FAQ : Like Me

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions users like you ask while getting to know LikeMe.

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LIKEME

Q: How is LikeMe different from other lifestyle search engines?

A: Instead of providing one-size-fits-all search results, LikeMe takes your demographics, behaviors, personal preferences and attitudes into account to provide you with hand-picked recommendations of places to go and things to do. Based on recommendations instead of reviews, we are all about the positive and bringing together a community of people who want to help each other to enjoy life!

Because LikeMe needs to get to you know before we can give you personalized results, you have to create an account to activate the search bar.

Q: How does LikeMe work?

A: The LikeMe algorithm (a fancy word for the math that is responsible for your search and discovery results) measures two things: 1) your answers to the demographic registration questions and 2) the recommendations you add. It then compares that information about you with that of the LikeMe community to determine which members most closely share your tastes and interests. When you search for recommendations for a restaurant or a hotel in any given area, the first results that you see are in order of popularity from people who are most like you.

The algorithm weighs your recommendations more than anything, which is why we ask as few questions as possible during registration - and why you'll always be encouraged to add more recommendations. The more places and things you recommend to others, the better recommendations you’ll receive for yourself.

MANAGING MY RECOMMENDATIONS

Q: How do I recommend something on my profile?

A: There are five ways to recommend something:

From your profile:

Click on "Add More" to the left of any of the categories
Search for the place/thing that you want to recommend

From the "Search by Name" tab: enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields.
From the "Browse Listings" tab: view listings alphabetically by geographic location.
From the "Browse Popular" tab: select from the site’s most popular recommendations in a given location.

Once you find the place/thing you want to add, click on the "Add to Recommendations" button and it will be added to your recommendations.

From the "Look Up Places" tab:

Search for the place/thing that you want to recommend

To search by name, enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields and click on the “Find It” button
To browse listings alphabetically by geographic location, select a category under “Browse Listings,” then a state, and then a city
To browse the site’s most popular places in a given area, enter a location under “Browse Popular” and click on the “Search” button

Once you find the place/thing you want to add, click on the "Add to Recommendations" link and it will be added to your recommendations

From the business page for the place/thing you want to recommend: click on the "Add to My Recommendations" link.
From a search results page: click on the "Add to My Recommendations" link.
From a thumbnail: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of a thumbnail for a place/thing on the homepage or another user's profile page and click on the link to "Add to My Recommendations".

Often times when you add something to your profile, you will be asked to give your Inside Word and tags. (Jump to more about Inside Words and tags.)

Q: How do I remove a recommendation?

A: There are two ways to remove a recommendation:

From your profile:

Roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of a thumbnail for a place/thing you want to remove and click on the link to "Remove".
Click on the "OK" button when you are asked to confirm that you want that recommendation removed.

From the business page: click on the "Remove from My Recommendations" link under the business name and picture.

Please note: when you remove a recommendation from your profile page, your Inside Word will still appear on the business page for that place/thing unless you choose to delete it.

Q: Does the order of my recommendations matter?

A: The algorithm weighs the first 6 recommendations in each category the most in figuring out your tastes. So be sure to drag and drop the thumbnails for your *favorite* favorites to the top of the list (and keep updating as necessary) to get the best results.

Q: Why did something I recommend end up under a bunch of different categories on my profile page?

A: There are many places in our database that fall under more than one category. Examples are restaurants that have a happening bar scene (which you will find under both “Restaurants” and “Bars/Nightlife”) or hotels that have a casino (which you will find under both “Hotels” and “Activities”). If you add something to your profile from the business page (instead of from a category on your profile page), search results page or from the "Look Up Places" tab, that place/thing will be added to every category that it falls under. If you only meant to recommend it for one of those categories, you can go ahead and remove it from any other categories on your profiile page per the directions above. Your Inside Word, however, will always appear under every category that recommendation falls under.

FILTERING RECOMMENDATIONS BY CITY

Q: How can I view my own recommendations or another user’s recommendations just for a specific city?

A: You can filter any user’s recommendations by city on their profile:

Click on the "All Cities" drop-down on the top right
Scroll to select the city you want to see recommendations for
Select "All Cities" to see the full list again

INSIDE WORDS & TAGS

Q: What is an Inside Word?

A: Your Inside Word is all the ins and outs you've learned from personal experience about the place or thing that you're recommending - especially stuff that you might not find in a regular review elsewhere. Give us the low down about the best time to go, how to get in, what dishes or drinks or services to try, who the best salespeople/waiters/bartenders are, where to park, etc. Share any and every reason why you are recommending this place or thing and what people like you should know before they try it.

Q: What is a tag?

A: A tag is a keyword or keywords that you associate with your recommendation. Examples of tags for a restaurant recommendation include Chinese, special occasion, live music, or celebrity chef.

Q: How do I add an Inside Word if I skipped that step or didn’t receive a prompt to do so?

A: There are two ways to add your Inside Word.

From a thumbnail: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the place/thing you’d like to add an Inside Word, and click on the link to "Add your Inside Word"
From the business page, you will either see the fields to write your Inside Word under the "Give Us Your Inside Word" heading or you can click on the "Add your Inside Word" link next to the "Like this place?" heading.

Q: What is an Inside Word photo? How do I add an Inside Word photo?

A: An Inside Word photo a photo that will accompany your Inside Word and is typically more personal than a general business photo. For example, it might be a picture of you and your friends enjoying that recommendation.

You will see the field to browse for and upload an Inside Word photo when you add your Inside Word from a business page.

Q: How do I add a tag if I skipped that step or didn’t receive a prompt to do so?

A: You can add a tag from the box on the left-hand side of the business page.

Q: How do I edit or delete my Inside Word?

A: You may edit your Inside Word from your profile or the business page by clicking anywhere on the Inside Word text (it will automatically be available for editing). When you’re done, you can either click on the "Update" button to save your changes or the "Cancel" button to revert to the previous version.

To delete your Inside Word, simply click on the "Delete My Inside Word" link that appears next to your Inside Word on the business page.

Q: How do I delete a tag?

A: You may delete any tag you add by clicking on the red X next to that tag.

PROFILE PHOTOS

Q: How do I add or remove a profile photo?

A: Simply click on the "Edit photos" link on your profile. From there, you can click on the "Choose a File" button under "Upload a Photo" and you will be walked through the process to select a photo file and then upload it to that page. Use the cropping tools to make sure the part of the image you want displayed appears in frame.

The best size for a photo is 234 x 234 px. Although the site can handle almost any size photo, anything smaller than that will be enlarged, which may cause pixilation. Since we use square frames for our photos, use the cropping tools to make sure the part of the image you want displayed appears in frame.

Choose "Make Default" to choose the main picture that appears on your profile page and as your thumbnail.

If you'd like to remove a photo you have uploaded, simply click on the "Remove" link under that photo.

MANAGING MY PERSONAL PROFILE INFORMATION

Q: How do I change the answers, privacy settings or importance of the demographic registration questions for my profile?

A: You can change the answers to the registration questions, how important it is that you receive recommendations from people who answered those questions the same way, and whether or not those answers appear on your profile from the "My Settings" tab

Click on the "Tell Us About You" tab on the left.
Change any information you wish.
Click "Save" to save your changes.

Q: How do I edit "About Me" on my profile?

A: You may edit "About You" by clicking anywhere on the "About Me" text (it will automatically be available for editing). When you’re done, you can either click on the "Update" button to save your changes or the "Cancel" button to revert to the previous version.

MANAGING MY TO DO LIST

Q: What is my To Do List?

A: Your To Do List is the companion to your profile page. Whereas your profile page is filled with places and things you've already experienced and enjoyed, your To Do List is for places and things that you want to try but maybe haven't yet.

The places and things you add to your To Do List may come from browsing other users' profiles, reading your favorite lifestyle magazines, or conversations with friends and colleagues. The beauty of it is that all of the things you want to check out are in one convenient location for your reference. What was that new restaurant that opened that you've been meaning to go to? Put it on your To Do List and you don't have to worry about remembering.

Hopefully, once you have tried a place or thing from your To Do List, you will remove it from there and add it to your profile to suggest it to others!

Q: How do I add something to My To Do List?

A: Same as with your profile, there are five ways to add something to your To Do List:

From your To Do List page:

Click on "Add More" to the left of your To Do List
Search for the place/thing that you want to recommend:

From the "Search by Name" tab: enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields.
From the "Browse Listings" tab: view listings alphabetically by geographic location.
From the "Browse Popular" tab: select from the site’s most popular recommendations in a given location.

Once you find the place/thing you want to add, click on the "Add to To Do List" button and it will be added to your To Do List.

From the "Look Up Places" tab:

Search for the place/thing that you want to recommend

To search by name, enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields and click on the “Find It” button
To browse listings alphabetically by geographic location, select a category under “Browse Listings,” then a state, and then a city
To browse the site’s most popular places in a given area, enter a location under “Browse Popular” and click on the “Search” button

Once you find the place/thing you want to add, click on the "Add to To Do List" link and it will be added to your To Do List

From the business page for the place/thing you want to recommend: click on the "Add to My To Do List" link and it will be added to your To Do List.
From a search results page: click on the "Add to My To Do List" link and it will be added to your To Do List.
From a thumbnail: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of a thumbnail for a place/thing on either your homepage or another user’s profile page and click on the link to "Add to My To Do List"

Q: What is a To Do List note?

A: Sometimes you want to make a note of how you heard about something or why you want to try it. You can add a note to the items on your To Do List by scrolling over the thumbnail and clicking to add a note. The note will be viewable any time you scroll over that thumbnail on your To Do List.

Q: How do I remove something from My To Do List?

A: Same as with your profile page, there are two ways to remove something from your To Do List:

From your To Do List:

Roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of a thumbnail for a place/thing you want to remove and click on the link to "Remove from [category name]".
Click on the "OK" button when you are asked to confirm that you want to remove that place/thing from your To Do List.

From the business page: click on the "Remove from To Do List" link under the business name and picture.

GETTING RECOMMENDATIONS

Q: How do I get recommendations on LikeMe?

A: Just select your search location and a category on the search bar at the top of any LikeMe page and click on the “Go” button.

Q: How do I refine my results?

A: You can refine your results by using special criteria to sort them or by choosing various filters:

Use the drop down bar on the top right to sort your results by Most Like You, Most Recommendations or Most Inside Words.
Filter your results by keyword tags by selecting one of the top 10 tags on the left or typing in your own tag in the "Known For" field.
Filter the distance of your results by using the drop down bar to choose the mile radius from your entered search location.

Q: How do I search like another user?

A: If you are a LikeMe member, you can search like any other user on the site:

From a user’s thumbnail, click on the "Search Like This Person" link.
Select the category and enter the geographic location for your search.
Click on the "View Results" button.

Q: What does it mean to edit a search once I’ve searched like another user?

A: If you choose to edit your search after searching like another user, you will have the option to change the category or geographic location for your search, search like yourself and that person, and/or add friends to your search so you can search like a group to find out the places/things that group would like best.

To edit your search:

Click on the "Edit Search" button under the Advanced Search heading.
Update the category and/or geographic location for your search.
Select "Like Me" and/or choose up to 3 friends to be factored into your search.
Click on the "View Results" button.

SHARING

Q: What does it mean to share something on the site?

A: Using our sharing tools means that you will send a message to someone with information about and a link to a business page, a specific user’s Inside Word for a business, and/or a specific user’s full profile page. This is useful if you’d like to direct any of your friends both on or off the site to check something out on the site. If you are not a LikeMe member, you can only share the contents of a business page (you cannot share Inside Words or profile pages).

Q: How do I share all of the contents of a business page?

A: There are two ways to share all of the contents of a business page:

From the business page, click on the "Share With Friends" link. You will be prompted to fill in the name(s) and/or email address(es) for your recipient(s) and an optional personal message and then click on the "Share This" button to send your message.
From a thumbnail: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the business you would like to share and click on the link to "Share With Friends." You will be prompted to fill in the name(s) and/or email address(es) for your recipient(s) and an optional personal message and then click on the "Share This" button to send your message.

Q: How do I share a specific user’s Inside Word for a business?

A: From the business page, click on the "Share With Friends" link next to the Inside Word that you would like to share. You will be prompted to fill in the name(s) and/or email address(es) for your recipient(s) and an optional personal message and then click on the "Share This" button to send your message.

Q: How do I share a user’s profile page?

A: There are two ways to share a user’s profile page:

From the User's profile page: click on the "Share With Friends" link under his/her name and profile picture(s). You will be prompted to fill in the name(s) and/or email address(es) for your recipient(s) and an optional personal message and then click on the "Share This" button to send your message.
From a thumbnail: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the person whose profile page you would like to share and click on the link to "Share With Friends." You will be prompted to fill in the name(s) and/or email address(es) for your recipient(s) and an optional personal message and then click on the "Share This" button to send your message.

FINDING A PLACE BY NAME

Q: How do I find a place by name?

A: There are two ways to find a place by name:

From the "Look Up People" tab:

To search by name, enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields and click on the “Find It” button
To browse listings alphabetically by geographic location, select a category under “Browse Listings,” then a state, and then a city

From your profile page (if you are a member):

Click on "Add More" to the left of any of the categories
Enter the name and location (city and state or zip code) in the search fields on the “Search by Name” tab, OR
View listings alphabetically by geographic location on the “Browse Listing” tab

FINDING PEOPLE

Q: How do I find different people on the site?

A: There are two ways to find people on the site:

You can find people by name, people like you, or people who fit different kinds of demographic criteria from the "Look Up People" tab:

To search for a person by name, enter the name in the “Find a Person” field and click on the “Find” button
To find people like you in a given geographic area, enter the location (city and state or zip code) and click on the “Update Location” button (it will automatically default to show people like you in your home location)
To modify your results, use the drop-downs to select any pertinent demographic criteria or distance from your search area, and click on the “Filter” button

You can find people by name from your "My Friends" tab (if you are a member):

Enter your friend’s first and last name in the “Find Friends” field and click on the “Find” button

THE LIKEME DATABASE

Q: Where do the businesses on LikeMe come from?

A: Our over 4 million listings are supplied by our data service provider (that regularly checks the information in our database to make sure it's all accurate and up to date), our partners at Village Voice Media, and by users like you! Even if we've missed something, we want you to have the power to recommend any of the stuff that you love and add it to our database.

If you find that information is incorrect for a business, please alert us via the "Suggestions" link at the top of any LikeMe page and we will investigate immediately.

We also encourage the active participation of businesses so that they can tell you, their best customers, about everything new and exciting that they have going on. If you are a business owner, please click on the "Suggestions" link at the top right of any LikeMe page for more information.

Q: How do I add something to the database?

A: If you can't find something that you want to add to your Recommendations or To Do List while using our search or browse functions, then you will be given the option to add a new place to our database.

Once you click on that link, you will be routed to a form where you will fill out any pertinent information that you have for that place/thing and then submit it to the LikeMe database. For every category besides "Other Stuff," we require that you at least fill out the city and state for the business you are adding. The "Other Stuff" category encompasses things you'd like to recommend that might not have a street address (like your favorite products, movies, musicians, websites, brands, personal interests, etc.) - so for any additions to that category, we only ask that you add a URL and a photo, if you have one available.

BUSINESS PHOTOS

Q: How do I add or remove a business photo?

A: Click on the "Edit photos" link on any business page. From there, you can click on the "Choose a File" button under the "Upload a Photo" heading and you will be walked through the process to select a photo and then upload it to that page. Use the cropping tools to make sure the part of the image you want displayed appears in frame.

If you'd like to remove a photo you have uploaded, simply click on the "Remove" link under that photo.

Q: What does it mean to "Endorse" a photo?

A: On any business page, if you click on the "Edit photos" link you have the opportunity to endorse a photo by clicking on the “Endorse” link. Endorsing a photo means that you are voting for that photo to become and/or stay the default image associated with that business. You should select the image that you think is the most fun, creative and the best representation of that place or thing.

FRIENDS

Q: How do I invite my friends to join LikeMe?

A: If you would like to invite friends who are not part of the LikeMe community to register for the site, click on the "Invite your Friends" link found on your profile page or your My Friends tab. You may send bulk or individual email invitations to your friends, and you have the option to import addresses from your Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo accounts. You may customize your invitation message however you choose.

Q: How do I find my friends who are already part of the LikeMe community?

A: There are two ways to find friends who are already using the site:

From your My Friends page:

Enter your friend’s first and last names in the “Find Friends” field and click on the “Find” button

From the "Look Up People" tab:

Enter the first and last name in the “Find a Person” field and click on the “Find” button

When you find the person you are looking for, you can either view his/her profile by clicking on his/her name, invite him/her to be your friend on LikeMe by clicking on the "Add to Friend" link, or send him/her a message by clicking on the “Send Message” link

Q: How do I invite someone to be my friend on LikeMe?

A: Adding friends is a great way to stay in the loop about what other users are up to, because you will be notified about any new recommendations they add through the Community Update on your homepage, and you will be able to easily access and browse their profiles by clicking on their thumbnail pictures. You can also adjust your personal information settings so that your demographic information is only visible to your friends.

There are four ways to submit a friend request:

From the user's profile page:

Click on the "Add to Friends" link under his/her name and profile picture(s).
Customize your friend request message in the field provided and click on the "Send Request" button, or select "Skip Message" to send a generic request.

From the "My Friends" tab:

Enter your friend’s first and last name in the "Find Friends" screen and click on the "Find" button.
When you find the person you are looking for, invite him/her to be your friend on LikeMe by clicking on the "Add to Friend" link.
Customize your friend request message in the field provided and click on the "Send Request" button, or select "Skip Message" to send a generic request.

From the "Look Up People" tab:

Enter the name in the “Find a Person” field and click on the “Find” button
When you find the person you are looking for, invite him/her to be your friend on LikeMe by clicking on the "Add to Friends" link
Customize your friend request message in the field provided and click on the “Send Request” button, or select “Skip Message” to send a generic request

From a thumbnail:

Roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the person you would like to send a friend request to and click on the link to "Add to Friends".
Customize your friend request message in the field provided and click on the "Send Request" button, or select "Skip Message" to send a generic request.

You will receive a message in your Message Center notifying you when your friend request has been approved. You can view any outstanding friend requests in the "Friend Requests" section of your Message Center.

Q: How do I know when I have a friend request?

A: When someone requests to add you as a friend, you will receive a message in the "Friend Requests" section of your Message Center. You can either choose to "Accept" or "Ignore" the request by clicking on the corresponding link.

Q: How do I remove a friend?

A: There are three ways to remove a friend (note that the user will not be notified that you have removed them from your Friends list):

From your profile page:

On your Friends grid, roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the friend you want to remove and click on the link to "Remove".
Click on the "OK" button when you are asked to confirm that you want to remove that friend.

From the other user's profile page: click on the "Remove from Friends" link under his/her name and profile picture(s).
From your My Friends page: roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the friend you want to remove and click on the link to "Remove from Friends".

Q: How do I suggest a friend to another user?

A: If you think a user might enjoy the recommendations of one of your friends, you can send them a message to suggest friends to them. On that user’s profile page, click on the link to "Suggest Friends." You can then click on any of your friends you’d like to suggest, enter a personalized message and send your suggestions.

Q: Why do my friends and I see different percentages for how similar we are to one another? Shouldn't that number be the same?

A: It may seem that way, but no. Here's a little story to help explain why similarity percentages aren't reciprocal:

Let's say Jack has recommended 3 places in his guidebook: A, B and C. And let's say Jill has recommended 5 places in her guidebook: A, B, C, D and E. As you know, the LikeMe algorithm determines similarity most by analyzing your recommendations. When the algorithm compares Jack and Jill's recommendations, Jill has 100% of the same recommendations as Jack, but Jack only has 60% of the same recommendations as Jill. Therefore, Jack will have a higher percentage similarity with Jill than Jill will have with Jack.

The only way that similarity percentages will ever be reciprocal is if two users answer the registration questions and exactly the same AND have the exact same recommendations.

FRIENDS PAGE

Q: What is My Friends page?

A: Your My Friends page is where you can easily find and sort all of your LikeMe friends. Here’s what you can do on that page:

Use the "Find Friends" search field to find friends who are on the site.
Click on the "Invite your friends" link to invite friends to join LikeMe.
Sort your current friends by most recently updated, alphabetical order, most like you or most recommendations.

HIDING

Q: What does it mean to hide someone or something?

A: If you choose to hide a recommendation or a person, you will block that thumbnail from appearing on your homepage and search results. To hide someone or something, scroll over the thumbnail and select "Hide this."

Q: How can I make something I’ve hidden become visible again?

A: To allow a hidden thumbnail to be seen again:

Click on the "My Information" link on the top right of any LIkeMe page.
Click on the "Not Like Me / Hidden" tab on the left.
Scroll over the thumbnail and select "Unhide This".

MESSAGE CENTER

Q: What is my Message Center?

A: Your Message Center, accessed from the "My Messages" tab, is the hub of communication between you and other members of the LikeMe community. You can use the Message Center to write and send messages, receive messages, and monitor friend requests – all without anybody knowing your personal email address.

Q: How do I send a message to another user?

A: There are three ways to send a message to another user:

From your Message Center (please note: from this screen, you may only send messages to LikeMe friends):

Select "New Message".
Begin typing the screen name(s) of whichever friend(s) you want to send a message to and scroll down to select the recipients.
Enter your subject and message.
Click on the "Send Message" button.

From another user’s profile page:

Click on the "Send Message" link under his/her name and profile picture(s).
Enter your subject and message.
Click on the "Send Message" button.

From a user’s thumbnail (on your Friends list on your profile page, your My Friends page, homepage, or another user’s Friends list):

Roll your cursor over the arrow on the bottom of the thumbnail for the person you want to and click on the link to "Send Message".
Enter your subject and message.
Click on the "Send Message" button.

Q: How do I know if I have a new message?

A: The number in parentheses on the "My Messages" tab tells you how many unread messages are waiting for you in your Inbox.

MANAGING MY ACCOUNT

Q: How do I update my account to reflect my new email address or zip code? How do I change my display name? Where can I update my email settings?

A: To edit/update your account information or email settings:

From the top of any LikeMe page, click on the "My Information" link at the top right.
You will be on the "Account Settings" tab, where you may change any information you wish.
Click "Submit" to save your changes.

Q: How do I change my password?

A: To change your password:

Click on the "My Information" link at the top right.
Click on the "Change Password" link on the "Account Settings" tab.
Enter your old and new passwords in the corresponding fields.
Click on the "Submit" button to save your changes.

Q: How do I cancel my LikeMe account?

A: Click on the "Suggestions" link at the top of any LikeMe page and send us an email requesting to have your account deactivated. We will confirm that we have canceled your account.

MANAGING EMAIL SETTINGS

How do I control what emails get sent to the email address associated with my account?

A: You can manage your email settings from the "My Settings" tab:

Click on the "Subscription Center" tab
Select or deselect any box you wish to manage LikeMe Newsletters or user to user correspondence

INAPPROPRIATE SITE CONTENT

Q: How do I report a profile or listing as inappropriate? Or, what does it mean to "Report as inappropriate" on a business page or profile page?

A: If you see anything that is inappropriate on a business page (incorrect information, an offensive Inside Word) or profile (obscene screen name or profile photo), then click the "Report as inappropriate" link. Our team will investigate and try to rectify the problem immediately.

Q: How do I report an inappropriate photo? Or, what does it mean to "Flag as inappropriate" from the "Upload Photos" page?

A: Sometimes our users may upload an image that is of questionable taste to you. Or sometimes you might discover that someone has accidentally uploaded an image that doesn't correspond to that business. Other times an image might be of such poor quality that it does not represent that place or thing appropriately. Whichever the case, if you flag an image as inappropriate through the "Upload Photos" link on a business page, our team will investigate and try to rectify the situation immediately.

Suggestions

We're always actively working on making LikeMe rock. Let us know if you have any suggestions or comments that will help make the site better.

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