@supereb I was going to write some of the same sort 1/2 an hour ago but got away from it.

I agree this is not a like for like exchange. They have linkedIn for that.

However, I think that it is necessary to explain why like for like is a fruitless exercise and is in fact harmful for both parties.

The reason being that these like will most likely never like, comment or share anything on the page they have liked. Therefore all their stats will get skewed since the number of likes will be unnaturally high.

Thank you Jorgen. 

There are so many more reasons to gain honest followers (likes, if you will) than there are to blast people with the begging for followers who, like you say, will never interact anyhowsen.  What’s the point of that?  

Thanks again.

Absolutely, I agree. I haven’t been getting responses or messages like that… yet! But it’s not what these clubs are all about… I would say feel free to write them back and nicely let them know everything that has been mentioned in this thread. You may also send them a link to the rules Mike has put up for these clubs.You’re most definitely not the only person receiving these spammy messages.

@supereb I agree entirely. As @daveholmes noted above there is even a topic that was started for “Like” exchanges here on this forum. I received a private message with a link to the topic inviting me to participate. I’m not participating in these sorts of things because I only want people who are truly interested in and want to see what we have to say/offer on our business page to like and follow us. Otherwise, what’s the point? 

im so glad to read this thread ….and  generally   feel  the  same way….. and have posted this idea a few times……..

im thrilled with facebook…heres what happened on my facebook today…. i posted a picture  yesterday of a big pink  cupboard   and   2  people  came to buy it  today……..one  girl , who  came  a half  hour later than  the  first girl, had  to see the first  girl    haul it out of the store!!…facebook is just  amazing  for us…im  so  thankful and want to learn  everything i  can…..thats  why im  here.

i want  more likes  too…  from furniture  buyers!!!

 @mikemacey

Well thought out and nicely stated.  While the intent was just as stated in my original post, I have to admit that your points are truly good ones.

I’ve been on the www since 1992 and on the internet from different business point perspectives for much longer than that.  There will always be new folks who need a guiding and helping hand.

Here’s the thing tho’, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting about 100 (much more, really) new articles everyday about how to network effectively. Whether you’ve been to business mixers in real life or not, netiquette should prevail when online.  I’ll bet I’ve educated thousands of folks with articles, websites, and in forums through my own experiences online. 

Sometimes, if you don’t put your foot down, people do not take you seriously. Even very nice people, new people, who should be looking for the help you talk about, ignore all the rules, all the articles and all the chatter.  THIS is where SPAM comes from.  

I sat on the fence for many years, not because I did any email blasts, or SPAM of any kind, but because I only wanted to be helpful. To be nice, kind and do what I could to help the folks who did not know any better.

And here is the other thing — most of them DO know better.  They pretend not to. Turning a blind eye is no longer a matter of choice.  People who SPAM know darn well what they are doing and will continue doing whatever they want. 

I simply don’t want to start out here accepting bad behavior. It’s a personal choice.  I want anyone who decides to ask to be my friend to know I will not tolerate this behavior.  Twenty years of it (www only), is enough.  

I will still report anyone who SPAMs my inbox with friend requests only so they can send me an email, asking me to “like” them on Facebook.  It’s SPAM and not welcome. 

Any easy choice for me. This is my OH!pinion and what I intend to do. No one else has to follow what I do with my own accounts here.

Everyone is welcome to accept or reject this form of SPAM. I simply choose to reject it, in all its forms, when it comes to me in the guise of friendship. It’s simply dishonest.  

In the forums, however, a different approach will be taken.  I’ll help anyone who asks and needs help, if I am able to do so. This has always been my policy and I won’t deviate from that. 

Another .02

@supereb i did get it for couple times i accepted friendship request, but not much like you are getting. I understand this is so unprofessional, but we can’t do anything. I mean you can either mark the message as improper or as an alternate, you can update your status in the profile like this:
” Please do not PM me for liking your page, i’ll like it by going to your profile when we become friend.” Or you can follow the below thread and copy the below thread url in your status and ask friends to post in that thread which is LIKE thread.here is url: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/clubs/facebook/forum/topic/like-exchange/  

@supereb

Let me say up front, that I’m one of those people that sends a PM whenever someone accepts my “friend request”.

I always thank the responder for accepting my invite, and usually suggest they visit the “Like Exchange” as it is one topic that we all seem to have in common.

That and the fact that accepting a friend request is like someone shaking your hand after you have held your hand out there for them. I figure that if they are going to shake your hand, you should shake back…don’t try to break their hand, but firmly.

The replies I get back, range from “thanks to the tip” to various reasons as to why they don’t participate in exchanges.

I’m admittedly fairly new to the facebook marketing crowd, and know that I have a lot to learn about it, so the exchanges back and forth give me an opportunity to hear from some of the more knowledgeable on the subject.

Some of the replies are obviously more helpful than others, and some read like I have really pi&&&d them off by even acknowledging their accepting my friend request.

Whether someone participates in the “Like Exchange” is entirely up to them, I’m just letting them know it’s there, while at the same time acknowledging their acceptance of my friend request.

So, I apologize if I upset anyone by acknowledging your friendship, and insulted your intelligence by mentioning the “Like Exchange”.

Just as an FYI (and I don’t know what this means) but the responses run about 10-1 towards “Thanks for the tip” vs. a negative comment.

@dedimason @moinshaikh  @daveholmes @annfurnivall @mikemacey @lauranugent @melissaagnes  @jorgenpoulsen

@WarrenVeach

I did not get a whole gaggle of these “please like me on facebook” PMs. Only a few, but since I am very new here and the rules say “no spam” I thought those types of PMs would be monitored. 

An invitation to a “like forum” is different from a request asking for likes and a link to an FB page. Not to worry.  

Golly, I did not mean to rattle cages on this. In fact, that is not my way, at all. Of course, by this thread, I guess you’d never know that, eh?  What appears like spam to me, may not be spam to you.  There is a clear cut difference in my mind and some of you nice folks may have a line like that too. 

@andrea-vahlI assume they (the site monitors) look for specific words in a PM that would trigger a response from them to check the PM and see if it is SPAM.  I like this, actually.  I would never write a PM that I had to worry about so having the site check my PMs is OK with me.  You may not feel the same way.  One way to keep more privacy for yourself is to take a conversation to private email instead of PM at any given site. Smart forum owners do this to keep their site free from spammers. 

Have a great day all

@warrenveach Warren, you were the person I didn’t name above and I did reply to your PM but just ignored the “like” exchange reference. I didn’t count your message as spam but I also didn’t give you my opinion on like exchanges because I didn’t feel that it was appropriate for me to “correct” you. I’m fairly new to all this as well.

@supereb and @mikemacey I read Mike’s response above and it was very thoughtful and reasonable. It would be great for people who have lots of experience to kindly point out where they think folks could adjust their habits. But I also think E N has a point that it’s not that hard to figure out what is and isn’t appropriate. A little research goes a long way. Having said that, I am always open to suggestions if I do or say something that is wrong or inappropriate…sometimes we just don’t know any better. 

Thanks for the thoughtful exchange.Laura

@warrenveach Sorry that I wasn’t clear about that – yes, when they are flagged, we get a report that they are flagged and that is how we monitor.   

@lauranugent

Laura,

No problem. Like I said, my intent was just to bring the exchange to your attention. I really don’t know whether participating in such an exchange is helpful or not, but it is the most popular thread on SME, so I guess someone likes it.

BTW, I wouldn’t have taken your comments as trying to “correct” me, but as an opportunity to learn more about something of which I have limited knowledge.

Therefore, please feel free to share your knowledge with me!