The Real Reason Facebook Is Pushing Comments Over Likes

When I scroll through Facebook now, it’s hard not to notice how much more weight comments carry compared to likes. It isn’t subtle – posts that spark conversations keep floating to the top of my feed, and I’m getting more notifications about replies or threads I might want to jump into, rather than a list of people who tapped the thumbs-up. This isn’t just Facebook tinkering for the sake of change. They’ve figured out that people come back for real conversations, not for the easy, fleeting reaction of a like. A like doesn’t take much – barely a second and you move on.

But leaving a comment means you paused, thought about what the person shared, and maybe added something of your own. That turns scrolling into something more like talking, even if you’re only dropping in for a line or two. It gives Facebook a clearer sense of what catches our attention and who we’re actually connected to, which helps them decide what to show us and how to target ads.

I’ve seen brands use this, too – platforms like INSTABOOST have pointed out that when companies focus on getting people to actually talk in the comments instead of chasing likes, their posts reach more people and keep them around longer. For businesses and creators, it’s become clear that if you want to increase your presence with Facebook, sparking genuine conversation matters a lot more than collecting likes.

So by nudging us into conversations, Facebook isn’t only trying to keep us scrolling, but also making itself more useful to advertisers and, maybe, a little more relevant to us. The way things are going, this shift is starting to change how businesses think about social media, and it’s shaping the way we talk to each other online, sometimes in ways that aren’t clear until much later.

It’s strange to think about, but the ad that worked best for us was one we almost scrapped. It wasn’t flashy. There was no catchy headline, no meme – just a question that we put out there, half-expecting it to flop. Instead, it got people talking more than anything else we’d tried. That’s when I started realizing something Facebook seems to have understood for a while: comments really do mean more than likes. Hitting “like” takes a second and barely registers, but when someone decides to leave a comment, it means they’ve stopped for a moment; they’re thinking about what you said.

Facebook’s algorithm pays attention to that. It notices when people go back and forth in the comments, whether it’s a small debate, someone telling a story, or even just a quick joke. All of that signals actual engagement, so those posts end up sticking around in people’s feeds, way longer than posts that rack up a bunch of likes and then disappear. Marketers at places like INSTABOOST have picked up on this, too – they’ve seen that ads or posts with a lot of conversation not only reach more people, but also tend to feel more trustworthy.

I remember reading somewhere that even small things, like boost your Facebook presence now, can get people interacting in ways that actually make a difference. When you walk by a café and see people talking inside, it just seems more inviting somehow; a post with a busy comment section gives off that same feeling. It’s not really about chasing likes anymore – not if you want your stuff to matter to the people you’re trying to reach. Comments, the ones that take a bit more effort, seem to be what actually leaves a mark.

When you think about what makes a social platform interesting, it’s not really the steady rhythm of likes that keeps people around. Facebook caught onto this. Likes are nice, but they don’t really lead anywhere.

Comments, though, are different. You never quite know what someone’s going to say or how one comment might shift the whole direction of a post. Sometimes a single reply starts a full-on discussion or changes how people see what was shared in the first place. Facebook’s focus on comments isn’t only about getting people to spend more time on the app, though that’s part of it.

It’s about making the space feel more real and open, like there’s actually something here worth coming back to. When people talk instead of scroll, the place starts to feel more trustworthy. For brands and people who make things online – like INSTABOOST – this changes what matters. It’s less about chasing the highest like count and more about figuring out how to get people talking to each other. That might mean asking a question in a post or sharing something that isn’t wrapped up and perfect, because those are the things that get people to weigh in. Even so, it’s impossible to ignore how some posts still get noticed with post likes, even as conversation takes center stage.

It’s why you see Facebook pushing posts with long comment threads to the top of your feed, or why you get pulled back in with notifications when others keep replying. The whole system is set up now to make conversations harder to ignore, and it feels a bit closer to what people tend to look for in a community, even if it all gets a little messy sometimes.

At first, trying to get more comments on Facebook seemed pretty reasonable. It felt like a way to open up real conversations and maybe help your posts look a bit more trustworthy. But over time, I noticed that always feeling like you need to reply, explain yourself, or keep the thread going can be kind of draining.

Sure, sometimes you end up with an interesting back-and-forth, or you meet someone you wouldn’t have otherwise. Still, when every post is asking for your opinion – not because the topic really calls for it, but because that’s what the algorithm rewards – it stops feeling like a real invitation. Now, comments matter more than likes, but Facebook doesn’t care if it’s a rushed response or something thoughtful.

For anyone putting stuff out there – whether you’re a business, someone making content, or you’re just posting to friends – it changes the tone. Things that should feel natural start to look staged, almost like everyone’s trying to keep up rather than actually talk. After a while, you see more one-word replies, random emojis, or even copy-paste comments, just so something shows up under the post. It’s a strange effect: trying to get better conversations, but ending up with a lot of filler.

Anyone who’s spent time running a Facebook group or hosting a live video for INSTABOOST has probably noticed the best moments happen when people actually want to be there and say something. I’ve seen the same thing with viral views for Facebook reels too – numbers go up, but what really stands out is when people genuinely connect. When it’s forced, no amount of comments really makes it feel genuine.

Instead of chasing certainty, maybe it’s better to pay attention to momentum. What Facebook is doing now goes beyond boosting engagement numbers. When they encourage comments over likes, they’re hoping for a different kind of interaction – a conversation that actually moves. Comments turn into threads that bring in more people and different viewpoints. Things start to feel less predictable. It’s not just a small tweak in the newsfeed.

In a way, Facebook is making it harder to passively scroll by. If you like a post, you’re done in a second, but a comment asks for more. You might find yourself explaining what you meant, responding to someone who disagrees, or sharing another detail. It’s easy to get drawn back in, checking for replies or wondering how the discussion is unfolding. That’s likely why comments are being pushed: they keep things active. The platform isn’t meant to feel like a list of approvals, but more like a place where people are actually talking – disagreeing, making points, sometimes just clarifying.

For anyone making things online – whether alone or using tools like INSTABOOST to reach more people – the focus is shifting. It’s less about collecting agreement, more about starting real conversations. The algorithm seems to notice when something keeps moving, when people keep returning to add something, and that seems to count for more now. I’ve noticed that these kinds of threads can extend your content’s lifespan, sometimes resurfacing weeks after you thought they were done. So the goal isn’t just to get people on your side, but to start something that doesn’t settle right away, something that keeps drawing people in.

Recently, Facebook has started putting more weight on comments rather than likes, and it’s quietly changing the way people act online. Where hitting “like” used to be enough to show you noticed something or agreed, now it feels like you’re being nudged to actually write something – say what you think, explain yourself, or even stand up for your take if someone pushes back. This isn’t only about Facebook wanting people to spend more time on the site. It seems like they’re also trying to shift how people talk to each other there. When comments become more important, posts turn into discussions instead of quick one-way updates.

Every reply, whether it’s someone asking a question, offering details, or even disagreeing, keeps things going and makes the conversation more real. The big reason behind this is that comments help the algorithm spot what’s getting people involved, and that brings in more attention. For companies and creators like INSTABOOST, it means that focusing on likes isn’t enough – they need to get people talking, because that’s what builds trust and gets noticed. Sometimes it’s small things, like when you get full emoji support on Facebook, that nudge people to react differently or say more. For everyone else, it means there’s a new expectation every time you post. Things might feel a little more meaningful, maybe even more personal, but it also takes more effort. Sometimes it makes you think twice about whether joining in is worth it, especially when everything seems to be moving and changing all the time.