“Like a Post? Well Then, “Like” It!” So says Andy P from Automattic Inc. Okay, he said this in August 2010 already, but I’m sure he’s still saying it. And to think this feature made its debut around the same time that I started blogging!
As a newborn blogger, being able to press a Like button was the last thing I worried (or cared) about. Most of my energy went into naming my blog; thinking about what I’d write about; should I / shouldn’t I?; choosing a theme; will anyone read it?; what if someone reads it?; will anyone understand it?; designing an avatar; stressing about churning out frequent posts . . . I’m sure most of you know the drill. Back to Andy;
We’re hoping this will be an awesome new way to discover other interesting bloggers, and start new conversations with people who — literally! — like you. If you haven’t updated your Gravatar profile yet, now would be a great time to upload a picture, a link to your blog, and any other details. Editing your profile is easy, just remember that all of your profile information is public.
Of course, I never read Andy’s introduction to the “Like” feature, but I did see the button at the bottom of posts. Taking a chance, I tentatively pressed that button 9 times during my first 4 month of blogging. Nothing happened. Nothing exploded. Good. Good! Had I known then, as a blogbaby, about Andy and his cronies’ true intent for the Like button, I probably wouldn’t have pressed it once! I was very shy starting out in blogworld, you see, and scared to death that someone would notice me. Since moving to my new blog at the end of November 2010, I have pressed that button 99 more times. Does that mean I’m out of hiding?!
My “Like” number will either amaze you, or make you LOL, but I’m only just starting to appreciate the “picture is worth a thousand words many thoughts”-concept behind that yellow star. It can mean things, obvious and not,
1. like – you know, I read your post and I truly liked it so I’ll leave you a comment to boot
2. like – you know, I think your post is tops, even if I can’t/don’t know what to comment on it
3. like – you know, don’t get too excited, I just want to temporarily bookmark your post for a later read
4. like – you know, you are not alone
5. like – you know, don’t despair! I read it and liked it, I may return to comment when I have more time
6. like – you know, it sounds like you needed a little moral support to chase away the blogging doubts
7. like – you know, I think we can become friends
8. like – you know, you don’t have share buttons, and I don’t want to forget to send this to a friend
9. like – you know, I like what I read, and I’m thinking about subscribing
10. like – you know, this inspired me – I might want to blog about it some time
11. like – you know, this is a keeper and I never want to lose it
12. like – you know, I really wish you’d just come visit me so that my STATS can improve . . .
FYI – I’m more LIKE-happy, than STATS-manic. Just so you know. Don’t want you getting the wrong idea about why my Gravatar is getting comfy at the top of your post! It doesn’t happen a lot that someone press a “Like” on me, but when it happens without a comment, I have a really fun time trying to figure out if it means more than just ‘like’.
And yes, Andy, I do stroll past the Gravatar couch on a mutually liked post from time to time to find new blogs and blogbuddies, thanks! For the most part, though, a comment is what will lure me to someone else’s blog. The one thing I regret about the Like-feature is that I can’t press “Like” more than once on a post that I really, truly, absolutely like. I don’t want my Gravatar taking over on that comfy couch at the top of posts, you understand. I am just curious to know to what degree people “like” what they see on a blog/s. For now, I’ll just keep on guessing, I guess.
So, dear reader, how many times have you used the Like button? Are you sending secret messages when you use it?
clouded marbles 