Have you ever posted to Instagram only to delete the content later because you haven’t received enough likes? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, many users have at one point. However, this hyperfocus on like count is the catalyst behind the recent Instagram test where likes will no longer be displayed. What does this test entail and what does it mean for businesses and influencers? Read on to find out!

According to developers, Instagram wants “followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get.” Their understanding is that removing likes will encourage people to interact organically with the content they see without taking into account the number of likes each post has. The Instagram test is not currently being run in the United States, but is being conducted in Canada. If the results prove the developers right, it won’t be long until American users see the change on their own feed.

Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, explained that the change is meant to reduce the pressure that comes with posting on social media. For many users, posting to Instagram comes with the stress of earning enough likes to validate themselves. If they don’t receive the number they anticipated, they may opt to delete the content. The purpose of Instagram is to connect with people you care about, so the developers want to find a way to remove the stigma that is now attached to Instagram posting.

What Will Be Different?

Under the Instagram test, users will no longer see like counts or follower counts as they scroll through their feed. You can still like content, but you will not be able to see the total like count. The original poster of the content still has access to the list of likes by clicking through a prompt. This means that while posters can still worry about the number of likes they receive, they will not need to remove under-performing posts because they are the only ones able to see how many likes it received.

Why the change?

As previously mentioned, Instagram wants to de-emphasize like counts within the app. They would rather have users connect and enjoy one another’s content rather than compete for more likes. Additionally, Instagram hopes that this change will reduce bullying surrounding the platform. Those people who earn less likes can be targeted for being less popular than others. Instagram is very against online bullying, and is attempting to find ways to alleviate the problem, beginning with this test. Follower count may also be hidden to encourage liking a page because you enjoy the owner or content, not because it is extremely popular and trending. As with likes, de-emphasizing follower count removes the competitive aspect from Instagram, which is the company’s goal at the moment.

What does this mean for business accounts and influencers?

Instagram marketing is challenging enough as it is because of the saturation of business accounts on the platform. The changes being tested could only prove more difficult for business and influencer marketing agencies. While a permanent change doesn’t mean Instagram marketing is doomed, it will bring a new era of posts and content from business accounts and influencers.

While the new change is coming from a great place in Instagram’s heart, it could cause problems for businesses and influencers. Social media marketing success is often determined by engagement. There are fears that this new change will turn people off from the app entirely, or decrease engagement in the form of likes. Influencers are particularly concerned about the change because influencer status depends on likes and follows. If these metrics are removed, Influencers marketing could prove challenging. Instagram is working to change the idea that the number of followers or like counts validates a person. For Influencers, beating the algorithm could prove nearly impossible if those metrics are no longer taken into account. Will Instagram Influencers be a thing of the past? Only time will tell.

With the Instagram changes, businesses will likely need to increase what they invest into content if they wish to see results similar to those they are used to. In some cases, users will like a post because it has a lot of likes when they come across it. If this data is no longer available to the user, they may keep scrolling. It will then become more important than ever to produce high-quality content that users want to engage with regardless of how many others do. This could mean a bigger investment in social media marketing in terms of content design budget and time. Because the original poster can still access the metrics, being able to measure engagement is still possible. However, with the anticipated fall in engagement this change will bring, businesses need to increase their output of top-notch content.

The Silver Lining.

While many Influencers see this as the end of their career, businesses may actually benefit from the change. As of now, like count has been viewed as a power status, and follower count was an indicator of the quality of the brand. Larger, well-established business pages are considered powerful and influential, leaving small businesses in the dust. De-emphasizing like count and follower numbers can give these smaller companies a chance to compete with the current behemoths by evening the playing field. Users will no longer judge a small business by the number of followers they have, and will instead focus on the content the business puts out, and the products or services it offers.

While the Instagram test is still just that - a test - Instagram seems very serious about making the platform less competitive and more about sharing moments. Only time will tell if the test will move to America or if the Instagram changes will become permanent. Until then, business and especially influencer marketing should be focused on improving content and should start thinking of new ways to gain traction with consumers.

If your business needs help navigating the ever-changing world of social media marketing, give BusySeed a call at (888) 353-1484! We are full-serviceexperts in Instagram marketing and we are equipped to adapt to the Instagram changes we may be seeing in the near future. Though not finalized, Instagram is removing likes, and you’re business accounts won’t survive the change if you don’t adapt. Let us worry about your that, and all of your digital marketing, so that you can focus on your business.