In one of the social giant’s biggest moves, Instagram has announced that following success in Canada, Australia will be the next country to no longer see the number of ‘likes’ on a post.
It’s big news for Instagram users and even bigger news for the industry, with likes being a major factor in any marketing team’s insights and reporting, and acting as currency for many influencers.
So why this, and why now?
Instagram, with over 1.1 billion active users and as one of the powerhouses of the world, seems to be reacting on a large scale to the surmounting bad press that highlights the ill mental health and wellbeing the platform provokes.
By hiding the number of likes, the social pressure that’s been building up and up for many teens, adults and companies dissipates. The pressure many feel on the social platform has been amounting to dangerous levels, from companies buying likes to teens facing bullying and depression due to those tiny red hearts.
“We want to see if this actually improves the experience, and depressurises Instagram,” Mia Garlick told Hack.
We’re sure this move will bring many marketers back to the drawing board and will likely turn the influencer world on its head, and we’ll keep a close eye on any developments.
