Instagram Influencers Are Upset That It Has Disabled Display Of Likes
Image via Shutterstock When Instagram first announced it would be hiding likes, influencers were already complaining that it would affect their businesses.
Now that the Facebook-owned platform has gradually implemented the change, the move is being welcomed by many who believe it will offer a healthier experience, though it has also come under fire by those who make a living on social media.
The update allows users to see how many likes their own posts get, but not on others’ images, which only reflect usernames of people they follow and “others.” The change will soon apply for video views too.
The general public has responded positively, as the move will allow users to focus on quality as well as what they really want to post, rather than what appeals to others.
On the contrary, social media celebrities have voiced out their dismay on Australian program Triple J’s Hack.
For instance, Perth-based fitness and food influencer Jem Wolfe tells Hack that the change has been “demotivating,” and that Instagram is “taking a tool away that’s really important for us.” Furthermore, she says brands would no longer tell who they should work with, now that they can no longer gauge an account’s popularity as easily.
There are actually other ways influencers can stand out to businesses, such as from their engagement rate, impressions and reach. However, for people who have just started out on this path, the process can be difficult.
Meanwhile, the change will still be implemented despite the backlash. Instagram Australia’s Director of Policy also tells Channel 7 that the purpose is to let people focus on the “content and the experience of engaging” without excessively worrying about the number of likes on a post.
[via LADbible, cover image via Shutterstock]
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