The pros and cons of social media have been a topic of discussion for years. There’s no doubt that counting and comparing likes can become a self-esteem boost … or deflation, depending on how your social media is received. Too much focus on how content is received also tends to skew the content that is posted. Content gets reposted, and stall. Users tend not to push the envelope. These are a few of the known ‘cons’ of social media.
Instagram is trying to do something about it.
For the past few weeks, Instagram has started to hide the like count on a post, in select markets. They started in Canada and Japan, and are now rolling out to their biggest market, the USA. The intent is to make content more appealing, by shifting the focus from that little number next to the heart.
You will still be able to see your own metrics, but you don’t be able to see like counts of other users. Instagram hopes this will make posting less of a popularity contest and allow users to be more ‘real’ in their content.
There is a lot of debate back and forth about how this will effect businesses marketing on instagram. Personally, I think it will be a positive change. You will still be able to track your own growth, but without worrying about others. And if it helps us interact with social media in a more positive manner, I am all for it.
