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![\"Instagram](\"\/wpe-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Last-Instagram-Update-Body-Image-1.jpg\")
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What’s changed?<\/h2>\n
Previously, like counts were visible to any user who could view a photo post or video. Likes were tallied directly under the image or video, highlighting some key users and the additional number of likes the post had garnered.<\/p>\n
With this new test, posts will still display a few key users who have liked the content but the total count has been transitioned from a value to a short line of text reading “..and others”<\/em>. While total like counts can now only be viewed by the content creator, users can still click “…and others”<\/em>\u00a0to view a list of users who have liked the post.<\/p>\n All posts continue to display captions and comments, and remain shareable with other users via direct message and to users’ stories (but only if the content creator’s account allows for it).<\/p>\n Although the like count can be a strong indicator of content’s relevance and success, the paid strategies leveraged by businesses should be primarily focused on objectives that are unlikely to suffer as a result of this\u2014namely brand awareness<\/strong> and engagement or click through<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Users losing insight into like counts will not impact a brand’s ability to target and serve content to a segmented audience in order to put relevant content in front of them to generate profitable action.\u00a0For example, sponsored content posts and ads from fashion retailers will still land in their target demographic’s feed, regardless of whether or not users can view total post like counts.<\/p>\nWhat does this mean for businesses leveraging paid strategies on Instagram?<\/h2>\n
![\"In-app](\"\/wpe-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Last-Instagram-Update-Body-Image-3.jpg\")
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