An approach to Marketing Strategy
No more instagram likes?
Future marketing predictions
As Digital Marketers, we are always facing new challenges. Our techniques must constantly improve because our job requires it. We are not doing a good job if we refuse to adapt and embrace change. As long as technology evolves, and the digital space has new features or works differently, we as professionals have to keep up and do our magic no matter the circumstances.
Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, announced that hidden likes on Instagram will begin testing for US audiences, after they already disappeared in several more countries like Canada, Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. The reason behind his decision to change Instagram’s likes system is the mental health of users that feel a constant need to compete for approval.
How will this change affect marketers?
I guess your first thought is: How will I be able to find the right Influencers to work with if I cannot see their channel performance?
There are two options you can choose from in this particular situation:
- Ask for Channel statistics
Don’t be afraid to ask for Channel Analytics. Even if this kind of information cannot be seen by followers, the owner of the Instagram Page will still have access to statistics with just a few clicks. I can assure you that any Influencer that got to the point he is on his forces due to hard work will agree to your request.
- Use dedicated tools
This is the time when those who use dedicated tools for Social Media will take the throne, especially agencies. I am not saying that the traditional way is wrong, but is not time-efficient and not as accurate as a tool can be.
Some examples of useful tools are BuzzStream, NinjaOutreach and Awario.
BuzzStream gives you a full image of websites, and also social media presence, it helps you connect with the influencer and offers support on the research process.
NinjaOutreach finds business profiles and social media influencers in any niche and location. It assists you in creating effective influencer marketing campaigns by filtering through influencers insights to find the one that’s best suited for your target audience.
Awario helps you spot Influencers and build a path to the impactful collaboration. It provides a shortcut to the most influential people in your niche and let you track your competitors’ influencers.
Less addictive actions and more room for creativity
Instagram has become an addictive app, where people compete for approval and likes. The pressure to become popular and to create content that attracts certain types of people has become too harmful.
Let this change be an opportunity for all brands and other Instagram users to be more original and post content that represents them, instead of seeing it as a competition. Prioritize quality over quantity and be yourself.
Some Influencers perceive “likes” as a way in which the audience shows their appreciation and also as a motivation factor, helping them understand better what type of content people enjoy. Even if this was once true, nowadays people started to hit the like button just because other’s did it, like a robotic action.
Better to have fewer followers that truly believe in our vision, than a lot of them that will help our brand in no way.
More engagement than usual
With the removal of Instagram likes, people will be more motivated to engage with your posts. And this a far more helpful insight on how your audience feels about your social media activity.
You will be able to understand what exactly do they like about your message, how they feel about it, and you will make changes based on real comments. You will connect with your audience on an emotional level, where they will let you know what content is valuable and what content is not.
The rise of Micro-Influencers
It is time for Micro-Influencers to be on top. These people are usually specialised in a particular niche market and have mostly followers that trust them and believe in their vision. They have higher engagement than macro-influencers because they are authentic and genuine.
It is time for people to focus their attention and engage with influencers that speak to them and can be trustworthy when helping them to make a decision.
Being so influential in their niche market, they are also more helpful when promoting a brand or a product. They are seen as friends to trust, and peers to follow, therefore, businesses will be more successful after a collaboration with them.
Change is our daily job
Change is normal, and we can’t avoid it. As Digital Marketers, we know that we work in an uncertain space, where things are constantly evolving. We need to be up to date with every technique and find new solutions to problems.
Digital Marketing is in a constant state of change, requiring marketers to learn, research and adjust their strategies continually. People change and their behaviour too. We must evaluate their new actions and give them what they want. We need to be flexible, study our audience needs and evaluate our digital message.
Thanks for reading!
Don’t forget to click the follow button if you would like to read more stories like this!
If you have any questions or any topics you want me to write about in the future, leave a comment below!
