Is Facebook ‘likes’ the New Link-Building?

Let’s take a look at this shall we. A recent announcement has linked Facebook likes with improved performance in search results. It now appears that the more ‘likes’ and fans a piece of content has, the more likely it is to feature prominently in Facebook searches.

Let’s bear in mind that Facebook has a 500 million plus database and is growing in terms of market share so there is a growing relevance and importance in using its search.

Also, Facebook has the potential to make content go viral, very quickly. By simply clicking on the ‘like’ button a piece of content can be shared with friends who then might decide to like it too, opening it up to a broader audience with each ‘like’. And, how easy is it to just hit a single button when you like something!

An Exciting New Opportunity to Spread Content

On the other hand, this doesn’t quite have the scope of the link building process, which also brings in more specified links to your site. Link building also trumps ‘like’ because it allows you to target areas that you want to gain traction in.

So, despite making a compelling case for Facebook ‘likes’ to replace link building this doesn’t look like happening. However, this shouldn’t quell the excitement about the potential opportunities to reach new people. It also hammers home the need to have compelling and engaging content, oh and a Facebook presence!

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