Fans of Instagram were sent into a panic when news first spread that the platform was removing its ‘likes’ feature. Understandably, there was concern for people who make their living through their Instagram content. None more so than influencers, who gain advertisers based on how many ‘likes’ they receive and will promote a company’s products to their fans. With that in mind, a lack of visible ‘likes’ could have a knock-on effect. However, there is more to the story than it seems…
Trialling the changes
Instagram is hiding the number of ‘likes’ on posts in certain countries like Australia, New Zealand, Italy and Japan. This change is also part of a trial. The idea behind it is to take focus away from the response your content gets and to reduce the desire to compare yourself with others. Mia Garlick, the Facebook Australia and New Zealand director of policy said: “We hope this test will remove the pressure of how many likes a post will receive, so you can focus on sharing the things you love.”
Social media platforms get the lion’s share of the time most people, especially teenagers and youngsters, spend online. For many, the possibility to view and share content on these platforms are among the main reasons to own a smartphone. Instagram is sometimes viewed negatively due to users feeling like they are not ‘achieving’ if their content does not gain a high number of likes. If another user seems to have an exciting life that is praised and envied, it can be difficult to value self-worth when your own content isn’t recognised.
The worst platform for mental health?
The idea was given merit in 2017 when Instagram was rated as the worst social media platform for young people’s mental health. This was according to a UK snapshot survey where 14-24 year-olds were asked to rate apps according to issues like depression, anxiety body image and bullying.
Instagram is not alone though. Users on other social platforms may also think that the ‘grass is always greener’ when comparing their posts to others. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri also talked about this element when the trial was first run in Canada back in May. “We want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they’re getting on Instagram and spend a bit more time connecting with the people that they care about,” he explained.
Coping with changes
Around 7.7 billion people use Instagram, making it an important tool to promote a business, advertise products and build interest. It can expand your audience reach and potentially lead to increased sales. It’s no surprise that automatic Instagram likes have become so popular.
So, what effect could a change to Instagram actually have on you or your business? Although the trial hasn’t reached the UK, if Instagram decided to roll-out the removal of ‘likes,’ it is difficult to predict an exact impact. Instagram have said that the change would not affect a business’s ability to use measurement tools. Likewise, the ‘likes’ on content would not disappear, instead they would be hidden until clicked on.
In the current trial, users see a username followed by ‘and others,’ when viewing someone else’s content. They can click into this to show the full number of people who have liked the post. Users can also see the amount of likes their own posts receive. This means that it is possible for influencers and businesses to keep records of their success.
