As vain as it may be, people like to be liked and the world of social networking is no different. Admit it, you secretly wish those quips you post to your Wall gain at least a double-digit ‘Like’ count. Right?
As for businesses, well, the more ‘Likes’ a company Page gets, the more eyeballs the social content will grab on a daily basis, which could mean kaching-kaching in the long-run. So why not celebrate this?
Back in the summer, the good folks at Pretty Digits did just that, launching the Like Screen app which essentially displays a live, real-time Facebook Like-count on an HDMI-compatible screen, which also includes a QR code to direct mobile users to a company Facebook Page. But you had to be a LikeScreen customer and account holder to use the app.
Now, however, Pretty Digits has rolled out Like Counter Pro, an app that turns your iPad into an attractive, real-time display of Facebook Likes. While it can be used by anyone, the obvious use-case here is businesses, given it works with company Pages rather than personal status updates.
How it works
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First up, you must give your permission for Like Counter Pro to access the Facebook account in question.
You then have a choice of six animated styles to display your counter on.
Then it basically serves up a real-time ticker that updates whenever someone clicks the ‘Like’ button on the associated Facebook Page. It really is that simple.
While the app does work exactly as described, the major fly in the ointment is the asking price – this puppy will cost you $9.99. But that’s only a special promotional price – eventually this will shoot up to $29.99. That in itself won’t exactly break the bank, but given the basic nature of the app and the general lack of functionality, it does feel a little on the punchy side. That said, the animations are pretty sweet, it’s easy as pie to set up and, well, it should help incentivize teams to engage more effectively with Facebook.
The general idea is that this may sit in the reception area or marketing team’s office, with cheers erupting whenever a magic milestone is met. And this points to another issue – using an Apple tablet solely for Like-counting feels a little like a waste of an iPad. However, it could be put to good use for special events and conferences, or when specific campaigns are launched to drive up engagement on Facebook.
If these issues resonate with you, you may wish to consider pre-ordering a Fliike instead, which is a dedicated Facebook Like-counting device that’s starting to ship round about now. That will cost you around $400 though.
Like Counter Pro is available to download now from the App Store, costing $9.99 or your local currency equivalent.
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