Facebook's 'like' button as an additional form of advertising

            In advertising today, the obvious change has been the eruption of Facebook and other social networks in order to communicate to consumers differently. After looking at Facebook in terms to an advertising medium, I have been specifically intrigued by the “like” button everywhere. Not only has Facebook changed the way companies have been advertising lately, but simply the “like” button has been another aspect of this advertising that has been looked over, in my opinion.

            Everywhere you go on the net, it seems as if the Facebook “like” button is everywhere. For products and services, or even on articles all over the WEB, the like button is there. Small companies and even DJ’s are including the “like” button on their pages. This is a form of advertising that lets consumers know that that these products or services, or this company is respected and trusted. Just as in viral communication from advertising, this is very similar. Viral communication, referring to the verbal communication or face-to-face communication of people speaking about a specific product, or commercial. The like button is way that consumers still communicate to others about this product, service, or company. I think the like button can be utilized to be very persuasive, however, I also think that sometimes it can NOT work in the favor of the company. When I go to a site that has a like button for a company and there are “0” or not many likes from people, I tend to not think very highly of that product, service, or company as a whole. In short, the “like” button on Facebook can be a great asset for advertising if utilized and communicated to consumers properly as for communicating to consumers the  importance of “liking” the product, service, or company as a whole; if they do, in fact, “like” whatever it is.