The next time you log on to your Instagram account, you may notice a major change.
The social media giant will be testing out a new feature in Canada that hides the number of likes on photos and videos.
“Overall, I think it’s going to be a really positive thing,” said Kat Tepylo, a local social media manager and consultant. “Likes are really a vanity metric, so they’re not worth that much, especially as a business. If someone likes your post, that doesn’t mean they’re going to buy your product.”
The new move is in line with other redesigns Instagram has tested. The company experimented with making follower counts less prominent on profiles late last year.
“They’re really trying to focus less on the numbers and the popularity contest that social media can sometimes be,” Tepylo said. “That’s just taking it to another level.”
The company says it’s testing the feature because it wants users to focus on the photos and videos they share instead of how many likes they get.
Instagram has not indicated how long the test will run or if the feature will become permanent.