Facebook gives new look to Like and Share buttons

Weeks after first signs of Facebook’s Like button getting an overhaul appeared, the social networking website has announced that it is indeed giving it a little tweak, changing the way it appears on websites. The Share button too is going to look different starting today.

In a blog post announcing the change, Facebook wrote that the Like and Share buttons together are viewed over 22 billion times daily across more than 7.5 million websites. The referral traffic these buttons draw in is huge and even huger is the decision to give these a makeover. The decision to introduce changes to the design is aimed at helping people share more content across the web.

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The changes to the design are pretty major. Instead of sticking to a dark font on a light blue background, Facebook has decided to make this redesign count by placing white font on the Facebook-blue coloured background. Also missing is the thumbs-up icon we’ve come to identify the Facebook Like with. Only the words “Like” and “Share” will now identify the action you’re about to make on websites.

The service will also make it easier for users to share stories from your site by including the Like and Share buttons side by side and the Share button by itself. Placing the Like and Share buttons together will drive Facebook referral traffic to your website.

With the Like button now, people will be able to post links onto Facebook and with the Share button, they will be able to add a personalised message and even choose their target audience while posting. If your website or blog is currently using the old Like and Share buttons, they will automatically upgraded via a roll out, Facebook has said. The rollout seems to be pretty slow as even the Facebook Developers blog is still sporting the old Like and Share button currently.