Facebook on Sunday added Share capabilities to its Like button, both on third-party sites and on its developer documentation site. Previously clicking the Facebook’s Like button on any website resulted in a little one-line post showing up on your Facebook wall. But now something rather intrusive and slightly annoying.
After months of updates to its Like button, Facebook has released an update that changes the button’s functionality to that of a Share button. Soon, after hitting the Like button, a full story with a headline, blurb and thumbnail will be posted to your profile wall
This move could reduce user confusion over which button to use, especially if Share is dropped in the future. However, the move is more widely viewed as a positive one for advertisers and content creators who can expect to see page views increase as referrals drive traffic to their sites, according to several published reports.
“This move is all about the page views. It allows more exposure for websites, boosting the importance of Facebook integration across the board. As traffic sent to websites goes up as a result of this change, more prominence and attention will be given to Facebook as a necessary tool for exposure, promotions, and marketing,” JD Rucker, president of Hasai, a Facebook marketing firm, wrote in a social media marketing blog. “The longer that people are unaware that Liking posts directly to their wall, the better from Facebook’s perspective. They don’t want people to be selective with their Likes the way they are with their Shares. The more content that is posted to walls and news feeds, the better off Facebook will be.“
Some Facebook users already are voicing dissatisfaction with the Like button’s expanded role, with accountholders displeased about third-party information being posted or shared on their Facebook walls. “RIP Facebook ‘Share’ Button,” tweeted DieselBT of Azusa, Calif. Responded K0h4ku, the Twitter handle for Amber Green of the Los Angeles area: “Yeah, I bet people will use it less for sure.”