Facebook testing 'Follow' button for Pages now

In a move that could possibly cause a huge shift in the dynamics of digital marketing, Facebook seems to be testing a “Follow” button feature for

Nishtha Kanal|Oct 16, 2013, 10:34:00 IST

In a move that could possibly cause a huge shift in the dynamics of digital marketing, Facebook seems to be testing a “Follow” button feature for Pages on the website now. Essentially, this means that you will be able to follow updates from the Page without liking it or being a fan.

The button was first noticed by AllFacebook, that received a tip-off from Matteo Gamba of Wimdu, who found the follow button ion the company’s page. While the screenshot clearly shows the Follow button, it did not seem to appear when we accessed the Page. It looks like Facebook is conducting an experiment of sorts with this feature now.

Follow instead of liking

In a statement to The Next Web, Facebook said that this was indeed a feature it has been testing out and was appearing only to a few users. “This is something we are currently testing,” a Facebook spokesperson said.

The button in the screenshot was placed next to the Like button. This is similar to the follow button placement on a user profile. Once you hit the follow button, you need not be friends with the person to receive updates from them. Similarly, when it comes to Pages, you will no longer need to be a fan of the page to get updates from them.

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If all goes well and a follow button appears for pages, you will no longer be shown as a fan of a page. Say, you like Skittles’ Facebook Page updates, but don’t actually like Skittles themselves, you can now follow the page, and your profile will never have a “like Skittles” mention. This could also mean a huge change for advertisers and marketers on Facebook. One of the parameters they set for their monthly budget on ads includes the number of likes the ads manage to get for the page. Facebook will have to address this issue once the button becomes official.

This could, however, not even turn out to be a final feature and Facebook would want to experiment further with how the button functions, what it is called and where it is placed. The idea, though, seems to be a pretty delicious one for Page owners and fans alike.

By Nishtha Kanal

Intrigued by all things social, Nishtha will invariably tweet about you. When not tweeting or writing about the next viral video, you will hear her proclaiming her love to Metallica, James Hetfield, Opeth, Akerfeldt and all bands that go 'growl'. She also obsesses about ACP Pradyuman and South Park and you will always find her moving around with a book. Her focus is on all the happening stuff in the tech domain, and she won't hesitate to take a shot at some of the oddball devices that make their way to our labs.