If the changes on Instagram are driving you crazy, then this article is for you…
Around April 2019, Instagram’s platform managers began testing hiding “likes” on posts that users regularly share on their profiles.
The first country to experience this change was Canada, followed by countries like Australia and Brazil. Now this significant change encompasses the whole world, although it’s still not available to all users in certain places.
For some time now, Instagram has been making changes to its algorithm, requiring users to interpret their posting strategies in a completely different way. Now, naturalness and continuous activity are rewarded, while the use of bots or third-party technologies for automation of certain functions is discouraged. Among the changes is the disappearance of likes so that content becomes more authentic and not just posts made for the sake of likes. And do you know why? Instagram discovered that people were posting content and if they didn’t receive the number of likes they were expecting, they would delete their post. They also started to notice fake followers and likes, which only bothered other users when comparing their popularity on the social network.
This measure doesn’t deviate from that line. While the initial changes were against people using cheats or bots for their growth, followed by the removal of fake accounts which in turn created a lot of distrust among its users, Instagram continues to bet on measures of well-being that generate tranquility and confidence in those who live daily life on this social network.
According to Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, this decision helps people’s mental health, even if it means making decisions that harm the business. Therefore, the real purpose is to overthrow a tyranny that often became an accomplice in the low self-esteem of young people and begin to make users feel more comfortable and less judged when sharing their posts.
The idea is not to completely disappear the number of likes, since the account owner will still be able to see their statistics as they always have, including the number of likes received.
People have reacted for and against these decisions, especially those who make a living from the platform and the “popularity” that a few likes provide. However, the decision is already official.
If you’re a fan of Instagram, it’s time to ask yourself, what do you think of this change? And if you’re already living with this transition, do you think it was a good choice?
The advice from Conceptus is to continue empowering each brand through continuous, well-designed, strategically published, and very authentic content that your community values.
If your brand doesn’t lose its differentiating characteristic, nothing will stop your audience from giving you “likes,” even if they’re not visible.
