Okay, I’ll admit it: there are better ways to spend my time. But for some reason, I have recently become obsessed with the following question:
Why do some articles get many “likes,” but few comments, and some articles get many comments, but few “likes?”
Until recently, I never paid attention to the social network shares on my articles. I paid attention to the comments so I could monitor and respond to them, but I didn’t watch how many people “liked” my article, tweeted about it, or whatever. I guess something happened when I finally joined FB myself.
First, I found myself comparing the rates of “likes” vs. comments on my Tablet articles, then I noticed the same discrepancies on other people’s articles.
I get that it’s easier to “like” than to write a whole comment. I do. Also, “likes” get shared with other people readers think will enjoy or appreciate the article. And that explains why some articles (the most recent one I wrote, for example) have a “likes” to comment ratio that far favors the “likes.”
Do more comments than “likes” signal dislike?
What I don’t get are the stories that move in the opposite direction (including one of my other articles). What makes someone comment, but not “like”? Because they’re mad at me? Because something I said incensed them? Is that it?
Rebecca Klempner 
Well, I can’t say why other people do things, but I know why I do things. So when I “like” a post, it’s because I found it interesting, surprising, or stimulating. I liked that it was written and I appreciated the post being put up. When I comment, that is because I have something to add to the topic. Sometime I “like” because it’s a nice article, but I don’t have anything brilliant to add, so I don’t comment. Other times, I may comment because I have something to add to the post, but I may not “like” it because my first instinct is to respond. And move on. I don’t love the piece per se just cause it struck a thought in my mind. Sometimes I “like” and comment. Both.
But that’s just me. I suppose everyone is different and people do things for different motivations. I can only say what I do.
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I liked and commented so does the comment discount the like? I usually ‘like’ and article to show appreciation. But I don’t always comment. Usually because I don’t have anything else to add to the conversation. Sometimes because I get back logged and don’t have time to comment, just ‘like’ and move on. And when I go back to see what articles I haven’t read yet, if I see my own face smiling back at me, I know I’ve already read that one. Is that helpful?
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