What Instagram's Test of Hiding Like Totals Means For Your Brand
It’s happening! Instagram is beginning to test hidden like totals this week in the United States!
A few months ago, we let everyone in on the news of Instagram hiding likes as the test was happening in other countries around the globe and Instagram users were freaking out a bit! Now that the news has hit home, some users may find themselves stressed a bit more as they wonder what this means for their business.
Here is a little background:
Likes are not 100% going away. Your followers will still have the option to double-tap your photos and videos, but they will not be able to see how many likes you have received. You will still have access to this information and can see how many likes you gained. Additionally, rumor has it that we may still be able to see like counts on desktop.
Your followers can also still see the list of users who have liked your content if they click on the names under your photo, but they still will not be able to know the number of likes unless they take the time to go through and count (plz do not do this).
Some users will be a part of a test group for this, and others will not. You cannot decide to join or leave the test group.
If you are an influencer who works with brands, those brands will still be able to see your engagement numbers if they already have access to an Instagram partner tool/platform. Nevertheless, it does not hurt to have a media kit ready to go!
There is no word on if video views are gong away, but I assume they are staying put.
Luckily, us social media mangers have had time to prepare our minds for this, but we wanted to ensure others know how this will go. So let’s discuss a few predictions.
There Will Be An Uptick in Content
Now that like counts are hidden, we believe people will begin to post more content more often. There has always been this stigma with most Instagram users about posting more than a once a day (unless you are a celebrity or a big event just occurred in your life), but removing likes may end that. Consider doing the same and posting a bit more than usual, but still remember quality > quantity.
If you need help with planning your content in advance, check out our 2020 content calendar in the TCP shop.
Small Businesses Will Get More Attention
We have realized that Instagram users are less likely to engage with smaller brands or local businesses because they have a smaller name than a bigger brand that may post the same (or worse!) content. We think it is safe to say that people like to back something once it gets a name to it. With like counts gone, we can see more engagement thrown to entrepreneurs and the “little guys” even though it should have been there from the beginning.
If you fit into that bucket, keep an eye on your analytics over the first few weeks of the test to see what is working under this change and what is not so you can quickly adjust.
The Number of Engaging Comments Will Increase
We have always been fans of a comment over a like because it shows us (and Instagram!) that someone loved our content so much that they took the time to sit down and leave us a note. With likes going bye bye, comments will be critical.
Encourage comments on your posts by adding a call-to-action such as, “Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.” in your caption. If you ask your audience to leave you feedback, they will do it! Be sure to respond to every comment you receive as well.
Fake Followers Will Rise
Many people who a) have knowledge on how to buy fake followers and b) know how crazy it looks when an Instagram user’s likes do not match their follower number may actually consider buying fake followers now that likes are hidden. Think about it: They can get away with having 20,000 followers and 20 likes if no one can see the “20” number in their face.
However, this is an easy way to get your account shut down or have action blocks placed on your account so that you cannot follow, like, or comment on someone’s page for a few hours or a few days. Therefore, do not buy fake followers, ever!
Saves Will Become a Trend
This may be a bit of a wild card but we are throwing it out there: The average Instagram user is just now learning that saves on a post are valuable. It signals to Instagram that a post is so great that someone is going to save it and come back to it later. Even though save numbers are not public, we can see Instagram users saving more of their friend’s posts so they can show up higher on the feed. A lot of users also already save posts that they do not like!
Just like a CTA for comments, adding a CTA for saves in your caption can and will result in more saves of your content!
Instagram Users Will Be Happier + Authentic
We truly believe hiding like totals will make Instagram users happier overall. There is such a pressure to be liked on and off Instagram instead of just focusing on ideal content that will help build your business and brand. The “secret” to Instagram now and when likes are gone is to spend time planning quality content that your audience will enjoy and engage with on and off the platform. Focus on driving them to your blog, shop, newsletter signup form, or any other place that can help you increase conversions.
We Will All Survive
Do not forget that Instagram Story views are only available to us and we share Stories all day long! Removing likes is far from the end of the world.
At the end of the day:
Remember that likes are a vanity metric. We would rather gain 100 customers from a photo on Instagram than 100 likes that do not translate to a sale!
Invest your time in pieces of your strategy that you actually own: A website/blog and an email list are yours to keep!
What do you think will happen when likes disappear? Let us know in the comments!