Should I hide my Instagram likes?
It has been noticed that when we see our Instagram photo or any other social media post being liked, the same brain activity occurs as when we win the lottery or receive something significant.
LEARN MORE SEE HOW IT WORKS It has been noticed that when we see our Instagram photo or any other social media post being liked, the same brain activity occurs as when we win the lottery or receive something significant. The brain makes us joyful, and we experience pleasure when we see how many likes we have received for a post. It has also been shown that brain activity caused by any other substance consumption is identical to that of social media addiction. Anyone who has ever posted a photo or a reel on Instagram knows how exciting it is to watch the likes start to pile up. Receiving likes from friends, relatives, or clients that affirm that what you put on your grid is appropriate and entertaining to your audience may be a dopamine-filled experience.
Instagram users can now conceal likes, which has a detrimental impact on both influencers and brands. This will likely mean that "influencers," or people who work with companies to promote services or products on social media, will move away from "vanity metrics" like the number of likes or followers and toward real sales. Everyone is wondering right now, "What are the repercussions of this transition, and how should we address them?" This blog post talks about why Instagram is hiding likes, points out three changes that businesses and influencers should be aware of, and suggests what you, as a marketer, should do.
Instagram users can now conceal likes, which has a detrimental impact on both influencers and brands. This will likely mean that "influencers," or people who work with companies to promote services or products on social media, will move away from "vanity metrics" like the number of likes or followers and toward real sales. Everyone is wondering right now, "What are the repercussions of this transition, and how should we address them?" This blog post talks about why Instagram is hiding likes, points out three changes that businesses and influencers should be aware of, and suggests what you, as a marketer, should do.
Table of Contents
- Why is Instagram hiding likes?
- How to hide Instagram likes?
- How to hide Instagram likes on an already published post?
- How can you hide likes before publishing your post?
- How to hide likes on other people’s posts?
- How does the update affect brands and influencers?
- Does Instagram's algorithm affect hidden likes?
- Final thoughts...
Why is Instagram hiding likes?
Likes are only one aspect of the social media experience, but research has shown that they may have both beneficial and negative consequences for mental health and well-being. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to the effects of social validation because they are typically very involved in and sensitive to external acceptance and criticism. Earlier during the testing period, Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri, indicated that the main motivation behind the update was to minimize the pressure users feel from the platform and erase the competitive momentum that "likes" represent—with a focus on their younger target audience. Users should focus on inspiring and communicating with one another, rather than competing with one another. Hiding likes is part of Instagram's effort to create a healthier online environment, and it should impact how users see and interact with the network.
How to hide Instagram likes?
Instagram allows you to conceal likes in your own posts as well as in other people's posts. There are two methods for hiding likes on your individual Instagram posts.
How to hide Instagram likes on an already published post?
Here are the steps to hide the like count display on your post even after it has been published:
• Step 1: Go to your profile and select the post for which you want to hide likes.
• Step 2: Tap the three-dot icon in the post's upper right corner.
• Step 3: From the pop-up menu, choose Conceal Like Count to hide Instagram likes after you've published a post.
• Step 1: Go to your profile and select the post for which you want to hide likes.
• Step 2: Tap the three-dot icon in the post's upper right corner.
• Step 3: From the pop-up menu, choose Conceal Like Count to hide Instagram likes after you've published a post.
How can you hide likes before publishing your post?
Start creating your post like you normally would. But when you get to the page where you can add a caption, scroll down to the Advanced Settings option. You can then toggle the "Hide like and view counts on this post" option.
How to hide likes on other people’s posts?
Navigate to your profile and click the symbol in the top right corner of the screen. Select Settings. Select privacy, then post from the Settings menu. At the top of the posts menu, you’ll see a Hide Like and View Counts toggle. Switch that toggles to the "on" position. That’s it!
How does the update affect brands and influencers?
Likes are obviously significant for an influencer. It gives their work credibility. Likes have traditionally been used as a performance indicator by influencers. Because likes as a phenomenon will no longer exist, these influencers will need to find other methods to communicate with their audience, or perhaps just focus on valuable content. Instagram believes that removing the ability for users to see how many people have liked their photos would stimulate more creative thinking. When users' attention is distracted from the number of likes, the assumption goes, they will pay more attention to the quality of the content, such as photographs and sentences, rather than what works and what doesn't base only on the number of likes.
Does Instagram's algorithm affect hidden likes?
Hiding your Instagram likes has no effect on the algorithm. Instagram still collects likes, and as previously said, each user may still see how many people have liked his or her own photos. Likes continue to affect post metrics such as engagement and how they are ranked in the feed.
The post's performance is still governed by hidden likes, which has an impact on collaboration between influencers and brands. Important data demonstrating how a profile works in collaboration is more difficult to collect and calculate for firms that employ influencer marketing. Furthermore, identifying appropriate influencers to work with is becoming more difficult for marketers because they can't just assess someone based on how many people like their posts! So, as a marketer, how can you ensure that the data you're utilizing to guide your influencer marketing strategy is reliable? Using a platform with access to hidden metrics, such as likes and audience data, is one critical method. This type of platform can ensure that your firm engages with the right influencers by proposing profiles with followers who match your brand's target demographic.
The post's performance is still governed by hidden likes, which has an impact on collaboration between influencers and brands. Important data demonstrating how a profile works in collaboration is more difficult to collect and calculate for firms that employ influencer marketing. Furthermore, identifying appropriate influencers to work with is becoming more difficult for marketers because they can't just assess someone based on how many people like their posts! So, as a marketer, how can you ensure that the data you're utilizing to guide your influencer marketing strategy is reliable? Using a platform with access to hidden metrics, such as likes and audience data, is one critical method. This type of platform can ensure that your firm engages with the right influencers by proposing profiles with followers who match your brand's target demographic.
Final thoughts...
Given this, we feel it is appropriate to assert that this change is unlikely to have a detrimental impact on the platform and your influencer marketing activities—as long as the influencer marketing platform you use has access to hidden data that is not apparent in the user interface.
SOCIAL MEDIA INBOX
Never miss a single message...
Manage all your incoming messages from one collaborative inbox to build a close connection with your audience.
LEARN MORE 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Social Media Inbox
Build a close relation with your audience with faster response times.
RELATED BLOG POSTS
All the tips & tricks you'll need...
Get the fresh tips and tricks you'll need to ace social media marketing.
