Instagram is without a doubt one of the most popular social media networks, and staying in the know is a big deal. It’s really important to understand what’s trending, what your target audience is into, and how people are using the platform.
This may include how to see what someone likes on Instagram.
Instagram is consistently developing and changing, introducing new features to its users and also removing previous features for one reason or another. There are tons of features that have been created to benefit brands, businesses, influencers, and more who are looking to monetize Instagram.
While most features of Instagram are generally enjoyed by its user base, there may be some exceptions, especially when features are removed. It can cause people to be confused, looking for something that was previously available and now is no longer there.
If you’re hoping to figure out how to see what someone likes on Instagram, you may be disappointed to discover that this is one of the features that Instagram previously offered but decided to remove.
In this article, we’ll explore options for how to see what someone likes on Instagram, something that used to be fairly simple to do in the past.
How to See Someone’s Activity on Instagram
Instagram previously had a feature called the following tab that allowed you to see what actions Instagram users took, as long as you followed their account.
This tab offered different information, such as what someone likes on Instagram, what they comment on, as well as what accounts they recently began to follow.
While it may seem at first glance that this feature was a bit stalker-ish, it was actually incredibly beneficial for brands and businesses looking to understand what their target audience was doing on the platform.
Understanding which accounts they were following and what content they were engaging with gave insight into their wants and needs and allowed brands and businesses to use this information to enhance their content strategy on Instagram.
Much to the dismay of many users, the feature was removed in October of 2019, making it no longer possible to see what a user likes on Instagram. The only way that you can now find out what content a user is engaging with is to actually go to the account and click on the photos themselves.
If you’re just snooping around on Instagram for personal reasons, like you want to see what content your partner or friend is engaging with, it may be easier since you already know where to look.
If you’re using Instagram for business, however, and are trying to do market research, this method can be extremely time consuming and tedious.
Let’s take a look into why Instagram decided to remove this feature and if there are any alternative ways that can help you figure out how to see what someone likes on Instagram.
Why Did Instagram Remove the Following Activity Tab?
For professional accounts and personal snoopers alike, the removal of the following tab may have been a bit of a shock and disappointment. You may be wondering why Instagram would remove this feature.
People were able to see what people were engaging with and check out those posts and accounts, adding an additional way for accounts to get more reach and exposure on Instagram without doing anything themselves.
When Instagram began to blow up with popularity, the privacy of users became much more of a concern, and Instagram decided to re-evaluate the viability of a feature like this, giving such insight to every move a user made on the platform.
Because Instagram wanted to make users feel more comfortable on the platform and not deter them from taking actions, they decided to remove the feature as a way to provide more personal information privacy to its users.
As a result, we all had to say goodbye to more organic reach and a way to do market research on our target audience without any engagement.
There’s no current method that answers the question of how to see what someone likes on Instagram without browsing through tons of accounts and looking for the username or comment directly.
FAQ on Instagram Activities
Here are the three most common questions related to how to see what someone likes on Instagram.
Is There a Way to Bring Back the Following Tab on Instagram?
Because Instagram completely removed the Instagram following tab with no prospects of bringing it back, you aren’t able to access it on your account.
You won’t be able to bring it back, and it was done largely to protect the personal privacy and comfort level of its users.
Is It Possible to Find out What Someone Likes on Instagram Another Way?
If you follow the same Instagram accounts as the target user, or the account that you want to investigate is set to public, you can still see what actions a user is taking on Instagram.
For example, if you follow the same account as one of your followed accounts, if that account likes a post from the mutually followed account, their username will appear below the post so that you can easily see if the user has engaged with the content.
Keep in mind that there’s no easy way to do this, and it can take a lot of your personal time. If you want to do market research, a better strategy would be to simply use Instagram stories to interact with your followers and ask for their opinions on certain things using interactive stickers.
Is It Possible to See Someone’s Activities on Instagram Using Third Party Apps?
While there are tracker apps that were created to follow a user’s activities on Instagram, there is no authentic and secure way to do so.
Many of these apps require you to give personal information or pay for the service, and there’s no guarantee that they will provide you with accurate information.
It’s best to avoid using these types of apps, as they are not verified nor endorsed by Instagram in any way and may be in violation of the terms of use.
Final Thoughts: Viewing User Activity on Instagram
It can be disappointing to know that there is no satisfying answer to the question of how to see what someone likes on Instagram anymore. If your goal was to snoop on a friend, family member, or partner, you’ll have to try out other methods to get the information you need.
If your goal was to use the feature for market research, you can find other ways to directly address your followers and viewers using features like Instagram stories, DMs, reels, and engaging content that gets your users responding and engaging with your content.
Instagram removed the following tab so that the privacy of users was protected and so that they could feel comfortable taking any actions they pleased without worrying that someone would see or judge them. At the end of the day, the decision was in the best interest of all Instagram users.
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