Do Instagram likes matter anymore?
Instagram now gives all users the option to hide or show the number of likes on posts. This means it simply names a few users and adds “et al”, rather than the default numeric value you’d normally see under a photo. Here’s an example from four-legged fashion icon @baconthedoggers:
Hiding your likes on Instagram is easy and reversible, and in some cases can have a positive impact on the way you experience the app. Here’s how to do it.
How to hide likes on Instagram
Instagram gives you the option to hide the number of likes on everyone else’s posts in just a few steps, so you won’t see the number of likes while browsing the app. You can also hide likes on your own posts.
How to hide likes on other people’s Instagram posts?
1. Go to your profile and press the hamburger-style icon in the upper-right corner of your screen. shoot from there Settings at the top of the menu.
2. From the Settings menu Privacy. then shoot posts.
3. At the top of the Posts menu, you will see a button labeled. Hide Likes and View Counts. Toggle this switch to the “on” position (it should turn blue) and you are ready; The number of likes from all your Instagram posts will now be hidden.
How do you hide the likes on your own Instagram posts?
There are two ways to hide likes on individual Instagram posts. If you’re posting a new photo or video and don’t want the likes to appear, you have the option to hide the number of likes before your post is published.
Start composing your post as you usually do, but once you get to the screen where you can add a title, Advanced Settings option at the bottom. From there, Hide the number of likes and views on this post change.
To turn off the likes after you’ve shared a post, go to your post and tap the three dots in the upper-right corner of your screen (the same way you would to delete or archive the photo or video). From there, choose Hide the number of likes. Request!
Why does Instagram give users the option to hide likes?
You might be wondering why hiding likes is an option.
Simply put, it’s for our own good. According to the statement, the company has started hiding the number of likes for certain countries to see if it “will suppress people’s experiences” on Instagram.
Research shows that we tend to equate our online success (followers, comments, and likes) with our self-worth, especially in our teens. A study of 513 teenage girls in Brazil in 2020 found that 78% of girls tried to hide or change a part of their body they didn’t like before posting a photo. Another found that 43% of teens with low social-emotional well-being deleted their social media posts because they got too few likes. It is also notable that in 2019, 25% of young people admitted to being a victim of cyberbullying.
The internet can be a really hostile place. Some people have built their entire careers on Instagram, but whether you’re an influencer with a lot of followers or a ghost who rarely posts, the seemingly harmless number of likes may be doing number one on your mental health.
After trying to hide the likes, Instagram concluded that the results were “useful for some and annoying for others.” In March 2021, parent company Meta announced a Miley Cyrus worthy of the best of both worlds: users have the option to hide or show their own likes.
Does hiding your likes on Instagram affect the performance of your posts?
To hide or not to hide, that is the question. Does this really make a difference?
At the end of Instagram, not so much. You can hide the likes from yourself and other users, but the app will still track the likes and use them as a ranking signal for the algorithm (for more on that, a detailed review of how the Instagram algorithm works today is here).
In short, the algorithm decides what content you will see first (on the Stories, posts and Discover page). How ranking is determined is personal; Depends on what you like, watch and comment on.
Thus, a superfan who always highlights your brand in comments will likely always see your posts, regardless of whether you hide your likes or not. And some super-cool yet weirdly captivating glass-toss videos of Instagram love will still show up in your feed even if you hide her likes and don’t care how many likes she has or whatever. You are great.
On a social/emotional/spiritual level, hiding likes can be – as Instagram calls it – “helpful” or “disturbing” for you. If you’re feeling a little obsessed with your like count and think it’s affecting your ability to post content that feels authentic, try hiding likes for a week or two. Keep this toggle open if it positively impacts your experience.
At the business level, like counts to be serves as a form of social proof. People who first come into contact with your brand on Instagram can immediately tell how big or local your business is based on the number of likes. But at the end of the day, quality content, a consistent aesthetic, and thoughtful interactions with your community in comments are much more important than how many likes your posts get.
Instagram Statistics
Instagram’s in-app analytics solution gives you an overview of your account’s metrics, including the number of accounts you reach, the demographics of your audience, how your follower count is growing, and how many likes your posts are getting.
To view Instagram’s Insights, you must have a Business or Creator profile (it’s free and easy to migrate: just go to your Settings, Bill and then hit Change account type).
From your Creator or Business profile, go to your Instagram profile and insights button located under your bio. Scroll down from there Content You Share The section showing the number of posts you have made in the last 7 days. shoot me > arrow symbol on the right. (If you haven’t posted in the last 7 days, you can still press the button).
Instagram will then show you a gallery of posts that can be filtered to show you specific metrics: including reach, comments and likes.
You can also choose what type of posts (photos, videos, or carousels) to show and in what time period (last week, month, quarter, six months, year, or two years).
Select the dropdown in the middle of your screen to select likes (by default To reach first) and select Love.
Moyens I/O
Moyens I/O’s Analytics are more robust than Instagram’s (bragging alert!), and it includes insights into likes. In addition, Moyens I/O can suggest the best time to post posts – so you can get more likes regardless of whether they’re private or not.
Learn more about Moyens I/O Analytics:
Hiding likes allows you to focus on other areas of engagement (like conversations, mentions, keywords, and hashtags) that can be tracked using Moyens I/O Streams. You can also use Moyens I/O’s Inbox to reply to comments and DMs in one place; this helps you manage your Instagram followers.
Save time managing your brand’s Instagram with Moyens I/O. You can create, schedule and post directly to Instagram posts and Stories, interact with your audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles, all from a single dashboard. Try it for free today.
