Instagram is Changing the Game

Instagram is Changing The Game

Have you heard the news that Instagram is going to remove likes? Yep. In fact, as we speak it is currently being tested in Canada.  

“To like or not to like,” as Shakespeare once said.

Actually, Shakespeare never said that.

But I certainly have a thought. So here goes:

I support this change one-hundred percent given the countless studies showing Instagram users having major struggles with anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep quality and negative impact on body image.

Instagram’s biggest reason for wanting to remove likes from public posts is tied to all of the recent media attention around people using them as an evaluation of themselves in terms of self-esteem and acceptance.

To put it bluntly, these behaviors are making people depressed because of the tendency of people to compare themselves to an idealized or aspiration lifestyle that may or may not be real.

This, in my opinion, is a big deal

It’s a decision, however, that’s freaking some people out, particularly those social media influencers who use LIKES as a way of measuring the performance of a  particular post.

In truth, likes are not really that good of an indicator of whether somebody is, in fact, an influencer. Rather, comments and direct messages are a much better influence barometer because it forces people to verbalize their true thoughts as opposed to simply pressing a button.

It’s shallow to base your self-worth on how many people like a post. Or even base the relevance of your content on someone’s like. All of this has become a bit of a charade, a popularity contest that’s no longer making sense given the psychological impact it’s having on people.

Because at the end of the day, when you chase vanity metrics out of ego, it reflects a deep level of insecurity.

Fortunately, Instagram is taking a stand. As a coach that works with so many people on confidence and self-esteem issues tied to social media, “I Like The Move.”

At the end of the day, Instagram users and influencer don’t need to see how many likes they have on their public profile to evaluate how a post is performing. These metrics are already accessible in their backend analytics section.

Another upside of this change is that it de-incentivizes the “purchasing” of likes, thereby giving smaller users and influencers a chance to get more attention.

Let’s face it, we are all addicted in our own way to following a crowd. When a lot of people are moving in one direction, there is a tendency to follow suit. So, if people see others liking something, they assume that it's good or better than something else.

Eliminating likes would allow for more comments to see what people are really thinking. To be thoughtful and express how they really feel about something. To add some context around their opinions instead of just a “heart” like.

So again, I think the move to eliminate the “like” function is a very positive one, one that will help improve the self-esteem of Instagram users. I also believe this change will help the up and coming online business owner gain a clearer understanding of what type of content the user wants.

OK, now it’s your turn to chime in. The good news is that you can’t bail on me by pressing a “like” button.

Because there isn't one in this post.  

Here goes:

What makes you like a post in social media and what makes you dislike a post in social media?

What does it actually mean when you do it?

Hit reply and send me message. Inquiring minds want to know. 

Desi Wenzel