Instagram has introduced the option to hide likes, a feature that has sparked debate among many. For some users, this innovation is an opportunity to reduce the pressure of social endorsements and focus more on the content again. For others, especially influencers and companies, the question is how hiding likes will affect engagement and reach. But what exactly is behind this function and is it actually useful?

 

The importance of likes on Instagram

Likes play a central role on Instagram. They are a visible measure of the popularity of a post and influence the engagement and perception of content. For many users, especially influencers and companies, likes are a sign of success. They are considered an important factor for reach and visibility in the Instagram algorithm. A post with many likes is displayed more frequently, which in turn results in more interactions. Likes can therefore make a significant contribution to measuring success on Instagram.

Likes in the Instagram algorithm

The Instagram algorithm evaluates posts based on several factors, including interactions such as likes. These signals help the algorithm to prioritize content that is most relevant to users. Likes are an important factor here, as they are a sign of popularity and engagement. A post with many likes is ranked higher by the algorithm and receives more visibility. However, with the possibility of hiding likes, the question arises as to how this influences the algorithm and whether likes continue to have the same significance.

Influencer & Instagram marketing

Likes play a central role in influencer marketing as they are a visible measure of the popularity of a post and the success of collaborations. For many companies, likes are an important KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for measuring the influence of an influencer and evaluating the success of campaigns. The more likes a post receives, the more reach and visibility it achieves. Especially for influencers with a large number of followers, a high number of likes is an indicator of viral posts and successful product placements.

 

Why did Instagram introduce the hiding of likes?

Instagram has introduced the hiding of likes in order to shift the focus back to high-quality content and reduce the pressure on users to succeed. By hiding the number of likes, Instagram wants to prevent users from comparing themselves with each other and being influenced by popularity. Instead, users should be able to express themselves freely without the pressure to get lots of likes. Younger users in particular are to be protected from the negative effects of social comparisons and competitive thoughts, which could have a positive effect on their well-being.

What does this mean for Instagram posts?

If you hide likes on Instagram, the display below the post changes. Instead of a specific number of “likes”, users will only see who liked the post, for example “Like person XY and other people”. The exact number of likes is only visible to you as the account owner, while other users can only see a list of all the people who have liked your post. This change reduces the competition for likes and the pressure to delete posts with low interaction.

The chances of Instagram without likes

Hiding likes on Instagram opens up new opportunities for users and companies:

  1. Less pressure to succeed and more creativity: As the Like numbers are no longer publicly visible, the pressure to constantly achieve high interaction levels is reduced. Users can post more authentic content without fear of “bad” likes.
  2. More important KPIs: Engagement in the form of comments and shares becomes more relevant, which leads to higher quality interactions. This authentic communication strengthens the relationship between content creator and community.
  3. Improved storytelling for companies: Companies need to focus more on storytelling and genuine brand communication to increase their reach through meaningful interactions. This means that content must not only score points visually, but also in terms of content.
  4. Promoting authentic communication: By reducing the importance of likes, direct communication between influencers and their followers can be improved. This strengthens the trust and loyalty of the community in the long term.

These changes promote a more conscious use of the platform and help to ensure that content not only goes viral, but is also meaningful.

 

The consequences of Instagram without likes for companies & marketing

Hiding likes on Instagram brings with it some profound changes for companies and marketing. You can no longer immediately see whether the ratio of followers to likes is correct for influencers, which makes checking influencer profiles more time-consuming.

The KPIs of campaigns will also change. While the focus used to be on likes and followers, engagement rates, shares, comments and reach are now coming to the fore. There must therefore be a stronger focus on qualitative metrics such as brand fit (does the influencer match the brand?) and audience fit (does the influencer’s target group match the company’s?). These metrics help to better assess the success of influencer campaigns and find the right partners for collaboration.

The hidden likes could also lead to the need to create more authentic content that focuses more on real interactions and engagement. Pure product photos or simple advertising messages will no longer be enough to achieve the desired reach. Storytelling, community management and authentic interactions will become more important.

Ultimately, hidden likes could bring about a profound change in the way companies do marketing on Instagram.

 

Hide Instagram likes: here’s how!

How to hide likes on Instagram:

Hide likes in the timeline:

  1. Go to your profile and open the menu at the top right.
  2. Select “Settings and privacy”.
  3. Tap on “Number of likes and shared content”.
  4. Activate “Hide likes and number of views”.

Hide likes on your own posts:

  1. Before posting: Go to the “Advanced settings” and activate the option.
  2. After posting: Open the menu of the post and activate “Hide likes”.

 

Push your Instagram account with FollowerPilot

If you want to take your Instagram account to the next level, FollowerPilot is the ideal support to increase your reach and visibility. Even though high-quality content and organic strategies are crucial, they are often not enough to realize the full potential. With our services, you can gain targeted followers, likes, comments and views and maximize engagement on your posts.

FollowerPilot offers you:

Whether you are a business, an influencer or someone looking to grow your social media presence, FollowerPilot offers the right tools to strengthen your Instagram strategy and achieve sustainable success. Our services are legal, safe and highly effective in achieving your goals.

Don’t miss the opportunity to optimize your Instagram profile and maximize your success. Take a look at our offer and find out how FollowerPilot can help you achieve your social media goals.