It’s 2020; here we are again talking about how businesses can position themselves in front of their target audience by capitalizing on the growth of Instagram. As we ring in the new year, we hesitantly welcome more changes to the social media platform. 

The Facebook-owned app has seen rapid growth in recent years. From its design aesthetics to the logo and those ever-changing algorithm changes, Instagram proves to continuously seek ways to provide the best social experience for its users. 

The next change to come will be the removal of likes. This move will prove to have a greater impact on users and influencers than brands on the platform. Removing likes will make it a little more difficult for companies to identify top influencers that align with their brand/campaigns and measure success but not impossible. Evaluating what content works, doesn’t work and which influencers to work with will be reliant on other metrics like reach and impressions. From a content perspective, this change will force brands to focus more on creativity and quality than quantity. Brands will have to step their game up. They will have to adjust their content strategy to drive community and engagement rather than garnering a large number of likes from passing user interactions.

Product Lead of Instagram, Julian K.Gutman has referenced in various tweets throughout his twitter account that engagement and frequency are two main focuses for Instagram moving forward. 

To ensure your brand’s success on Instagram, you will have to stay committed to creating the perfect blend of both of these. Here are some tips to make sure the impact of Instagram removing likes is slim to none for your brand.

ENGAGEMENT 

Instagram’s main goal as a platform is to have more and more committed users. The app makes money from advertisements. The more users that see their ads, the more profit Instagram stands to make. As a brand, engaging active users helps them achieve this goal and positions your brand in a visible space on the platform. 

Be authentic and share your journey 

The cliche “just be yourself” doesn’t sit any truer when it comes to building your online presence on Instagram. With the influx of influencers and sponsored ads on Instagram, active users are looking for refreshing content. In 2020, refreshing content is authentic content. Share unedited photos, in-office photos/videos, company events, and projects before and after completion; give a realistic view of company life. 

Strive for engaging aesthetic 

The primary draw of Instagram is its visual social experience. Amazing pictures will grab users, first. With hidden like counts, know that Instagram stories will be just as important as posts in maintaining visibility and engaging users. Your brand is discovered through user’s feeds and stories so make sure all your posts:

• are aesthetically pleasing and engaging.

• pique specific interest to your brand and target audience.

• create a unique visual experience specific to your brand.

Microblogging is the new blogging

Lengthy captions have grown to be an important part of content strategy. Users are spending more time on pictures by reading the captions. The Instagram algorithm loves that because ta-dah, that’s engagement! Companies can use this trend to share industry insights, company news, and more.

• Recycle content by reposting any unseen posts on your profile with microblogging.

• Be sure to ask engaging questions in your captions, create polls, share company milestones and successes, and important dates.

FREQUENCY 

How often you share, engage and interact on the platform will reflect how visible your posts are to relevant users.

 Consistency 

The sub-title speaks for itself. To make sure your posts are being seen, be consistent. Be consistent with posting, commenting, responding to user’s questions and comments, and saving posts. To stay on top of all this, consider using social media content calendar management tools like Hootsuite or HubSpot. 

Check your metrics 

To find out how your brand is doing on Instagram, use Instagram Analytics to track which type of content is most popular with your following and when your followers are most active online. Check your metrics regularly and make tweaks to your strategy accordingly.

With the new Instagram algorithm changes, paid media may need to be incorporated to support influencer posts, and ultimately brand exposure on the platform.

There you have it! Consider these tips as you implement your content marketing in 2020. Instagram may be removing likes, but they aren’t removing brand influence and sales potential.