Social media has a significant impact on our well-being, mental health, and self-perception. One study found that Instagram likes can have a negative effect on adolescents. Comparing ourselves to popular influencers and celebrities and basing our self-worth on the number of likes we receive can be harmful. That’s why Instagram has introduced the option to hide likes.
In this article, we will discuss why you might want to hide likes on Instagram and provide a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
Why would you want to turn off likes on Instagram?
Research shows that receiving few likes on Instagram can have a negative impact on a user’s mental health, especially for those more susceptible to feedback. Likes are a vanity metric and don’t hold much importance when measuring the overall performance of your Instagram marketing efforts. Instead, focus on metrics like comments and shares, which show that your post resonated with users.
How to hide likes on Instagram
You can hide likes on both your own Instagram posts and posts from accounts you follow.
1. How to hide likes on others’ Instagram posts:
- Tap the hamburger menu on your profile and go to Settings.
- In the Settings menu, tap Privacy.
- In the Privacy menu, tap Posts.
- Toggle the Hide Like and View Counts option on.
2. How to hide likes on your own Instagram posts before publishing:
- Create your Instagram post as usual.
- When you get to the section to write your caption, tag products, or add a location, tap Advanced Settings.
- Toggle the Hide Like and View Counts on this post option to hide your post’s likes.
3. How to hide likes on your Instagram posts after publishing:
- Go to the post you want to update and tap the three dots menu icon.
- Tap Hide Like Count to hide the number of likes on your post.
How to see your likes on Instagram even if they’re hidden
Although likes will be hidden from the public, you can still track them internally to measure your account’s growth. You can access your likes data within Instagram Insights or use a social media management tool like Sprout Social to check your analytics.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hiding likes on Instagram can have positive effects on mental health and help shift the focus to more meaningful engagement metrics. Consider the impact on your brand and audience before deciding to hide likes.