The case for chasing after likes.

We like likes. We like to get them. Because it makes us feel good, just like a rising stock or a inflow alert.

The concept was made popular by Facebook’s growth team who utimately hacked human behavior and our need to be liked or popular. Now every growing platform taps into our need to be liked.

You can’t really stop people from making noise unfortunately. There is a market for noise making. Unfortunately no one gets hired on LinkedIn for their 5000 likes or for being a top influencer. Aside likes, they may get speaking engagements here or there. At some point, everyone will have to decide what really matters to them — likes, speaking opportunities or real growth (career, business and finance).

My advice, except you make your daily bread from making noise, it’s not worth it. Post, but be authentic. Stay visible, but be deliberate. Advertise, but don’t dilute your brand and essence.

And for the rest of us, let me shake a table — we sometimes feel a tinge of envy and resentment when you post and get 5 likes and someone you know is a confirmed quack gets 500 likes. That hurts but do not get carried away, remember why you do this. Btw, is it your likes?