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Like: The Button That Changed the World Hardcover – April 29, 2025

by Martin Reeves (Author), Bob Goodson (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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A riveting, insider's look at the creation and evolution of the like button and what it reveals about innovation, business, and culture—and its profound impact on modern human interaction.

"…an entertaining new book by Martin Reeves and Bob Goodson on the origins of the "like" button." — The Economist

Over seven billion times a day, someone taps a like button. How could something that came out of nowhere become so ubiquitous—and even so addictive? How did this seemingly ordinary social media icon go from such a small and unassuming invention to something so intuitive and universally understood that it has scaled well beyond its original intent?

This is the story of the like button and how it changed our lives. In Like, bestselling author and renowned strategy expert Martin Reeves and coauthor Bob Goodson—Silicon Valley veteran and one of the originators of the like button—take readers on a quest to uncover the origins of the thumbs-up gesture, how it became an icon on social media, and what's behind its power.

Through insights from key players, including the founders of Yelp, PayPal, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail, and FriendFeed, you'll hear firsthand the disorderly, serendipitous process from which the like button was born. It's a story that starts with a simple thumbs-up cartoon but ends up with surprises and new mysteries at every turn, some of them as deep as anthropological history and others as speculative as the AI-charged future.

But this is much more than the origin story of the like button. Drawing on business and innovation theory, evolutionary biology, social psychology, neuroscience, and other human-centered disciplines, this deeply researched book offers smart and unexpected insights into how this little icon changed our world—and all of us in the process.

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  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harvard Business Review Press
  4. Publication date
    April 29, 2025
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 1.3 x 9.3 inches
  6. ISBN-13
    979-8892790451
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From the Publisher

Like: The Button That Changed the World

Over seven billion times a day, someone taps a like button.
Twitter cofounder's endorsement.
Rita McGrath's endorsement.
Anna Lembke, MD's endorsement
An insider's look at the creation and evolution of the like button and its impact on interaction.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"…innovation very rarely takes the form of an entirely new idea; instead, it recombines existing ones. And people often reach the same conclusions independently. That is the message of "Like", an entertaining new book by Martin Reeves and Bob Goodson on the origins of the "like" button." — The Economist

"… a stimulating inquiry into the creation and consequences of the "like" button…. thought-provoking." — Publisher's Weekly

Advance Praise for Like:

"This book isn't just about a button—it's a compelling journey through the messy process of innovation and a must-read for anyone curious about the hidden stories behind the things we click every day." — Biz Stone, cofounder, Twitter

"Terrific, fun, and keenly illuminating. Reeves and Goodson tell the remarkable tale of the like button—and use it as the foundation for a host of insights into innovation, the brain, and our species." — Cass R. Sunstein, author, How to Become Famous; coauthor, Nudge

"If you’re looking for a book to 'like,' I strongly recommend this one. It's a can't-put-it-down page-turner. A fun and instructive read!" — Rita McGrath, strategist; professor, Columbia Business School; and author, Seeing Around Corners and The End of Competitive Advantage

"Like is wildly original. Who would have thought that such a simple button could hide a deep understanding of technology, money, and regulation?" — Niels Lunde, Editor in Chief, Dagbladet Børsen

"Fast-paced and full of original insights, this book will open your eyes to a much richer and more textured story of the rise of social media." — Anna Lembke, MD, New York Times bestselling author, Dopamine Nation

"A captivating exploration, revealing how this humble icon transformed the way people all over the world interact. A must-read for those intrigued by the power of simple innovations to influence society." — Karim R. Lakhani, Dorothy and Michael Hintze Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; coauthor, Competing in the Age of AI

"Innovation in technology is by no means orderly, planned, and predictable. A riveting tale." — W. Brian Arthur, author, The Nature of Technology

"Like, WOW!" — Paul Buchheit, creator, Gmail; cofounder, FriendFeed

About the Author

Martin Reeves is Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, BCG's think tank for developing new ideas in business. He is a coauthor of Your Strategy Needs a Strategy and The Imagination Machine. Reeves also shares his ideas and research on business strategy and innovation in articles, podcasts, speeches, and other outlets. Bob Goodson is President and founder of Quid, a visual analytics company. He has extensive experience working in Silicon Valley, including as part of the founding team at Yelp, where he was employee number one and played a key role in the genesis of the like button.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D8XM8GZT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvard Business Review Press (April 29, 2025)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8892790451
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1.3 x 9.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Bob Goodson

    Bob Goodson

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    BOB GOODSON is President and Founder of Quid, a Silicon Valley–based company whose AI models are used to understand customer context by a third of the Fortune 50. Before starting Quid, he was the first employee at Yelp, where he played a role in the genesis of the like button and observed firsthand the rise of the social media industry. After Quid received an award in 2016 from the World Economic Forum for “Contributions to the Future of the Internet,” Bob served a two-year term on WEF’s Global Future Council for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics. While at Oxford University doing graduate research in language theory, Bob co-founded Oxford Entrepreneurs to connect scientists with business-minded students. Bob is co-author of a new book on the origins of the ubiquitous Like Button in social media and how innovation comes about, released in April 2025 by Harvard Business Review Press.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Martin Reeves

    Martin Reeves

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Martin Reeves is a managing director and senior partner in BCG’s San Francisco office, and the Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute (BHI), BCG’s vehicle for exploring ideas from beyond the world of business, which have implications for business strategy management.

    Martin’s latest book, The Imagination Machine (HBR Press, 2021 June) explores how to systematically harness imagination to generate new ideas and transform your business.

    He is editor of the “Inspiring the Next Game” book series, a set of perspectives on emerging themes in business published in partnership between De Gruyter and the BCG Henderson Institute:

    · Sustainable Business Model Innovation (2023)

    · The Rise of AI-Powered Companies (2022)

    · Business Ecosystems (2022)

    · New Leadership Imperatives (2022)

    · Dynamics Business Strategy (2021)

    · The Resilient Enterprise (2021)

    · Winning the ’20s (2021)

    · Mastering the Science of Organizational Change (2021)

    Martin is also the co-author of Your Strategy Needs a Strategy (HBR Press, 2015) and host of the Thinkers & Ideas podcast, where he interviews leading thinkers about influential ideas on business, technology, economics, and science. He is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, Fortune, and other management journals on business strategy and management.

    Martin holds a triple first-class MA in natural sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management. To learn more about Martin’s latest research visit The BCG Henderson Institute's website, subscribe to BHI’s newsletter or connect with him on social media.

    See more on the author's page
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Can Uslay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly constructed, thoroughly researched, and profoundly thought-provoking
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2025
    This examination of the ubiquitous "like" button offers critical insights not merely into contemporary digital phenomena, but into the very nature of innovation and its management in the modern enterprise. Reeves and Goodson – the former a master of everything strategy and the latter possessing the invaluable perspective of the practitioner involved in its genesis – reveal a process far removed from tidy strategic plans. In this book, we see innovation emerging, as it so often does, serendipitously, from addressing immediate operational needs rather than grand design. The critical lesson for the executive is the need for preparedness and adaptability to recognize and nurture such emergent functions, rather than relying solely on prediction or top-down directives. That such a simple mechanism, explored even down to its symbolic choice, could become a near-universal tool for social feedback and interaction demands serious management attention to understand its underlying effectiveness and purpose, both intended and realized.

    The effectiveness of this tool, however, rests firmly on understanding the human element – the user, their motivations, and social needs, which the authors explore through various necessary disciplines beyond mere technology. Furthermore, the book rightly dissects the business mechanisms that convert this interaction into economic results, forcing us to ask: What value is truly being co-created, for which customer, and for whom is the enterprise ultimately effective and accountable? Crucially, the authors also confront the significant societal side effects, reminding us that managing the social impacts of our enterprises and their technologies is not peripheral but a central responsibility of management. Considering the future evolution, this work serves as a necessary study for the thinking manager seeking to understand the dynamics of modern communication, the unpredictable path of innovation, and the enduring need for effective, purposeful, and responsible management in a rapidly changing technological landscape. It is an absolutely fascinating read!
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  • R. McGuire
    5.0 out of 5 stars A biography of the Like button.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2025
    Like by Martin Reeves and Bob Goodson tells the story of the Like button in social media (and beyond) — from its origins to its impacts to its potential futures.

    Readers will gain a deeper appreciation for the messiness and unpredictability of innovation. Many of us will also walk away from the book with a better understanding of how our Likes are used and the scary implications for where those applications might lead.

    Like will appeal to those that enjoy the history of innovation and “like” thinking through how technology advances impact our lives, our businesses, and our world. While the book provides little of immediate practical application, for the right audience, it provides insights into how innovations develop and how unexpected implications emerge.
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  • Steve Brock
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stevo's Business Book of the Week
    Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2025
    As Stevo’s Novel Ideas, I am a long-time book reviewer, member of the media, an Influencer, and a content provider. I received this book as a review copy from either the author, the publisher or a publicist. I have not been compensated for this recommendation. I have selected it as Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 4/27, as it stands heads above other recently published books on this topic.
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  • Alan Iny
    5.0 out of 5 stars We take the like button for granted - but this is a great story to read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2025
    For anyone interested in how innovation works, how social media developed, how behavioral science drives us all, or just a good story, this is a great choice. Martin and Bob give a lot of fun examples and help us think about things we never knew we never (even if we lived through them). Enjoy!
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