What Instagram’s New Like Button Ban Means For Influencers And Small Businesses

What Instagram’s New Like Button Ban Means For Influencers And Small Businesses

by | Sep 27, 2019 | Insights, Storytelling & Branding

What Instagram’s New Like Button Ban Means For Influencers And Small Businesses

Written By

On

Instagram is testing a new feature that could have major implications for marketers, influencers, and retailers all over the world. Over the summer Facebook announced that Instagram would be removing the ability of others to see the total number of likes and video views in Instagram posts in their feeds. Users will still be able to access these numbers for their own posts, just not anyone else’s. 

This test is currently being run in seven countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand. There’s no word yet on where the experiment will head next or when it will hit the United States, but the social media marketing and influencing world has thoughts ranging from rejoicing to raging.

The Pressure of Popularity

So why are these changes happening now? Instagram has reported that this decision was spurred by the platform’s desire to take the pressure off of its users to be constantly gaining validation from social media popularity. Research has uncovered some serious mental health consequences of playing the comparison game online, equating likes to self-worth.

For the general public, this shift in perspective and motivation behind posting and interacting on the Gram might be a great idea. But what about brands and influencers who use the platform professionally? How will their careers be impacted by the removal of likes?

Implications for Influencers

The Pros

Genuine and authentic influencers will be better off in the long run. Removing likes will weed out those who have artificially inflated their posts with fake likes from Instagram pods or purchased followers. Being unable to see the likes another influencer gets on a post could decrease the amount of copycat content creation sparked by “like fads”. How many pictures of a girl in a bikini lounging on an inflatable swan raft did you see last summer? Some influencers might see this as a negative, but this change will make the demand for creativity rise. Everyone will have to work harder to figure out what’s working for themselves and try new things to stand out.

The Cons and Uncertainties

Influencers might fight it more difficult to validate their work in certain spaces and justify payment demands to brands. They’ll have to lean more on engagement (comments and clicks) and less on passive likes to track interest and visibility. Many content creators might also be forced to pivot more heavily to video. Facebook and Instagram are already making a push for stories, and video creates other opportunities for measuring metrics and KPIs.

Implications for Small Businesses 

The Pros

Without “vanity metrics” influencers will be forced to increase actual conversions (affiliate link clicks, purchases,etc.) to validate a collaboration or campaign. This means businesses will be equipped with hard data on ROI to inform them of where to spend their money so they can get the most meaningful reach. The more concrete the engagement, the more focused brands can be with dollars and free product.

The Cons and Uncertainties

Due to the Instagram algorithm decreasing influencers’ visibility and now removing likes, businesses may need to increase their volume of paid media. Actually putting money behind boosted posts to increase exposure and targeting might be the only way to guarantee content gets seen. This also happens to be great for Insta’s checkbook—coincidence or not?

Society as a whole might get a little mental health boost as a result of Instagram’s new likes “ban.” Without that dopamine rush and subsequent crash that comes along comparing your own likes to those of your coworkers or college roommates, people might actually stick to engaging with the content they love.

Businesses might need to pivot their strategies and spending, but influencers are going to have the biggest mountain to climb if this new test spreads and stands the test of time. There’s never been a bigger opportunity for brands and influencers to focus more on active engagement and less on passive praise.

Want to learn more about how these new Instagram changes could directly impact your company’s social media strategy and success? Contact an expert at &Marketing for a free consultation.

CONTACT &

About &Marketing

In today’s fast paced world, many growing businesses are struggling to modernize their marketing approaches because either they don’t have the expertise or the bandwidth to do it themselves.

&Marketing provides seasoned marketing strategy professionals and a nimble execution team to help our clients achieve their goals. Our unique partnership model allows us to augment our client’s existing teams or outsource the entire marketing function in an affordable, flexible, and transparent way.

When To Say Yes Or No To A Media Request

When To Say Yes Or No To A Media Request

by | Sep 5, 2019 | Insights, Storytelling & Branding

When To Say Yes Or No To A Media Request

Written By

On

Getting an interview request can be exciting, especially if you’re an up-and-coming brand trying to build exposure. When the invite comes in, you feel like you’ve finally caught that big break and your hard work has generated some much-deserved interest. All press is good press, right? Wrong. Not all media should be treated equally, because not all media will be right for your brand. 

If a request comes through as a result of your proactive pitching efforts, then more likely than not you will say yes, since you strategically targeted that outlet. But what about those unsolicited interview requests that seem to come out of the blue? When do you say yes, and when do you say no? Here are some important questions you and your team should consider before making a decision. 

1. Will the media opportunity help satisfy business goals?

Your PR strategy should directly align with your business goals, which could include anything from generating new business leads, forming new strategic partnerships, getting investor funding, or amplifying a recent company announcement. Could this media opportunity help you achieve those goals? Will it reach your company’s target demographic? If the answer is yes, then you should absolutely consider the interview. But if you don’t see a correlation between your goals and the media opportunity, then think twice before giving up your time. 

2. What is the reporter’s (or publication’s) track record? Can you predict what questions they might ask?

Do your research! Venture into the archives and take a close look at the journalist’s previous stories. Assess their style and tone, and the quotes they include from interviewees. Are their stories typically positive, balanced, or negative? Do they tend to write surface-level stories, or do they dig deeper? Anything controversial? Trust is key when deciding to open up to a reporter. 

Once you’ve reviewed the reporter’s previous stories, look for some commonalities or themes among them. This will help you gauge what types of questions they may ask. It is perfectly acceptable to request questions from the reporter directly, too (some will provide, others won’t). Determine whether your company is in a position to share the details the reporter might be seeking. Remember that “off the record” does NOT exist, so you want to avoid scenarios where you may fall into the trap of oversharing. 

Do keep in mind that just because a reporter asks tough questions doesn’t mean you should decline the interview, especially if they’re from a top-tier outlet. It just means you need to think strategically about how you’d respond and prepare your key messages accordingly. 

3. How reputable is the media outlet?

If you receive a media request from a top-tier mainstream outlet – say the New York Times or Associated Press – or perhaps a well-known relevant trade publication, then it’s likely a no-brainer to accept. But what about lesser-known publications? If you haven’t heard of the outlet before, do your research. How wide is their reach? It may or may not be worth the investment of your time.

4. Are you the right person for the interview?

You could receive a request that is completely outside of your wheelhouse and better suited for someone else on your team. Make sure you have a good understanding of the reporter’s intent for the interview and the topics they want to cover to determine whether you have the right expertise and insight for a fruitful discussion.

Now that you’re equipped to make a decision on whether to accept or decline a media interview request, it’s time to respond and prepare! If you decide to say yes to a media request, be sure to develop your top three to five key messages that you want to convey. Additionally, it never hurts to team up with a PR pro or a media trainer to sharpen up on best practices for engaging with reporters. 

If you decide the opportunity is not right, then decline the interview the right way. PR is all about relationship-building, so you don’t want to burn a bridge! Here’s our advice:

  • Be appreciative of the request. Use your manners! Even if it’s not the right opportunity, a polite response goes a long way. Your tone could impact whether they consider you for a future story that may be better suited for your brand.

  • Be honest, but not too detailed about why you’re declining. For example, if you’re declining because the reporter has a track record of writing controversial stories, then you don’t need to provide that level of detail. Instead, just let them know that now is not the right time, as your company is not in a position to answer the kind of questions that the reporter is looking for. Again, be appreciative of the request. 

  • If appropriate and available, redirect them to another source (with approval, of course). This shows that even though you’re not the right person for the interview, you still want the reporter to succeed.

  • Express your interest in future queries. Just because this particular request may not be appropriate, doesn’t mean you don’t want to connect with the reporter in the future. Use this response as a way to keep the lines of communication open. 

The more easily people can find you, the more media requests you’ll get. LinkedIn can bring tons of visibility to you and your company. Download our free eBook to learn how to put your best LinkedIn foot forward.

 

Optimize My LinkedIn

About the Author

Marketing Manager and Copywriter Emily Valeo is a creative storyteller specialized in public relations, copywriting, and project management. With five years of experience working with both large and small businesses, Emily has a passion for helping clients succeed through her close attention to detail, strong work ethic, and creative writing skills. Emily graduated from Lafayette College with a Bachelor’s degree in English and Women’s & Gender Studies, and holds a Master’s in Marketing Management from Durham University in the UK.

About &Marketing

In today’s fast paced world, many growing businesses are struggling to modernize their marketing approaches because either they don’t have the expertise or the bandwidth to do it themselves.

&Marketing provides seasoned marketing strategy professionals and a nimble execution team to help our clients achieve their goals. Our unique partnership model allows us to augment our client’s existing teams or outsource the entire marketing function in an affordable, flexible, and transparent way.