In November 2021, YouTube removed the dislike bar when viewing a video. This decision was controversial, as people wanted to see how the audience reacted to a video before watching it. Also, as a creator, you want what’s best for your audience. Even if you buy real likes on followzilla.net, you need to change something if your natural audience dislikes a video. So, let’s explain everything about the dislike count.
Why Did YouTube Remove Dislikes?
YouTube removed dislikes because they claimed many people were abusing them to mass-dislike videos as part of a troll campaign. While this certainly did happen, removing the dislike bar has not done much to mitigate mass disliking if you know how to view likes.
There are many valid reasons why someone would want to see how many thumbs-downs a video has. For example, if you’re watching a tutorial video, one heavily disliked indicates that it’s not a good tutorial. Dislikes can tell you if a video is a scam. Sometimes, it can suggest that what the YouTuber is about to say is controversial and ironically makes you want to watch the video.
How to See YouTube Dislikes as a Creator
Luckily, if you are a creator, it is easy to see your like-to-dislike ratio.
First, go to your channel. Select “Manage videos.” You will be directed to the YouTube Studio page. There, you can see your videos and see information such as their visibility, monetization, and, at the very right, your likes vs. dislikes. You can highlight it with your mouse to see the exact number of likes and dislikes you have.
Viewing dislikes as a creator is essential to grow your branding. You can make changes by learning how many people like and dislike your videos. While not all feedback will be positive, a mass-disliked video can tell you something is wrong.
How to See Dislikes on YouTube as a Viewer
If you want to see how many dislikes a video has as a viewer, it’s still possible. You can download the Return YouTube Dislikes extension on your browser. Once it’s installed, you can see a visible dislike bar.
Using their API, they track how many dislikes a video has received. It should be mentioned that the dislike counter will not be 100% accurate, but it can give you a good idea of how many people dislike the video.
Strategies to Respond to Dislikes
What is an excellent like-to-dislike ratio? If your video gets over 90% likes, it’s considered great. Then, 75%-89% is still good, but it may be a little controversial. If your video is under that, it’s a little more negative.
So, if your video is disliked, you should figure out why. Is there any issue with the audio and video quality? Your presentation? Sometimes, it’s a little more obvious; for instance, if your video is you making a hot take, you probably realize that not everyone will agree.
The comments section is an excellent place to look. If someone left a comment giving you constructive criticism, see if you can implement it into your next video. Not all criticism will be valid, but if the criticism makes sense, perhaps you should adjust your video accordingly.
Sometimes, one of your detractors may have gotten people to mass-dislike your video. If this is the case, don’t let the hate get to you. Instead, keep making content your fans will love, and consider reporting any accounts.
Finally, your content may be good, but the video may not be going toward your target audience. Be sure you’re using the right thumbnails and keywords so that your video does reach its audience.
Getting an adverse reaction is never a good feeling, but it’s significantly normal as you’re growing on the platform. Once you find your audience, your like-to-dislike ratio should be more stable unless you make a controversial video.
Final Thoughts
YouTube removing the dislike bar is a decision that was met with backlash. But over two years later, they don’t show signs of reversing that decision, and most people have accepted it. Luckily, dislikes are still viewable as a creator if you go to your YouTube Studio. If you’re viewing someone else’s video, you can use an extension to make the dislike bar public again.
FAQ
Why Can’t I See Dislikes on YouTube?
YouTube removed the dislike bar for public viewers. However, there are extensions that you can use to get an idea of how many dislikes the video has received.
When Did YouTube Removed Dislikes?
YouTube started testing removing dislikes in March 2021, then removed them for everyone that November. While most people received this change poorly, YouTube has no signs of reverting the decision. Luckily, there are ways that you can bring the dislike bar back.