Facebook Pages have changed ‘Become a Fan’ to ‘Like’ a Page: how will you invite people to become a member of your Facebook Fan Page community now?

Posted by: Krishna De | Posted on: April 19th, 2010 | 30 Comments | Posted in: Content Marketing, Facebook, Social media, Social networking

UPDATE: 21.49pm – You may or may not see the change from ‘become a fan’ to ‘like’ a page as this evening it seems to have switched back so Facebook were probably testing the feature. At least we know what it may potentially now look like!

As we have been previously but unofficially notified about ‘Become a Fan’ becoming ‘Like’ a page on Facebook, the switch seems to have happened.

According to a confidential e-mail sent to ad agencies back on the 29 March 2010, Facebook gave them prior warning that it would be changing the “Become A Fan” button to read “Like”.

The memo went on to say that users have been clicking the current “Like” feature nearly twice as often as the “Become A Fan” button and that using “Like” more often will increase engagement between consumers and brands.

The memo read:

Like’ offers a simple, consistent way for people to connect with the things they are interested in. These lighter-weight actions mean people will make more connections across the site, including with your branded Facebook Pages. We believe this will result in brands gaining more connections to pages since our research has shown that some users would be more comfortable with the term ‘Like’. The goal is to get the most user connections so that you can have ongoing conversations in the news feeds of as many users as possible.

Many businesses I know have felt uncomfortable about asking people to become a ‘Fan’ of their page – though I don’t know that I would say ‘Come on over and Like my page’.

Remember there also has to be a reason for people to join your community so perhaps it would which will give them a reason to ‘Like’ you.

Here’s an example of the ‘Like’ button on the KLM Facebook Page. KLM is also a great example of how to make your Facebook Page relevant (and even at a time of crisis) to your customer or consumer – take a look at how they are using Facebook to answer questions about flight information and FAQ’s as a result of the current volcanic eruption in Iceland.

For now, those of us who have a landing page on Facebook that says ‘become a Fan’ or we have integrated it into our offline or online marketing collateral will need to review where we need to make changes to our calls to action.

What will you change yours to? I wonder how long it will take for us to adapt to this new turn of phrase? Probably when we have Facebook will have another change in store for us!

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http://www.mneylon.com/blog/ Michele

We’ve already got “find us on Facebook” on our main page and we never got the memo

There are plenty of options if you’re even a small bit imaginative:
- find us
- talk to us
- join us
- interact with us
– ping us
etc etc.,

And I haven’t spent any time thinking about it yet

Michele
Helen Cousins

A lexicon of usage from Facebook would have been good! It all seems a bit odd. No more fans, “likers” perhaps? “Like Us” sounds banal. Are we keeping groups? And what are community pages? Arrgh!
Krishna De

Michele – you are always such a ‘net visionary’:) or even a net psychic perhaps? Thanks for all your suggestions.

I have ‘Join Us’ on my tabs on Facebook.

Helen – yes no sign of Groups changing at this time and Community Pages will be good for pages other than those for businesses or brands. They are keeping us on our toes!
http://www.mneylon.com/blog/ Michele

Krishna – nah – I just hated the term “fan” We’re not a bloody rock band!
http://twitter.com/whatswhat_sian/status/12474878839 Sian Phillips

RT @krishnade: Facebook Pages have changed ‘Become a Fan’ to ‘Like’ a Page: how will you invite people to become a member of your… http://bit.ly/brT766
http://twitter.com/rachearley/status/12475145569 rachearley

Interesting insight into Facebook's change from "Become a Fan" to "Like" button http://bit.ly/9Kl8cj via @KrishnaDe
http://twitter.com/gregwallis/status/12475297368 Greg Wallis

RT @KrishnaDe: Facebook Fan Page changes to 'like' a page – this is why the change happened @whatswhat_sian http://is.gd/bzIwG
http://twitter.com/astridsiry/status/12476174228 Astrid Salazar Siry

Como les comentaba, aquí la noticia: RT @Alltop_Social #Facebook Pages have changed ‘Become a Fan’ to ‘Like’ a Page http://bit.ly/b0Pmbn
http://twitter.com/time2getfocused/status/12478901562 Clodagh S. Higgins

Reading: http://twitthis.com/povspo
http://twitter.com/johnalchin/status/12478970499 John Alchin

RT @SocialGuide Facebook Pages have changed ‘Become a Fan’ to ‘Like’ a Page: http://bit.ly/b0Pmbn
http://twitter.com/christine_tulsa/status/12489710048 Christine Casey

FB: You may or may not see change from ‘become a fan’ to ‘like’ a page as this evening it seems 2 have switched back… http://bit.ly/9Lv6nO
http://twitter.com/darlene17/status/12497880009 darlene17

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/d2LLKb
http://twitter.com/cherrybombmktg/status/12497880089 alexander cherry

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/brT766
http://twitter.com/1housegroup/status/12497891875 1house Group

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how …: For now, those of us who have a landing page… http://bit.ly/brT766
http://twitter.com/mattbnr/status/12497892386 Matthew Benner

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/bsPrU2
http://twitter.com/mlmrocketfuel/status/12498992919 Gary Lambert Jr.

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/cvzIro
http://twitter.com/garylambertjr/status/12498992621 Gary Lambert Jr.

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/cvzIro
http://twitter.com/mifeis/status/12500241823 Mifeis

RT @MLMRocketFuel Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/cvzIro http://mifeis.com
http://twitter.com/mifeis/status/12500242215 Mifeis

RT @GaryLambertJr Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/cvzIro http://mifeis.com
http://www.krishnade.com/blog/2010/how-to-add-an-admin-to-your-facebook-page/ Facebook Pages Tip: How to add an administrator to your Facebook Page – Krishna De: Social Media Marketing, Online PR, Online Visibility, Digital Marketing, Dublin, Ireland, Europe

[...] Has your Facebook Page now changed to ‘Like a Page’ versus ‘Become a Fan’? [...]
http://www.brickisthenewblack.com Jason Schroeder

I don’t mind the switch from “fan” to “like” so much, but the “Fan Box” you can post on your webpage has been made more confusing by this switch.

It used to say “[your website] on Facebook” and if you were a fan, it would read “You are a fan.” Easy.

Now, there is simply a “like” button that his highlighted blue if you are a current liker/fan. It’s very easy for a current fan/liker to click that button because they like what they’re reading or have forgotten that they’re already a fan, and by doing so, unassociate themselves with your site’s Facebook page. I’m curious to see if people actually see their fan counts drop on account of this change.
susan

Hi, me and my friends don’t agree with the new Like page, so I have created a group and I invite you all to join, hopefully if we get enough members they will give us the option to Like or Become a Fan, link below

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=110814912290796&ref=mf
http://twitter.com/carbon_copy_pro/status/12594955258 CarbonCopyPRO

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page: how … http://bit.ly/9dnrUv
http://twitter.com/pennapowers/status/12601771280 PPBH

Facebook switches community support from "Become a Fan" to "Like" a page http://bit.ly/dlP3qq.
http://weedotart.com/ Karrie

Well , I DIS-LIKE the “Like” button.. As a designer, I do marketing designs, and I’m not going to tell people on a post card mailer to “Like” my clients fan page. What is this grade school. ” Like me hee hee”… Asking people to “Become a Fan” sounded more professional. Any one have any ideas on how to sound more professional than “Like Our Fan Page”?
http://thelearnedfangirl.com/2010/04/23/thinking-out-loud-what-it-meant-to-be-a-fan-on-facebook/ Thinking out loud: What it meant to be a “fan” on Facebook « The Learned Fangirl

[...] that’s exactly what Facebook is counting on. Here’s more from the previously mentioned memo: Like’ offers a simple, consistent way for people to connect with the things they are interested [...]
http://twitter.com/candice_dsouza/status/12731188483 Candice

Facebook Pages have changed 'Become a Fan' to 'Like' a Page http://bit.ly/aVGD32 #facebook #fb #smm
DavidDI

It’s just a ‘SMALL’ change guys,c’mon,don’t whine about this,doesn’t kills you.
Nikki

I really don’t like the “like” button at all. Also, it doesn’t seem like I get updates like I did when I was “a fan.” VERY FRUSTRATING.
http://www.medialive.ie John Gallen

@ Jason, I think the fact that you do forget you are a “fan” or have already “liked” a page is the reason for changing from fan to like. The reason being is that it will result in, as the article above points out, twice as many clicks!

Facebook is a business and it is here to make money. More clicks, more likes, more ads, more money. Simple and cynical, but true.

Facebook Pages have changed ‘Become a Fan’ to ‘Like’ a Page: how will you invite people to become a member of your Facebook Fan Page community now?

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