I will try to make it more clear.
When you vote on an answer you:
1. Provide good feedback to the poster.
2. Add an indicator for future readers, that are looking for an answer to a similar question, that this post will help them.
When you like a post you:
1. Provide good feedback to the poster.
2. Add an indicator that this post has some importance.
There are cases where someone wrote something funny, smart or useful in any other way but it is not exactly an answer to the question. In such cases liking it makes more sense.
Bottom line: both options are good.