Allowing “Anonymous” Likes on Blog Posts to Aid in Growth

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  legallystrangeblog · Member · Jun 14, 2026 at 6:39 am

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  I find it rather odd that all likes on posts require readers to have a WordPress account. I can understand why, in some cases, that may be the right call for security or something of equal importance, but if a reader wants to leave a quick like….. They should be able to without needing a WordPress account….

  I, personally, automatically share my blog posts on my LinkedIn. Not everyone who clicks on a post and reads it wants to go through the rigmarole of making a WordPress account just to like one blog post. That negatively impacts my blog’s growth directly.

  No likes — because readers don’t want the hassle — means less visibility. Less visibility means less opportunity for growth. Less opportunity for growth means lower likelihood of me being able to accomplish what I set out to do when starting my blog. There’s a cascade effect that has lasting impacts on bloggers, readers, and WordPress generally from this one, seemingly insignificant triviality.

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  staartmees · Member · Jun 14, 2026 at 7:41 am

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  Yopu can use a star rating – https://wordpress.com/support/wordpress-editor/blocks/ratings-block/

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  justjennifer · Member · Jun 14, 2026 at 12:16 pm

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  Or the Crowdsignal “Applause” block or “Vote” block. https://wordpress.com/support/forms/polls/#create-a-thumbs-up-amp-down-vote-button

  Any of these options will provide your visitors with a means of appreciating your content without needing to have or be logged in with a WPcom account.

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  isaacauta · Staff · Jun 14, 2026 at 12:30 pm

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  You’ve made a great and valid point! The Like button requires a WordPress.com account because it’s tied to the platform’s social network for content discovery – it’s by design rather than a security measure.

  The good news is these two alternatives work perfectly without any account needed:

  • Star Ratings block: lets any visitor rate your posts instantly: https://wordpress.com/support/wordpress-editor/blocks/ratings-block/
  • Crowdsignal Applause or Vote block: a simple thumbs up or applause button: https://wordpress.com/support/forms/polls/#create-a-thumbs-up-amp-down-vote-button

  Either of these would be a perfect fit for your LinkedIn audience, I’d encourage you to try both and see which works best for you