The Case of the Disappearing Social Media Likes

Are “likes” disappearing from Social Media?

Are likes disappearing from social media? Earlier this summer some Canadian and Brazilian Instagram users saw the number of “likes” disappear from their posts. Why? Because the social media platform (which is owned by Facebook) is testing whether hiding  “like” tallies will foster a “less pressurized environment.” 

“We want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they’re getting on Instagram and spend a bit more time connecting with the people that they care about,” said Instagram head Adam Mosseri, in a video uploaded to YouTube by Time magazine.

And if that’s not enough to set your head spinning, TechCrunch recently reported that “Facebook could soon start hiding the like counter on News Feed posts to protect users from envy and dissuade them from self-censorship.”

This lines up with what social scientists and consumer advocates have been saying for years.

Soon after the Instagram announcement, The Washington Post noted that “The psychological drawbacks of social media use have gained more attention in recent years, with parents, consumer advocates and even tech companies pointing to its potential to increase anxiety and social isolation.”

What Does “Likes” Disappearing Mean for Your Business?

“This means influencers are being mitigated and the need for tactical and strategic paid placement — and the careful analysis and calibration of paid social ads — is more important than ever before.” 

— Steve Cabeza, CEO, Amplification Inc.

Here’s what Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg had to say: “As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media…Now, I want to be clear: by making these changes, I expect the time people spend on Facebook and some measures of engagement will go down. But I also expect the time you do spend on Facebook will be more valuable. And if we do the right thing, I believe that will be good for our community and our business over the long term too.”

Are you worried about likes disappearing from social media? Well, let’s just say that if you rely on likes to promote your products or gauge the success of your posts, it’s time to brush up your digital strategy.

We recommend strategy, analytics, and Ads Manager. If all of this is a little too much and you’d rather spend your creative energies running your business, working with a team of digital marketing experts like the good folks here at Amplification Inc. is a strong option.

Why Ads Manager is Better Than Boosts and Likes

Let’s just get it out of the way: Facebook Ads should be a core component of your social media marketing strategy. 

When you Boost a post on Facebook — which is super easy to do — Facebook delivers your post to the News Feeds of users who fit within your general demographics and targeting parameters. 

Yup, it’s easy, and your content reaches more people than it would have without the Boost. But unless you’re really lucky, most of those extra eyeballs aren’t likely to engage with your content in a way that’ll impact your bottom line. Ads Manager helps you track when and where your ads are running and how well they’re actually performing.

Like what you’re reading? Check out Power Facebook Marketing Tips, Why Does Video Marketing Work So Well?, and Boost Your B2B Marketing with LinkedIn for more of the good stuff.

We are plugged into your success. Contact us at info@AmplificationInc.com to schedule your digital marketing tune-up.