Instagram will stop counting likes. What does this mean for brands?
Do you get slightly jealous when you notice other brands' posts receiving thousands of likes on Instagram and yours have not yet come to that? It is a normal reaction. However, these days may be ending.
Facebook announced at the last annual developer conference that Instagram is testing a new feature: hiding the number of likes of the posts.
Instagram has already begun testing this feature in Canada and studying user feedback. However, hiding the number of likes will not affect Instagram's algorithm, meaning a post's rating will still depend on the total number of likes.
Users will not be able to see the number of likes, but they will be able to see the names of people who liked their own post. Adam Moserri, head of Instagram, said at the F8 conference that they are redesigning the profile to make the number of likes less valuable.
For marketing professionals, this upgrade can be challenging as they will not be able to show customers the results of their marketing efforts. However, as any good professional will know, there are many other reach and engagement indicators that determine a brand's success.
We will await the results of the experiences in Canada to understand more deeply what this change will bring in the presence of brands in this social network.
