Do you agree or disagree that Instagram should conceal likes? Although not all users have the latest update, a sizable portion of them have it. Hiding like counts has certain advantages, but it also makes Instagram marketing more challenging. Why Instagram is hiding likes, what it means, and what you can do to keep growing your brand’s Instagram following will be discussed below.
Instagram Covers Up Fans All Over the World
Several other nations have previously implemented this modification before the United States.
Instagram confirmed the test’s global rollout in the middle of November, at which point likes were concealed for all users across the world. Some portion of the 112.5 million U.S.-based Instagram accounts will no longer be able to view their followers’ likes. Even though Instagram hasn’t said whether or not this is a permanent move, many users and their followers are having to adapt to it already.
To what end are Instagram’s likes hidden?
The reasoning behind this change is because hiding the quantity of likes producers get might encourage them to keep making content. As a result of the pressure to perform well in terms of likes, many Instagram users delete posts that don’t perform “well enough” among their followers. Hiding likes may allow Instagram users to unwind and focus on generating great content, rather than competing to see who has the most followers.
You can still view your personal like count despite Instagram’s latest upgrade that hides likes for everyone but the poster. Only other users won’t have access to that data. Unless a post is one of your own, you won’t be able to see how many likes or views it has while browsing through your feed. As an alternative, you may see the names of certain common friends, such as “liked by and others.” CNN reports that tapping “others” would bring up a list of additional accounts that have shown support for the post.
Just who is going to be impacted by this?
Instagram’s hidden likes would negatively impact firms and influencers attempting to do business on the platform, the company has said. For marketing purposes, likes are invaluable since they serve as social proof (if 100,000 people like your product photo, it must be wonderful!). There is a risk that removing this option would discourage people from following a company on Instagram.
But don’t fret if you represent an established business or influencer. If you’re active on Instagram, you’ll see progress even if your likes aren’t immediately apparent. Engaging with people may also be done in various ways, such as through comments, direct messages, or the interactive features of Instagram Stories. Since you’ll still be alerted when someone likes your photo, your engagement rate will continue to be an important indicator to monitor and an effective means by which to grow your audience.
Maintaining a high engagement rate requires consistent publication of high-quality content. Using professional photographs and graphics with clever and/or amusing captions can pique your audience’s interest and encourage them to interact with your posts. Create a unified feed by posting brand-appropriate, aesthetically attractive photographs, and consider including short films as well. Instagram Stories are a terrific way to increase interaction because of its various interactive features, and they don’t even require likes.
Having a great hashtag strategy, utilising geotags, and tapping into the power of influencer marketing are all ways to develop your account beyond just getting more likes on your posts. They will still be able to see your engagement rate if you use an influencer marketing tool to locate individuals to work with. If an influencer’s like count is hidden, using a service like Upfluence or Modash might help you learn more about them and their audience. Despite Instagram’s decision to hide likes, there are still several methods to increase your account’s fan base.
It’s Not Too Late for Instagram to Expand
Instagram’s move to hide users’ likes may come as a surprise, and opinions among Instagrammers are divided on the matter. Whether you love or hate the new Instagram update, it’s here to stay for a lot of people, and while it may take a bit more effort to attain the Instagram growth you need to see, it’s still feasible to be successful on the platform.