic thumb
The thumbs-up “like” has historically been the most common symbol for expressing approval or appreciation on social media, especially on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. It has become a universal icon to indicate that someone approves or likes certain content.
However, the little heart has become just as iconic, if not more so, on platforms like Instagram, where it is used to express love, appreciation and sympathy. Even on other platforms like TikTok, the little heart is widely used to show support and appreciation for user content.
So, while the thumbs up may be considered the quintessential “like” on some platforms, the little heart has earned its position as another significant way to express positive interaction and approval on social media.
° BLOG ° Gabriele Romano 