The Removal of the Instagram Like Feature

Have you heard the news? Testing has begun in the U.S. for the removal of the Instagram like feature from the feed. This is one 2020 social media trend we’re not sure is here to stay permanently, however, with the overwhelming concern over how this may impact your business in 2020, we’re tagging this as a social media trend YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Instagram has been testing the removal of the like feature in multiple countries over the last year and recently announced they’re bringing this test project to U.S. accounts.

This got us thinking that the removal of the like feature could be here to stay. That said, there some pros and cons and today we are sharing our thoughts on how this could impact your business!

Pros & Cons:

• Positive: this could promote an increase in organic reach for businesses with smaller followings experiencing less engagement. If likes are no longer taken into consideration, in theory, this should impact the algorithm and how often and how long your content stays in the feed. This could provide a more balanced playing field for all businesses (in theory).
• Negative: should this become permanent, it will likely have a significant impact on advertisers looking to retarget or create lookalike audiences from engagement on Instagram. We know that likes far exceed comments on Instagram and both are considered engagement. Removing a significant engagement factor affects advertisers.
• Influencers will likely be the ones most impacted by the removal of the like feature. The workaround will likely be soliciting comments over likes to keep strong organic engagement.

For more tips on leveraging the Instagram platform, check out our most recent tip on analyzing your Instagram Business Content Performance.

If you need help with your 2020 digital marketing strategy, we’d love to connect for a Complimentary 30-minute Consultation to walk you through our services and how we can partner with your business in the New Year!