TikTok is a popular short-form video sharing app that allows users to create and share 15 to 60 second videos. Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has grown to over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. One feature that quickly became popular on TikTok was the ability to see how many views your profile received from other users.
Profile views provided creators with a sense of their popularity and reach on the platform. Seeing a high number of profile views was gratifying and signaled that a creator’s content was resonating widely. However, in 2019 TikTok removed the visibility of profile views to users. Now, only the account owner can see how many views their profile receives.
History of Profile Views
Profile views were first introduced on TikTok in 2018 as a way for creators to track engagement and get validation for their content (Source). Seeing the number of profile views go up gave creators a sense of accomplishment and incentive to continue creating videos. As TikTok grew in popularity over the years, the profile views metric became more and more significant for creators. Many strived to increase their profile views as a marker of a successful and engaging account.
For viewers, profile views provided a look into how popular or engaging a creator’s account was. Users would often check profile views before deciding to follow someone or watch more of their content. The higher the profile view count, the more social proof of their influence. This created an environment where creators felt immense pressure to compete for more profile views.
Why Profile Views Were Removed
In early 2022, TikTok removed the ability for users to see the exact view count on their profile and videos. This change was made intentionally by TikTok to reduce competitiveness and social pressure among users.
As TikTok grew into one of the biggest social media platforms, it began facing criticism for potentially contributing to negative social comparison and mental health issues among young users. View counts were seen as a metric that people, especially creators, would fixate on as a measure of their self-worth and success on the app.
With high view counts being associated with virality and fame on the platform, many users felt immense pressure to accumulate views at all costs. This fostered an ultra-competitive environment on TikTok that allowed analytics to have an outsized impact on people’s self-esteem.
In response to these concerns, TikTok decided to test removing public view counts as part of their efforts to reduce the negative social comparison and competitiveness enabled by such metrics. While users can still see their own private view counts, the public numbers are now hidden as part of TikTok’s attempts to improve users’ wellbeing and mental health.
User Reactions
Users and creators reacted in various ways when TikTok removed the ability to see profile views. Some found the change to be positive, while others were quite upset about it.
Many users welcomed the shift, seeing it as a way to reduce social pressure and comparison. Not being able to view profile views made the experience feel more private. Users felt they could post what they wanted without worrying about the view count (1).
However, some users and creators heavily relied on profile views as a metric of their growth and success on the platform. Influencers and content creators often used it to gauge audience interest and determine which content was performing best (2). For them, removing profile views felt like taking away an important analytic.
There was particular backlash from creators who had worked hard to build up their followings and profile views. They felt TikTok was taking away their ability to showcase their progress and success. Some threatened to stop posting or to quit the app altogether without the public metric (3).
Overall, reactions were mixed. While some appreciated the privacy, others felt TikTok took away crucial data and proof of their efforts. The change sparked debate around appropriate use of metrics and social comparison online.
(1) https://www.quora.com/What-if-my-TikTok-profile-viewers-are-off-and-I-view-other-people-s-accounts-and-then-when-I-turn-the-profile-views-back-on-will-it-tell-the-people-that-I-viewed-their-account
(2) https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/account-privacy-settings/tiktok-profile-visit-history
(3) https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiktokhelp/comments/uj59za/turning_profile_views_on_and_off_again/
Impact on Creators
The removal of profile views has significantly impacted creators who relied on view counts to gauge engagement and growth. Many creators, especially smaller ones trying to build an audience, utilized profile views to understand what content was resonating and which followers were most engaged. Without this metric, it becomes more difficult for creators to strategize about what content to produce and which followers to engage.
Some creators have seen their view counts drop dramatically without the ability to track profile visits. This makes it harder to determine if their content is reaching and engaging viewers. Additionally, not being able to see who specifically is viewing their profile makes it more difficult for creators to identify and connect with their biggest fans.
Going forward, creators will need to rely more heavily on other engagement metrics like shares, comments, and likes. They may need to be more proactive in asking followers for feedback and suggestions on content. Creators should also make efforts to build community and dialogue around their work through features like live streams and comment responses. While the loss of profile views presents a challenge, creators can adapt by placing greater emphasis on qualitative engagement with their audiences.
Sources:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiktokhelp/comments/uj59za/turning_profile_views_on_and_off_again/
Benefits for Users’ Wellbeing
Removing public profile views on TikTok can have a positive impact on users’ mental health and wellbeing. Social media has been linked to increased social comparison and negative feelings like anxiety or depression, especially among young people. Not being able to see the exact view count on profiles reduces some of the pressure users may feel to rack up high view numbers and compete for popularity.
According to psychologists, social comparison on social media harms self-esteem and increases feelings of inadequacy. By taking away public metrics like profile views, TikTok eliminates a feature that exacerbates the tendency to compare. Users can focus less on views as a measure of worth and more on creating for fun and self-expression.
While creators can still track their own analytics, keeping profile views private reduces opportunities for envy and toxicity when users cannot spy on each other’s metrics. This change allows TikTok to emphasize creativity over popularity. The app’s Head of Safety suggests this move reflects their commitment to promoting kindness on the platform.
Alternative Metrics
With profile views removed, TikTok creators have shifted focus to other metrics to gauge their content’s performance. Three key metrics include likes, comments, and shares. https://www.socialinsider.io/blog/tiktok-metrics
Likes are a simple way for viewers to interact with a video and show appreciation. A high number of likes signals the content resonates with users. However, likes can be misleading if bought through ads or bots. Authentic likes from targeted viewers still hold value for creators.
Comments provide direct user feedback and foster community engagement. Thoughtful comments indicate the audience cares enough to respond. But comments should be assessed for quality, not just quantity. Well-thought-out feedback is more meaningful than one-word replies.
Shares extend a video’s reach beyond a creator’s existing followers. When others share content, it reflects genuine interest in the message. A large amount of reshares represents impressively viral content. However, sharing is not as common as liking on TikTok.
While not exact substitutes for profile views, these metrics give creators tangible targets. Combining likes, comments, and shares provides a holistic picture of audience enthusiasm and retention.
Tips for Creators
With profile views removed, creators should shift their focus to creating high-quality, engaging content rather than obsessing over view counts. Here are some tips for creators adapting to the changes:
Focus on watch time instead of views. Pay attention to metrics like average watch time rather than view count to gauge your content’s quality and appeal.
Ask followers for feedback. Asking your audience directly what they like, don’t like, and want to see more of can provide insights into improving your content.
Experiment with content formats. Try out different video styles like tutorials, reaction videos, and storytimes to see what resonates most with your audience.
Collaborate with others. Collaborations can help expose your content to new audiences and provide fresh creative perspectives.
Utilize hashtags wisely. Find popular and niche hashtags related to your content to make it more discoverable by a wider audience base.
Analyze your analytics. Check audience retention reports to see when people drop off and refine your video pacing and structure accordingly.
Stay on top of trends. Keep up with viral sounds, dances, memes etc. but give them your own creative spin.
Remember that high-quality content is key for long-term growth and success on TikTok, not vanity metrics like profile views.
The Future of Profile Views
TikTok’s decision to remove public profile views was likely done to protect users’ wellbeing and mental health. However, it’s possible that TikTok may reintroduce profile views in a different form in the future.
One option could be to make profile views private so that only the account owner can see them, removing the social pressure but still providing creators with useful metrics. TikTok may also explore verification badges to denote authentic, popular creators.
Additionally, TikTok may develop alternative metrics to help creators understand their content’s performance without public view counts. Metrics like shares, comments, watch time or favorites can give creators insight while protecting users.
While unlikely to reinstate public view counts, TikTok may iterate on private analytics to balance creators’ needs and users’ wellbeing. The platform is still evolving, so the company may find new solutions to help creators while keeping social pressures in check.
Conclusion
The removal of profile views on TikTok has had a significant impact on both users and creators. By taking away the public metric of profile views, TikTok aimed to improve users’ wellbeing by reducing social comparison. For individual users, there are certainly benefits to removing the pressure of comparing oneself based on profile views. However, creators have faced more challenges tracking audience interest and growth without profile views.
The key takeaways are:
- For users, the removal of profile views eliminates a metric that could negatively impact mental health and self-image.
- However, creators have lost an important tool for tracking audience growth and engagement.
- TikTok has pointed creators toward alternative metrics like Likes, Shares, and Commentsto measure resonance.
- While the loss of profile views poses challenges, creators have adapted by prioritizing content quality over view counts.
- The ultimate goal is for TikTok to provide metrics that foster creativity and community over competition.
By removing public profile views, TikTok aims to reduce potentially toxic social comparison among users. But the change remains controversial as creators find new ways to analyze audience engagement. Going forward, TikTok must balance user wellbeing with creator success.
