When a prospective seller checks you out online, who do you think looks better?... the person with a Facebook Page with 5,000+ likes or the one with 5 likes from his mother, the local gutter cleaner & the family dog's facebook? Your audience pays attention to stuff like that. It's not necessarily easy for everyone to get a ton of likes. Invite all of your contacts on FB to like your page & see how many do it. 

"Likes" should generate engagement. Facebook recently announced changes to fb pages / news feed, so people will need to work harder to make their pages worthwhile. Adding video and live video are 2 things facebook is encouraging. 

"Because space in News Feed is limited, showing more posts from friends and family and updates that spark conversation means we’ll show less public content, including videos and other posts from publishers or businesses.

As we make these updates, Pages may see their reach, video watch time and referral traffic decrease. The impact will vary from Page to Page, driven by factors including the type of content they produce and how people interact with it. Pages making posts that people generally don’t react to or comment on could see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect."

Richie Alan Naggar, It is a vanity stat but that can matter on biz pages. For instance, if you go visit 2 different restaurant FB pages and 1 has 10,000 likes and the other has 73, wouldn't you be more apt to try out the one with 10K likes. I know I would. Specifically, here is what Facebook has to say about likes. 

The AR group should all be a solid unit and you want to be tied in for the feed just like you monitor the AR feed of folks you learn and share with daily. The having friend numbers grow alone is not the end all, the engagement is and being on lots of feeds to broaden the reach and marketing frequency Richie Alan Naggar ! For any of us AR regulars to not be in each other's FB like list is sad! We do know each other right?

 If everyone likes everyone... doesnt it cancel out all liking? 

I believe it does . . . it's like 'collecting people', I think. I don't want everyone. Just who is important. What's the chance someone from Indonesia is going to engage me professionally? 

FB business pages are a presence . . . regardless of likes or followers.

I like baby pictures and pictures of friends and past clients (my spheare) to keep me (my posts) active on their feed... so they "remember" that I am an agent when they need one... and the "likes" on my business page are so that my page stays active on their page and their "friends" will see the post and hopefully like as well..the snowball effect

yes, it would....but everyone does not like everyone.... and potential clients will see the number of likes.... they could and hopefully will follow the crowd and like your page... and maybe follow your posts....

Helps out the recipient to gain traffic and klout, always good to spread a bit of good will.

Interaction with posts divided by page likes determines the importance of your post to people.  This (in the old FB news feed) determined how many of your followers would see your posts.  So having hundreds of likes but only a couple people interacting actually hurts your page.  Having a few likes, but lots of interaction improves your page's visibility.... of course now with business pages being kept off of people's news feeds with the new changes, who knows what will come of that.

Thumbs up I Like this Question  I believe the "likes' don't count for anything 

Good question Richie Alan Naggar ! I'm all ears :)

I suppose different people have different agendas about likes and their value, as well as reasons for liking others, or not. I'd love to hear what Anita Clark has to say. And now with the changes about business pages...

This is a difficult concept for many in real estate to grasp.I attribute it to the manner in which real estate consumes our lives. Too few have other real interests. 

As such, they fail to see the common bond a shared interest can create among folks who have never met each other. Very much like ActiveRain.

Shared interest, whether it be in response to separated family after a hurricane or electing or not electing a President. a shared interest is an attraction. 

Yes, many do create relationships through digital media. I am still seeing members of a digital society meeting frequently in the collective PokeymanGO activities. 

What we are trying to accomplish is placing a MEGAPHONE on what we say and putting our head in an echos chamber so we can hear others repeat the same thought that was given voice. Too much common interest, without new stimulaton can not be healthy.

What is REAL is the marketing opportunity.  As an example, someone recently responded to a question using the term 'Jibbber-jabber."

An ad appearing in their browser containing those words will be picked up by their RAS and the message delivered.  They THINK they have to choice to read the ad or not read, but the reality is,...they don't.

FB allows others to see what's on the mind of those who embrace a common interest. What they do with that information???? who knows.

I've always thought the mutual liking of Facebook pages was odd.    

You have some great answers here Richie.

That's and answer we need to get from Anita Clark!

I haven't paid much attention to that lately on business pages. If they contact me now that is a real like.

I feel it is a way of supporting each other.  I do not feel liking would ever cancel liking. There is more than enough love/like in the world to go around.

When you like them, their stuff shows up in your feed. Personally, I don't want to see everyone's stuff that I could care less about. I am very selective.

Makes you wonder - like Sally Field at the Oscars, 'you really like me'. Just that comment should have told her she needs therapy.

Like Michael J. Perry , I like or Follow people and or pages that interest me and I want to  keep up with them. I probably ignore as many or more requests than I accept.  I don't collect people for the sake of numbers.  I know someone with 4,996 "friends".  Really?  Who has 4,996 friends they want to keep up with or vice versa? 

I limit 'liking' of pages. I prefer Facebook groups.

I do 'like' many individual posts, usually photographs.

Richie,

We have pretty much opted out of FB.  I have had people hand me their cards saying please like me on FB and I will like you back.  Did I mention that I really did not know them, it was after the first hell, and they did not know me either.  I have no idea what the like thing is about...not interested in doing this.  A

If we are talking Pages (not individuals) , I LIKE topics or places that interest me .

There are many reasons why likes are important on Facebook. 

1. Credibility ( see Peter Testa 's answer) 

2. It reduces the cost of your FB ads 

3. It let's FB know that you are a real person, or business. 

4. It helps you to get more reach. 

I look at a Like as a "I hear you" or "Proud of you" or "I'm with you on this".  It just shows I'm reading.

I am going to check out Anita's link.

  Peter Testa has the answer.

i wish we knew.  We just do it maybe to be nice.  

No. Clue.

Richie Alan Naggar - good question! Just nothing should be the answer.

I would much rather have the 'likes' from fellow agents and clients/sphere/family/friends than those who pay for that type of service. I've heard of some losing their pages because of that behavior too!

The likes from your peers boosts your credibility, Richie. 

Like totally dude 🤓

Well, with likes as well as reviews~ there are different ways to get them....

You make a good point!

For my personal facebook page, the only people I "like" are those I know.  I love having lots of people following my business page - the more the more likely we are to be seen.

Depending on how Mark Z feels today, it should allow the page to have organic search results. So the page owner would not have to pay to advertise their content. I do believe it has changed in the last few years to force businesses to pay for results, regardless.

?

No idea.

more likes get it in front of more eyes,  but local likes are more likely to help business.

I did that when I first put my page together, not so much now.  Did not see the reason for it.

Good question.

Good question! You sho