Public-facing post likes on Instagram are now a thing of the past for some users in the US and other markets around the world. Instagram will now showcase a few of the accounts that have liked a post, followed by the words "and others".
This is an effort to encourage users to post with less competitive pressure based on performance. With a reduction in competition, the platform is hoping to drive more authentic content that appeals to the user's interest and not just what gets the most likes.
What's next for brands? We've seen hidden likes directly impact performance for international markets that have already tested with this new update. Brands can adapt to this potentially permanent change by creating strategies to improve engagement through quality comments and post shares as updated KPIs.
We currently have yet to see how this will affect reporting as video views are no longer publicly displayed, and they only show likes. We'll be sure to keep you up to speed on the facts and figures as this feature continues to roll out across the globe.
Sources: http://sclhs.in/EUJqI1 and http://sclhs.in/SSSXQP
-Stephanie Shim
Sr. Creative Content Manager
Bye Instagram Likes. So, Now What?
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Stephanie Shim
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