Instagram hiding likes?

If you're like a lot of the IG community, then Instagram's new plan of hiding likes on posts may have you in a tizzy. How is this going to affect my business?

A lot of businesses from influencers to artists, measure success on the platform by these vanity metrics. How many likes per post, views per story, follower count, etc. While this is tempting to get caught up in, it can be an incredibly limiting and hindering mindset. If you think about it, liking a post is literally the most mindless and simple form of engagement. How much thought goes into double tapping, right? Most people are just speedily scrolling their feed, barely stopping and double tapping. So how could this act actually generate REAL results in your business anyway?

Results like building know, like and trust with your brand, attracting new leads, building your email list and converting followers into brand evangelists and people ready to purchase your offers.

When I first heard about the news, I will admit, I was a little concerned. How will this affect my performance and conversions? But here's the thing…

If you're focused on developing a strong marketing mindset that can weather any algorithm and stand the test of time, Instagram hiding likes should barely have an affect on your business. And here's why:

1. You're still able to see YOUR likes

First and foremost, you'll still be able to see your own likes. So if you're an influencer for example, and you have brands reaching out to you needing to see your performance and metrics before deciding on a fee for a partnership…you can STILL send them your metrics! Then in the case of other businesses, having that extra reassurance that your post is doing well and people are liking it, is information you will still be able to access. Likes will just be hidden from anyone else!

2. You can finally focus on REAL results that move the needle in your business

News flash! Instagram isn't the only way to get new clients, customers, leads etc. In fact, my biggest asset and way of generating income is through my email list! The size of my email list is significantly smaller than my audience on Instagram, but I know that those who are subscribed to my email list are there for deeper impact and I don't have to fight any algorithms with email!

The truth is, if you're spending all of your efforts on Instagram, you're doing yourself a disservice. Instagram is rented, borrowed land. Your business is completely dependent upon what Mark Zuckerberg and team decide to do with the platform and what gets THEM the results they're wanting. So, focusing on leading your audience OFF of the platform should be your ultimate goal with your content on Instagram.

In my course Instagram for Creatives, I teach you ALL about how to craft a funnel that leads your potential customers OFF of IG and into an email list. Along with this, there's templates for a 12 email nurture sequence, so if you're brand new to list building, this is the perfect start. (Note: The course will open again at the end of 2020.)

So, if you focus on writing captions and creating content that is interesting, informative and inspiring that prompts engagement, you can not only “beat the algorithm,” but you can ultimately build a community where people are excited and ready to purchase your offers!

3. You can start making a bigger impact

What builds community? A sense of relatability and/or value. From Facebook groups for people with common interests to hiding likes on Instagram, Facebook and Instagram's main goal is community. This community aspect means that they're able to capture users attention more than other social media platforms out there. Why? Because commenting, sending messages, CONVERSATIONS, all mean users are spending more time on the app than just scrolling by and double tapping.

Community is a direct result of impact. Think about it! What gets your attention and prompts you to comment on someone's post or message in a story? Captions and content that asks for your audience's opinion on something, tells a story and is informative…those are the best ways for prompting REAL engagement.

But it's not about forcing it. If you don't understand your audience and you're just copying what seems to work on someone else's platform, guess what? It won't resonate or attract new followers. Why? It's not YOU. At the end of the day, we're dealing with HUMANS, not robots. Human beings that long to feel seen and heard. If your ultimate goal is to provide a bigger impact on your follower's lives (whether you have 100 or 100,000 followers), then your content will resonate.

This is huge for building brand evangelists! People who love YOU and your content so much, they can't help but tell their BFF, mom and their followers about you!

So, if you're worried about Instagram hiding likes, just remember. It's not a popularity contest. Work with the people of Instagram and lean into what their core mission is and you'll start to see REAL results in your business.

Remember, just like any platform, it takes testing, tweaking and measuring your performance and what people are resonating with. I teach you exactly how to do this in my course, Instagram for Creatives. (Note: The course will open again at the end of 2020.)