Ask HN: 'Like' my domain, or 'Like' my Facebook page?

[westiseast]

So here's a question for SEO/marketing type hackers out there - what will have more impact for my business? Letting customers 'like' my domain or letting them 'like' my Facebook page?

For example, I can add a 'Like' widget to my homepage where my domain name is the thing being liked (eg. a customer clicks 'Like' and their news feed shows something like "Joe Bloggs likes www.example.com").

Or, I can add a 'Like' widget where my Facebook page itself is being liked (eg. the customer clicks 'Like' and their news feed shows "Joe Bloggs likes Example.com" and links through to www.facebook.com/example.com

Is one of these better in terms of SEO impact, or the results on facebook? Any raw opinions or opinions backed by facts?

[kappaknight]

I'm not sure Facebook 'Like' have any SEO benefit since it is a Javascript/iFrame load and Facebook doesn't control a search engine, therefore they have no clout in search.

I would always recommend people to Like my Facebook page for engagement b/c people on Facebook like to stay on Facebook - so if you give them news and updates on Facebook, they're more likely to see it and engage with it.

On the flip side, I have heard Google +1 does have some minor SEO benefits though I'm not sure if they're going by raw +1 counts or if it's only relevant if someone within your circles +1 the site. (e.g. it'll show up 1st or 2nd in your search results if someone you know +1 a site with a topic you're searching on.)

[jvdmeij]

Like your Facebook page. Google doesn't have access to the Facebook like-data, so it is better to be able to reach fans with content on your page.

[lightyrs]

Always the Facebook Page. Domains can change; likely your brand will not (and even if it does, you can update your Facebook page info).

[molsongolden]

Just make sure not to have a like button for each or you will end up with 60% of your likes on your FB page and 40% on your domain(made up %'s but you get the picture).

I'd go with linking all of your likes to the FB page.

[westiseast]

cool, thanks for the input everyone. I also just realised that 'liking' a facebook page is more persistent. Eg. if you like a domain, it shows in someone's feed for a day or so, and then gone. However, if someone likes your page, then it will show in the 'like' count for a long time, as well as in their feed.

[geuis]

We're going through this exact problem right now. My partner and I are working on a new service for photographers and videographers, http://lazyscout.com.

The question came up about whether to have the Like button work for the site, or for the Facebook page for LazyScout.

We discussed it briefly and decided to have it focus on the Facebook page for the time being. Our reasoning is that since we're trying to bootstrap awareness of the site (currently a landing page with interested signup form), our Facebook page will be a more useful marketing tool for now. Since we get no SEO benefit of people "Liking" our domain, getting as many folks as possible to like the page helps us inside the FB ecosystem. We need 25 Likes to get a public facing page, for example.

Now at some point in the future, we will revisit this decision and decide if its worth switching the Like button back to the domain to direct traffic there.

Its all a balance of how you're trying to leverage your zero marketing dollars, like us.