Instagram has come a long way and has been particularly focused on User Privacy & user experience. This includes eliminating the ability for users to view what other people liked. This has been an update for privacy enhancement but it is very difficult now to get your target on what users love about Instagram. But still, there are some ways to know what one likes and interests. Here’s how you can do it:
Table of Contents
Why Can’t You See Likes Anymore?
Instagram used to have a “Following” tab where you could see the activity of your friends like their behavior, comments on posts, etc. Unfortunately, this feature was removed to improve user privacy and de-stress the app. Now, the focus is on your activity rather than others’.
What Does This Mean for You?
While you can’t directly see someone’s liked posts, there are still subtle ways to get a sense of what they enjoy on Instagram.
1. Explore Their Profile and Following List
A. Review the following List
Perhaps the easiest way to get an idea of what someone is into on Instagram is by seeing whose posts they are following. Here’s how you can do it:
- Go to Their Profile: Navigate to the person’s profile page.
- Tap on “Following”: This will show you a list of accounts they follow.
- Analyze the Accounts: Look for patterns. Do they follow a lot of fashion influencers, travel bloggers, or fitness enthusiasts? This can give you idea about their interests.
B. Look at Their Posts
Another way to understand someone’s preferences is by looking at what they post themselves:
- Check Their Photos and Videos: What kind of things are they posting? Does it seem like they are always coupling about certain activities/ places/or things?
- Read Their Captions: Sometimes Instagram posts and captions can say a lot about the person so make sure to do some deep diving.
2. Engage with Mutual Accounts
A. Mutual Friends and Followers
You might also see their likes and comments about the same posts you follow if they have mutual friends or similar accounts. Here’s what you can do:
- Scroll Through Mutual Posts: If you both follow the same accounts, scroll through any mutual posts and check out their comments or likes to see if they’ve interacted.
- Observe Their Engagement: They are active on certain posts, the more common they interact (like/comment) in one post can suggest what kind of content they like.
3. Utilize Instagram Stories
A. Watch Their Story Interactions
Instagram Stories are also a good way to check someone’s interests for example, what kind of pages and contexts do they like?
- Pay Attention to Their Stories: If they keep posting from other accounts in stories, it means the type of content that makes them share.
- Check for Polls and Questions: People often interact with polls, questions, etc through your stories. By reading their replies, you can get information on what they like.
4. Explore Their Saved Collections (If Accessible)
You can not specifically see someone else’s saved collections on Instagram, but you may discover that sometimes they share content selected from these with their stories or posts. Here’s what to watch for:
- Shared Posts: If they are sharing saved posts a lot, then obviously these will be things that appeal to them or interest.
- Reposted Content: One of the things to notice about reposts is that they are very likely coming from their saved items and this can tell you what kind of content they already like.
5. Ask Directly
A. Start a Conversation
Sometimes the simplest way to discover what someone likes on Instagram is simply by asking them. You can start a conversation about Instagram:
- Discuss Favorite Accounts: Discuss what accounts they follow and why are these accounts your favorites.
- Share Your Interests: Sharing your own interests can prompt them to reveal theirs in return.
Conclusion
Although, you cannot see what someone liked anymore on Instagram directly but there are few ways to still get the insights of one’s interest turned into suches. You can already have an idea of what they like based on their profile, followings and interactions with mutual accounts. Just remember the biggest piece of advice is to use these tips with integrity and engage thoughtfully with others on Instagram.