Facebook Share Or Like Button?!

From your experience which choice bring more referrals!?

[alahamdan]

Hello

I have a very active chatting website, and i have a small space at header to add a: Share or Like button on the page.

I already added a share button there, and we got 10 K shares for one of our website pages ( in 10 day), and we are getting about 200 - 300 referrals daily from facebook.

Our chat is an application on facebook too, with an application profile page, where we post instructions and information, how to register and use chat blah blah.

Do you think it will be better to add a like button to our application profile page? better than the share button?

Please note the following:

1- I know i can make a test and see, but im asking about long term which will be better?

2- its not a priority to get more application users, we prefer they come to visit the website.

So in the long term, which will be showing longer and bring more referrals, sharing an external web page, or the application page? especially im not sure what are all pages showing:

User X Like Page Example.com
User X like Application profile Page.

and if likes on a local facebook page show in more spots on users profiles, and stay there for longer time.

* I got the idea to ask when i found our application page got a back-link from a user page showing all applications he liked before!

Sharing your experience is highly appreciated

Thanks in advance.

[tedster]

"Share" seems like a better fit to me, especially since you describe your site as "chatty". The Share button comments look better to me and they are displayed in a more convincing manner. That doesn't mean you can always assume more referrals - but in several cases I'm involved with, that does seem to be the case. A Like button generates a lot less prominent message on your Wall than the Share button.

When the Like button was first introduced, Danny Sullivan blogges about it with some good screen captures - this might help inform your decision: [daggle.com...]

[alahamdan]

Thanks Tedster

in fact what Danny Sullivan is almost the same what i did, i created 2 accounts and started testing, to see what happens exactly, when u like or share, and i found that share is more visible (provide a thumbnail and a description on the wall), so i assumed it may bring more referrals.

On the other side, i created a sub menu item for chatters when they click some ones name, which is join us on facebook, and we got till now about 2k people liking our fan page.

But here an important question rise to surface! something i don't understand, im a researcher with a related degree, tried all the ways to understand or find this question answer:

What if u have a 1 million people like your Fan pages?

-Whats are the advantage , direct and indirect? (maybe its just Venus benefits lol)

- I noticed facebook fan page take pagerank, backlinks, so what do "Mars" people say about this? any benefits? even if minor?

- Can we say for many websites facebook fan page with many people liking it is just a prestigious thing?

Remember: u cant mass message ur fans, u can update them and i believe only 1% see updates! and if more see it, just see it late enough.

What do you think tedster?

Thanks again

[tedster]

Right now I'm still researching this - just like you. I like your ideas.