The “Like”-minded Instagram influencer didn’t have to wait long to get a work-around to the social media app’s experiment with hiding the number of “Likes” on posts.
A company known as Socialinsider has created a free Google Chrome browser extension called “The Return of the Likes.”
Unless you’ve been in a news and social media blackout, you’re aware of Instagram’s campaign to make the photo-sharing app a bully- and pressure-free experience. Part of the shift included a test to remove the ‘Like’ tally followers can see on a post.
The test started over the summer with a handful of countries and recently went global. The change created consternation among many Instagram entrepreneurs who say the value of their brand and high level of engagement depends partly on people being able to see just how popular a post is.
“The Return of the Likes” partially delivers (click here for more information). The extension will allow “Like” and “Comment” stats to appear below photos in both profile and on individual images when feeds are viewed through Chrome. It won’t work on the Instagram app itself so influencers will need to get creative to show followers the feed is popular.
Instagram says it hasn’t decided whether to make the change permanent.
The extension was created for “social media marketers to have a quick progress view when partnering with other companies, agencies and, especially, when working with influencers,” Socialinsider told the photography website PetePixel.
Socialinsider promises no data is sent to its servers.
