Are you an influencer? Do you know any acquaintance who is an influencer? What do you think makes one an influencer? Is it the number of likes, followers, or high engagement rates? It’s all of the above. Instagram keeps updating and making relevant changes, but the most controversial update was regarding Instagram likes, which one can hide, and nobody can see the number of likes on your post anymore. This feature has created a significant impact on many.

Instagram was recently building up into a toxic place with unreal standards. Many people seek validation with the help of likes, and those who don’t get enough feel sad. For most users, removing likes reduced the pressure and anxiety to compete and become the most popular profile on Instagram. It cannot alter the fact that likes are an essential metric to see the success of a post. This article will discuss this new Instagram update and its global impact.

How has this turned out for brands and influencers?

Instagram is one of the trending social media platforms; it’s a great way to generate passive income, be it for brands or influencers. Most people today shop through e-commerce websites, social media platforms, or online apps. The removal of likes has altered how marketers evaluate the performance of their strategies; in the past, likes were considered one of the vital engagement indicators. Without this metric, measuring the campaign’s success would be challenging.

This decision did not come without controversy; many influencers did express their concern that hiding likes would make it difficult to monetize their content, as Instagram likes were used as a metric to check engagement rates. Most sponsorship deals depend upon likes and followers, and even advertisers may be less willing to work with influencers as they can’t easily measure the effectiveness of their sponsored posts. It has become harder to see the popularity of a post.

How does this affect regular users?

The decision by Instagram to hide likes is part of a more significant initiative to fight the negative impact of social media on mental health. The latest researches state that one of the main reasons for high anxiety and stress is addiction to social media. Instagram aims to create a more friendly and less competitive atmosphere by reducing the urge to compete for likes. However, this doesn’t deny that likes are essential, especially for small businesses and huge brands.

Impact of this update on the future of social media

Likes are one of the first things a person sees on a post or page. Followers and likes are the future of social media, and this change in Instagram has positively and negatively affected many. Instagram’s decision to hide likes creates a more positive and non-toxic online environment. Due to an increase in toxicity on social media platforms, finding ways to reduce the negative impact has become sort of a necessity. This update is only a baby step towards achieving the actual goal. This update focuses on reducing the negative impact on mental health and encourages users to create high-quality content rather than cringe-worthy content with many likes.

The curveball of this article! Many of you must be discouraged, but the most important thing is that this update isn’t fixed or compulsory for users; every account can hide or show likes! It means you can change the option and make likes visible on your post. If you own a business company or have a new profile you want to grow, we bring you the top 5 steps to increase your engagement rates. These steps show you how to improve your likes and other tricks if Instagram gets another such update!

Top 5 tips to increase the engagement rate of your page

Create value and high-quality posts: High-quality posts mean high definition; your content should be visually appealing and visible to the audience. Nobody likes unclear, blurry pictures, so whatever you post on Instagram, images or video, try to keep it in high definition. Apart from creating a high-definition post, it should also be of some value. You must have a niche; if not, make your posts around a theme and ensure your content is inspiring, informative, or exciting. 

Aesthetics, informative videos, and inspiring pro-social content are the most trending things on Instagram nowadays. The points above will surely boost your reach.

Use hashtags: Try this as a forever ideal way to get noticed, you can either tag huge brands and influencers or use hashtags to grow your page visibility. It will increase your engagement rates and get you more Instagram likes. Hashtag is denoted by a hash(#) and a name, which categorize similar content and use hashtags with many followers.

Apps and trusted web services: One of the best ways to increase your page’s comments, likes, or followers is by using trusted websites or companies. Although there is n number of companies claim to give the best service, finding the best is a difficult task. But for the sake of our lovely readers, we worked hard and brought the best piece for you. One of the top-notch, reputed companies that will profit you a lot is Buy Quality Likes. They provide like-sharing services and can increase your follower count, comments, and share count. With fast delivery, 24/7 available customer support, a loyal customer base, and high-quality service, Buy Quality Likes is considered the Godfather of this field. 

Collaborate: Collaborating with influencers with the same niche as you or famous brands can increase your visibility. It is one of the sure ways to make your content go viral or reach audiences who don’t come under your regular viewers. Collaborating can involve paid sponsorships with brands or engaging with famous influencers. You can make reels together or start an IGTV channel or something else that excites your audience.

Engage with your followers- One of the most overlooked points is engaging with your followers. Interacting is one of the best ways to express gratitude to your target audience and may help you connect with them. You can get feedback on your content by listening, reading comments, or responding. It can give you an insight into what people prefer. With the feedback you get, you can adjust your content and make necessary changes. 

Conclusion

Instagram’s decision to either remove likes or allow users to do so has brought about a big change that will undoubtedly impact users, brands, and the development of social media. While some people may have trouble adapting to this change, this update has brought a more optimistic and non-toxic environment for others. Nowadays, social media is a huge part of almost everyone’s life, so we must utilize these platforms responsibly. But likes are crucial; they are the same as retweets, YouTube likes, and Reddit shares; without them, we won’t know what’s new, the hot topics, trends, and the latest news.