You've likely heard that Instagram is trialling the removal of likes from posts. Individuals and businesses can still see how many likes they get on their own posts, but can no longer see the total likes on others' posts. Australia is one of seven countries involved in the trial, along with Brazil, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Italy and Japan.
"We are rethinking the whole experience of Instagram to address issues around wellbeing and to ensure the Instagram community has a positive experience on our platform," says Facebook's Head of Policy, Mia Garlick. Instagram has been ranked the worst social media platform for mental health and wellbeing.
So, the aim is to get Instagram back to its original intended purpose – a curated portfolio of things that you love. We can go along with that. But we think there's an ulterior motive. While many influencers and brands are using sponsored posts, many brands pay influencers directly. Removing likes could make brands more likely to use Instagram's ad platform, because the power of influencers is lowered.
We reckon there's potential for some real and positive change for everyday users.
In a word, quickly. Here are DPR&Co's top three recommendations to keep Instagram working for your business.
Social is the fastest changing environment in marketing. Instagram may well finish the trial and immediately change things back to how they were. But the chances are they're working towards a larger agenda to further monetise the platform. Marketers need to be prepared to shift just as quickly as Instagram moves the goal posts.
Are you looking to update your social media strategy? Talk to our Digital Manager, Madeleine Kemp, about how DPR&Co can help.