Over the past years, Facebook has fundamentally changed the design and functionality of business pages – especially regarding the two interaction types “Like” and “Follow”.
What happened?
With the so-called “New Pages Experience”, the “Like” button was removed from the prominent view and replaced with a much more visible “Follow” button. This change has been mandatory since 2022 and is meant to improve the visibility and relevance of page content.
What’s the difference?
- “Like”: a sign of approval, but with no direct impact on whether posts show up.
- “Follow”: an active subscription – the page’s posts appear in the news feed.
Important: “Like” and “Follow” are now two separate actions. If someone only clicks “Like”, they don’t automatically follow your page – and may not see your content at all.
What does this mean for page owners?
The number of followers is now the key metric for reach. The era where “Likes” were the main success indicator is over. What matters now is how many people actively want to see your content – meaning: they follow you.
What can you do?
- Use CTAs like: “Follow me so you don’t miss updates.”
- Explain briefly in a post or cover image how to follow you.
- Point out that the “Like” button is hidden in the three-dot menu now.
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