Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder about people who watch EVERY story but never like pictures

79 replies

Opal93 · 23/02/2022 20:38

And I KNOW it’s just social media it’s not real life and we aren’t supposed to care, but it’s something I’ve noticed and heard other people say about it too and just genuinely curious. Has anyone else experienced people who watch all your stories, never miss a single one, but yet never like your pictures? I’m not saying I care about like posts or anything but I do wonder why people follow me at all/ view stories if they are not interested in my stuff. I know a few people who have pages of their small businesses say the same thing. Am I BU to wonder what that’s about?

OP posts:
hugr · 23/02/2022 20:40

I just like watching stories. I'll only like a post if I'm especially interested in it.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 23/02/2022 20:41

I just flick through stories. They're at the top of whichever app I'm using. I'm not necessarily paying much attention or looking at someone's story specifically.

ComDummings · 23/02/2022 20:42

I think a fair few people don’t bother scrolling any more and just watch stories. I usually do that.

TracyMosby · 23/02/2022 20:42

Are they friends and family who liked your page when you started your business? Rather than your target audience?

Original poster
Opal93 · 23/02/2022 20:43

More specifically, I have a few exes/ex friends on SM who watch every story but NEVER like pictures or make any other kind of contact. It makes me wonder why they friended me but won’t actually talk to me if that makes sense

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 23/02/2022 20:43

How do you know who has watched your stories? I am now slightly panicking…

Snowdon564 · 23/02/2022 20:43

You can’t respond to ever photo or story you see, that’s just stupid and would take way too long!
Browsing insta is better than interacting with it too

Original poster
Opal93 · 23/02/2022 20:44

TracyMosby, I don’t actually have a business myself, I just meant that some people I know who do have said about that sorry if I made it sound like I do x

OP posts:
watcherintherye · 23/02/2022 20:44

This may sound like a silly question, but what are ‘stories’ in the context of social media? I don’t do fb, instagram or anything similar. Are they just posts?

GoldiePrawn · 23/02/2022 20:44

I thought watching it was ‘liking’ it. Because otherwise I wouldn’t bother to watch it. I didn’t know I had to send validation of it.

chiiipsandsalad · 23/02/2022 20:44

@PurpleDaisies

How do you know who has watched your stories? I am now slightly panicking…
If you watch your own story it tells you at the bottom who has viewed it
Original poster
Opal93 · 23/02/2022 20:45

PurpleDaisies it tells you when you swipe up

OP posts:
sherbetmelon · 23/02/2022 20:45

I only really watch stories, I don't scroll as much now as I find the stories better and more personal. I also don't let people follow me who I'm not comfortable viewing my profile and I also only post to 'close friends' on IG anything that I only want my actual friends/family to see.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 23/02/2022 20:45

@PurpleDaisies Insta shows you a list of Story viewers; bottom left.

@Opal93 The last few Instagram usage surveys have shown plenty of people only watch stories now and don’t scroll their feed. It’s also a passive action to watch stories as they auto play from one person to the next, unlike scrolling; and watching a story would be equivalent to the reach of a post, not liking it - you can now like stories; though, as of today.

NurseButtercup · 23/02/2022 20:46

I think your focus is on the wrong thing. Instagram has drawn you into expecting a "like" for every view on your story.

If I was running a business Instagram account I'd be more interested in how many people were reposting my stories to extend my reach. And how many of those views converted into sales.

Original poster
Opal93 · 23/02/2022 20:46

watcherintherye they are basically posts that go away after 24 hours and you can see who has viewed them

OP posts:
MinorWomensWhiplash1 · 23/02/2022 20:46

I like the ones who don’t realise you can see who has watched them. I have a friend who studiously pretends not to know about various life events so as not to let on that she watches my stories, it’s quite odd and funny Grin

PurpleDaisies · 23/02/2022 20:46

Is that the same for Facebook stories too?

ballsdeep · 23/02/2022 20:46

Who even checks who has watched your stories?! Who cares? If you don't want people to see them, delete the stories or block the person

Mushrooms0up · 23/02/2022 20:47

I mindlessly watch stories when I’m watching tv, or on the train etc etc.

I don’t actively choose them to watch, I just watch them all / skip through.

I actually quite rarely scroll through the feed

HeadingForHome · 23/02/2022 20:47

This may sound like a silly question, but what are ‘stories’ in the context of social media? I don’t do fb, instagram or anything similar. Are they just posts?

I was going to ask this. I do use Facebook but don't watch anything just see photos and posts from friends and businesses.

Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese · 23/02/2022 20:48

I don't even watch the stories I just hate the pink bubble so click through to make it go away.

chiiipsandsalad · 23/02/2022 20:49

@PurpleDaisies

Is that the same for Facebook stories too?
Yes!
NurseButtercup · 23/02/2022 20:50

@Opal93

More specifically, I have a few exes/ex friends on SM who watch every story but NEVER like pictures or make any other kind of contact. It makes me wonder why they friended me but won’t actually talk to me if that makes sense
Block them? Why are you allowing your ex-friends & ex-boyfriends to see the information you're sharing? How bizarre!
PurpleDaisies · 23/02/2022 20:50

This will change my Facebook behaviour. Thank you!

Swipe left for the next trending thread