Do You Need to Worry About Likes on Instagram

For as long as Instagram has been around, people have looked at the little heart in the corner and watched the number next to it grow.

Not long ago, this number was taken away as Instagram chose to remove the visible number of likes for a post. Yes, that little hear meant the number of people that checked it to say they like it.

Too Much Time Spend Worrying About Likes

The Instagram world was perfect for the younger generation that was in charge of fashion, pop culture, and what’s popular. Many young people aspired to become “Instagram Models” and showcase their bodies, clothes, events, and style through this social media channel. The problem was they were spending a lot of time worrying about the number of likes they received on each post only to be upset when that number didn’t grow quickly at all.

Some Have Seen the Light

The world of waiting for others to like your posts can be a dark one. Instagram model Essena O’Neil with more than half a million followers finally had enough and deleted thousands of photos from this platform before deleting it from her feeds. She shared her struggle with being addicted to the approval of others through likes on her posts, which took up a lot of her time and energy.

What Has This Got to Do With Your Online Marketing?

If you’re trying to run a business, such as a car dealership, and you want to ensure you’re creating the right posts on Instagram, it would be helpful to know how many people like your posts without the need to review the list. Thankfully, you can still find this information with the business tools that are offered, but you won’t see them directly in your feed.

Put Your Focus in Other Areas of Instagram

While the number of likes you receive on a post can help you understand whether or not your post was the right one for this social media platform, there are better places to put your time and energy when marketing on Instagram. Similar to Facebook, there is a new algorithm to determine whether or not a feed post will appear for users in the future.

Engage With Followers to Stay in Their Feed

Six key factors are going to be part of the Instagram Algorithm in the future. These factors will determine whether your post shows up in the feed of those who have connected with you or your post will remain hidden. These factors are Interest, Relationship, Timeliness, Frequency, Following, and Usage. If you can check off some of these boxes, you’ll be right in front of your customer base on this social media platform.

Create the Interest and Build a Relationship With Your Audience

Instagram will prioritize not only the types of posts that you typically engage with and enjoy but also the relationship you have with that person or organization. While a car dealership will have a hard time breaking into the “ friends and family” group your company can easily be one that’s followed and considered important. If you make posts that show neighbors buying cars or create interest in community events you’ll show up in more feeds.

Stay Timely and Frequent With Your Posts on Instagram

Posting a car driving in the snow when it’s the heat of summer isn’t going to get the attention you want. Posts need to be timely and make sense for the day, week, or month you’re in. You also need to post often. With Instagram, you almost can’t post too much but be mindful of watering down your content when you post.

Build a Following and Use Instagram Often

Build a following for your car dealership by offering a prize (maybe a dealership t-shirt or hat) for the 500thperson to follow your account. Do the same for other random numbers and watch the following grow. Use the platform often to see more posts but keep in mind you don’t have control over how often others use their Instagram account.

There’s More to Instagram than Just Likes

The number of likes you receive on Instagram only matter to give you an idea of the relevancy of a post. It’s much more important for you to stay in front of your followers, engage with potential customers, and be relevant in their world. Make sure you’re creating posts that will meet the criteria to keep your posts in front of the audience you’re trying to attract and stop worrying about the likes.