There is a group on Facebook called “Like My Business Page and I’ll Like You Back!”  https://www.facebook.com/groups/likemybizpage/  and they have pretty stringent guidelines about returning page likes.  They also do little events, like “Tagalong Tuesday” where everyone tags each other…

Personally I enjoy the group…not the like exchange itself so much, but that I discover pages that I didn’t know existed and probably never would have found (and they find me).  So in that respect, if I ever have some time to wander around over there, it “works” for me.

As far as trading likes, I really don’t think that it adds much value to your page if people just Like and Run, never to return.  People have been so hot on building up NUMBERS for their pages, but what QUALITY does that total number translate to?

The idea of a “like” is that the person actually likes the page and your business.  Those likes should be coming from your customers  – a like is basically like signing up for a newsletter or blog that you want to follow…sort of a subscription.  They basically invite you to engage and interact with them, and “please keep me informed.” (and interacting does not mean an invitation to flood their profiles with spam – I’ve UNliked several pages because of that.)

Anyway…I hope that helps.  I think time is better spent on other projects.

I would definitely prefer to have “likes” from people/businesses that are interested in what they see on my page as opposed to “like and run” numbers. Yes it feeds the ego to see numbers climbing, and makes it feel like you’re reaching somebody, but if there is no real interest or conversation, have you really “reached” them?

@biancagq the answer is somewhat little complex. Like exchange from my point of view may work when you get likes in exchange from your peer or at from least local fellow who might seem interested in your product/business. It will surely not work if we have likes just because we gave them likes. However most guys here at sme club are fellow marketers and it seems that we can get good, relevant, regular and genuine interesting fans for our pages from here. Here’s the link : Like exchangeThat’s all.

that can be like stumbleupon – you get random traffic to your site and home that some of it is worthwhile. But, how many people actually get something from it?

@davidhebert You got it spot on.
Meanwhile, i’m willing to exchange likes with like minded marketers http://www.facebook.com/adiq8social; drop your link so i can reciprocate
Regards…
Dan

@annfurnivall Let me tell you why you should allow marketers on your page, it’s called Social Proof. I’ll consider doing business with you or buying from you more if i spot other marketers on your page or if your Like count is appreciable, it means you could be a thought leader that is why you were able to get them on your page, you get that?

Consider this;

Would you rather buy from the truck in Green or the truck in Red? You guessed right.

You would like to loosen your grip some more if you want to really see social media success, at the end of the day people are not buying from you because you are the only person in the block, but because they have a relationship with you.

You would definitely expand your scope of influence by inviting marketers to like your page, you could do joint-ventures with them. For example, we at http://www.facebook.com/adiq8social handle social and web projects; but we don’t do Social Media Management, so we can do a joint-venture with a marketer who does to send their clients to us for Web Projects, while we send ours to them for Management.

For want of space, let me stop right here. But i hope i’ve been able to make you see reason why you should loosen up and network some more, there are deals out there enough for every one of us

Thanks

Dan

@annfurnivall Ann, you’re in a bit of a unique business; most people that are into antiques want to check out every antique store around, so having other local/regional stores in your network would actually be a nice service for your customers. Now if you have a particular niche and one of the other local stores is aggressively going after that niche with comments on your FB page, I would definitely ban them!!

@davidhebert and @dannish247 both make good points about cooperating with similar or related businesses. Most companies have a network of resources in their email contacts or written on a legal pad; why not take that social and all help expand each others’ reach…other than the fact that you don’t want “your guy” to be busy when you need him

@dannish247 dan, if its working  for you great….making money is  what   we are all about..also, i wouldnt  think it would  be  very smart  to  vouch  for  another  marketing  company to your  valuable  customers…unless  you  really  knew  them …which  wouldnt be the  case with most  people met   in link  exchanges….

..  for me i  dont want to advertize  for my  competition….they  should  work on their own  page….  . i have  a  big  facebook  going on and a   hard working   website,  so im   out there, and  enjoying  social media  success….we have  grown  a big web  presence  ,  organically,… so i think im  more like the green  truck…our  facebook had  60  connections  from     fans  yesterday..which was  way above normal  due to the post…..  i spend my  social media  time  targeting   folks  who  might   spend money with me.  .    

@reneestpeter , we have  talked  about this a lot and   i dont look at it  that way…i figure  a  person has about s o much  to spend on an outing  and  why would i help  them  go  somewhere else?..also we arent pure antiques,,,we s ell all kinds of  stuff……i do  refer people to other places,if  they are here and i  think i  can help  them…ive only   bannned a  couple of   people..they   were  putting  their    veiled ads on my page as  comments… ,  it  was    very out of line  in my  world…  kind of like   trying  to sell in my parking lot… my  ideas on this  are   more like  vembras… @vembraholnagel

There is another strategy that I do now, I teach hindi online now and I upload videos that teach hindi to spanish and english speaking people and in the end I give link of my facebook page so they be connect with me, and I am now planning go to shop to shop to sell things but on same time I will offer them to learn basics of hindi free of cost and social media marketing and if I get 1000 loyal customers, like community, I think so I will be lucky. I also dislike idea that some one share my page so I share their page. for me it does not show any value. Other way is you share some nice poetry on your blog and in the end give link of your page so if any one want to read more, then join your page. thanks to social media Examiner I have learned alot and from my friends more than 50 people have liked social media examiner page on facebook. I believe in power of love and sharing interest.