Like
Like is the Chatter engagement action that lets a user signal approval, interest, or appreciation for a post, comment, or file.
Definition
Like is the Chatter engagement action that lets a user signal approval, interest, or appreciation for a post, comment, or file. Clicking the Like button increments the post''s LikeCount, adds the user to the list of users who liked it, and produces an entry in the FeedLike standard object. The action is the lightweight feedback mechanism that drives Chatter engagement: posts with many likes rise in the Chatter algorithm and contribute to the post author''s Influence score.
Like is the simplest Chatter engagement primitive, sitting alongside Comment and Share. Each FeedLike record is permanent (no like history, just current state), one per user per item, and is removable via an Unlike action that deletes the FeedLike row. The action works on Chatter posts (FeedItem), comments (FeedComment), and content shared in the feed. Like contributes to the Chatter Influence score the user accumulates; the author of a heavily-liked post gets ranking credit.
How the Like primitive shapes Chatter engagement
The FeedLike standard object
Each Like creates a row on the FeedLike object. Fields include the liking user, the liked feed item or comment, and the timestamp. Querying FeedLike via SOQL returns every like in the org, useful for engagement reporting and audit. The object cap at one row per user per item enforces the one-like-per-user constraint.
Like on posts vs. comments
Likes work on both Chatter posts (FeedItem) and replies (FeedComment). Each has its own LikeCount field. A post with many comments may have likes on the post itself plus likes on individual comments; the two counts are tracked separately.
The Chatter Influence connection
Likes are one of the inputs to the Chatter Influence score. Users whose posts get many likes accumulate Influence faster. The connection means likes are not just social-feedback; they shape the platform-level user reputation. Heavy posters with low like counts have lower Influence than light posters with high like counts.
Removing a like
Clicking Like again on a previously-liked item is the Unlike action. The platform deletes the FeedLike row, decrements the LikeCount, and removes the user from the liked-by list. The action is immediate and silent; there is no Unlike notification.
Liking in Chatter Groups
Likes inside a Chatter group function the same as likes in the main feed. Group members can like each other''s posts; the Like count contributes to group engagement metrics that group admins can see.
Likes as engagement metric
Chatter analytics surfaces Likes as a key engagement metric. Posts with high like counts indicate content that resonates; posts with zero likes indicate content that misses. Community managers use the data to identify high-performing content patterns and to coach posters whose content gets little engagement.
Slack and the future of social signals
Salesforce''s strategic direction for collaboration is Slack, which uses reactions (emoji-based) rather than a single Like button. Customers migrating from Chatter to Slack lose the simple Like primitive but gain richer reaction signals. The transition is gradual; Chatter and its Like primitive continue to work in every Salesforce org.
Use Like in Chatter and audit the data
Liking is one click; the more interesting work is reporting on engagement and using the data.
- Click Like on a post or comment
The Like button appears under every Chatter post and comment. Click to like; click again to unlike.
- View the liked-by list
Click the LikeCount number on a post to see who liked it. The list shows every user; useful for community managers.
- Query FeedLike for engagement reports
Build SOQL or report-type filters on FeedLike to surface top-liked posts, top-liked posters, and per-user like activity.
- Track Like trends per user
Combine FeedLike with FeedItem to surface a per-user engagement profile. High likes received indicates strong content; high likes given indicates active engagement.
- Plan for Slack reactions if migrating
Slack''s emoji reactions replace Like. Engagement reports will need to switch from FeedLike to Slack-side analytics during a migration.
- One like per user per item. The FeedLike object enforces uniqueness; integrations attempting to insert duplicates fail.
- Likes contribute to Chatter Influence. Engagement-driven feedback loops mean popular posters accumulate more Influence faster.
- Salesforce strategic direction is Slack, not Chatter. Customer-facing engagement programs should plan for the eventual platform migration.
- Likes are public to anyone with feed access. Users who do not want their likes visible should be aware before clicking.
Trust & references
Cross-checked against the following references.
- Chatter OverviewSalesforce Help
- FeedLike Standard ObjectSalesforce Developers
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on Like.
- FeedItem Standard ObjectSalesforce Developers
About the Author
Dipojjal Chakrabarti is a B2C Solution Architect with 29 Salesforce certifications and over 13 years in the Salesforce ecosystem. He runs salesforcedictionary.com to help admins, developers, architects, and cert/interview candidates sharpen their fundamentals. More about Dipojjal.
Test your knowledge
Q1. What does the Like action do in Chatter?
Q2. What's the value of likes?
Q3. When should you use comments instead of likes?
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