‘Likes’

lizaaitken

I’ve noticed that I occasionally get likes thirty seconds after posting something.  I find this hilarious as clearly the follower hasn’t even read what I have to say.  It’s not that it’s unfinished, it’s not even started!

I suppose the follow and subsequent ‘like’ is so that I will ‘like’ in return.  It has the opposite effect on me, I’m less inclined to read what they might have written immediately, although if I genuinely like their blog and posts I will still go back there.  I read and follow because I like what people have to say, they interest and inspire me.  Yes, it does encourage me to look at what someone else is writing when they appreciate my work, that’s how I’ve found so many great blogs, it does work, but at least give it five minutes so I know (or think) you have read and considered before liking my work.

Funny isn’t it how we interact on social media, like kids in a playground sometimes.  ‘I’ll like you if you like me’ or ‘you can come to my birthday party if I’m invited to yours’.  It doesn’t really bother me, it humours me if anything.  I do like social media, I’m on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and I do like validation but only if I believe it to be genuine.

This is also a good lesson for me when I get excited because I have notification of a record number of ‘likes’ in a day or reaching so many followers.  Life is so false sometimes, I have to remember the reason I do write, because I love it, it makes me happy and helps me work myself out.  Likes and followers are a bonus but not the main objective, comments on the other hand are great and positive ones fill me with happiness  😉

Just so you know, I follow you because I like your work, art, photography, recipes and travel tips.  You inspire me and add to my life in that you share yours with me.

Published by lizaaitken

Mother, daughter, sister, cat owner/slave. Thoughtful about life and trying to make it worthwhile.

60 thoughts on “‘Likes’”

      1. Well, it was the sentiments about validation and reasons for writing that I was strongly agreeing with, rather than direct experience of immediate likes. After all, in fairness most people can read one of my posts and decide whether they like it or not in 5 seconds! 😉

        Liked by 2 people

  4. A great post, cause many of us sometimes do that, and it’s just the wrong thing to do. Nice that someone has the guts to tell it publicly. Sometimes I receive a notification and click on the Like button included on the email, but most of the times I do immediately follow the link, visit the blog and read. I don’t know why should I first click the LIke instead of reading in first place, but I used to do it. Now I know that was silly, and I won’t do it anymore. Thanks a lot for telling us we act like sheeps sometimes 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I have noticed this too. Or that people like only after they have posted something, luring me to like them. I promise I never just go through and like every post on my feed. I only like those I read and, well, like. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the ones I don’t “like”. I probably just didn’t have time to read them, but I don’t faux like. This I like.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  7. Social media laziness, as I term it. With other social media platforms where images are given preference over texts, as people suffer from ‘reading fatigue’ these days. Even when it comes to blogs I have heard, they prefer blog posts of a certain length and no more, because they have no time. So, given the, ‘I like your work and you like mine’, is a reality. Writers and bloggers have to deal with it I guess. I have noticed some brilliantly written essays and posts do not get readers and likes at all. But having said that, as writers, we must keep doing our work diligently. 🙂 That’s all I can say.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I agree, it amazes me sometimes when I find something brilliantly written that has just a couple of likes. Time is a factor, if I am reading posts, say during a quick break and find a longer post I might not read it then, but I will certainly try to return later when I have the time to give to it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I agree with you, I usually make it a point to read such posts, because that’s literature, and it interests me and inspires me to write. If not immediately, I keep it aside for reading it later. It’s a triumph to swim against the tide of such social media sentiments.

        Thank you for putting this across in your post. I hope it will be read with an open mind and can bring some necessary change.

        Like

    1. Yes, it does help you find good blogs when you get a new follower and you take a look at their blog but I only follow if I think it will interest me. So many good blogs out there to find. Did you see my response to your comment yesterday re question?

      Like

      Reply

  12. You got my attention and I read it all your text. 🙂
    I follow many bloggers because I like they works too but I also try to support the new bloggers who follow me by following them back, but I can’t promise anyone that I will read avery post they post but I will try to read sometimes because when you have many followers and follow many other blogs is difficult to read and comment everyone 😉
    I don’t comment so often because I prefer likes then comments on my on blog as well because I’m terrible to answer the comments I get. I’m trying to be better on that lol..
    Your posts are very inspiring so just continue the good work 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks Roberta so lovely of you to comment as you say you don’t usually. I totally understand not being able to read all posts and think that’s is fine and understandable. It’s the liking and pretending it’s read that irks me, why bother liking ha ha! It made me laugh to hear I had you attention😉 thanks also for your lovely words 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Good that I made you laugh 😉 Sorry for my bad English hehe.. I didn’t use the translate or dictionary to write this comment haha.. That is one of the reason that I don’t like to comment. When I write my post I need a good time with the google translate and my dictionary lol..

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Thank you for this. I began the Word Press Daily Prompt a few months ago because I like writing and I wanted to make it a habit. I got hooked. It took me a while to get a hang of the community. I couldn’t tell how real it was, or if it was a “likes game”. I appreciated your post, and seeing all these comments makes me realize even more how this really is a community. Cheers!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  16. I have noticed days where the likes are higher than the number of views… if they were read the number of likes should not be higher. I have been guilty of quickly reading posts and liking them but I never like without a read first and only if I really like it. This was a great post!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  17. I liked this 8 days after you posted it. Does it count? And lucky you we hadn’t any likes in 30 secs after posting – yet.
    We believe that it is possibly the “scrolling” nature of social media (think use of mobile devices) to scan through instagram, twitter that drives the same behavior here. People simply scan the headlines, look at the picture, read the topline AND like it.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Absolutely there are those people but I’m hoping it’s not most of the time as you say. I hope I’m not naive in thinking there are some genuine followers. I have to assume some people are like me and do actually like what they read, else it would be pointless don’t you think? Thanks for dropping by anyway and taking the time to comment:)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. That’s a better way to put it. I probably should have used the word sometimes instead of most. I liked this post and I read it.

        You’re welcome. Looking forward to reading more of your post in the future.

        Like

Leave a comment