Status Likes

Status Likes addressed a core tension in Status: enabling feedback without introducing performance pressure or chat clutter. As design lead for Status, I drove this project onto the roadmap by building cross-org buy-in around lightweight feedback, then owned design from strategy through execution as one of the most impactful interventions on the system.

Address a core feedback gap in Status, where limited interaction felt less validating for posters and less engaging for viewers. Make appreciation effortless without requiring replies, disrupting chat threads, or shifting Status toward performative social dynamics.

Goal

Introduce a lightweight feedback mechanism directly within Status, designed to feel expressive, human, and distinctly WhatsApp. Status Likes combined subtle motion, brand-aligned interaction, and low-friction input to make appreciation effortless while preserving non-performative norms and reinforcing the feedback loop between close contacts. I owned the end-to-end design, partnering with Core Consumer and Media to define where Status could diverge with delight without breaking shared platform patterns and norms.

The Approach

Status Likes became the most impactful project on Status, significantly increasing feedback, validation, and participation. Posters received clearer signals of appreciation, while viewers could engage without cognitive or social overhead. The feature strengthened the feedback loop at scale without increasing anxiety or chat noise, and contributed to increased poster confidence and posting frequency.

Success:

  • 38% of Status team’s year end impact

  • +4.74M Poster WAU (+0.49%)

  • Avg interactions per post increased from 0.56 → 1.78

  • % of posters receiving feedback increased from 68% → 83%

  • Status Likes DAU: 331M

  • 113B total likes sent: ~1.68B daily and growing

Impact