Instagram has evolved since its 2013 era where the feed was very basic and simplicity was at its finest. Instagram and its algorithm have changed dramatically and with Stories being added around 2019, they continue to grow! 

With the release of Instagram Story likes, how does this affect Instagram marketing? 

The importance of Instagram Stories 

Instagram is an ever-changing social media platform that continues to release new features from Reels, IG TV, and Stories! Instagram users are spending on average 30 minutes a day on the social media app, and with over one billion active users this year, it is important to capitalize on its many features. 

Instagram Stories are a great way to increase engagement with your target audience. Engagement is what social media marketing strategies are all about. 

The more engagement the post gets, the better you can understand your audience, the more content that will be created, and the more consumers will check out your brand. 

With the ability to have consumers vote, rate, click on the link, stickers, and more on stories, it provides a quick engagement rate. 

The new feature 

As Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram states, “Today, we are rolling out Instagram Story likes. So now as you go through Stories, between send message and that little paper airplane, there will be a heart icon. And if you tap on it, it will send the author of that story a like.” 

This helps in several different ways. The main reason that this was launched is that it clears up message inboxes for all Instagram users. That’s because instead of sifting through the DMs to see who reacted with the story, you can now go to the story’s viewer sheet and see all the data. 

The main downfall is that unless you manually go in and check the viewer sheet, you won’t know who liked the story. 

Will stories be able to be tracked? The viewer sheet shows the story likes, but is this for a certain amount of time? Are marketing agencies now going to have to keep tabs on this? More than likely yes, but it is something to consider in the grand scheme of things. 

This will not fundamentally change how businesses and consumers alike will use stories, but it is a small addition that can be helpful! 

Hire us! 

Do you need to use Instagram Stories to grow? While you might be camera shy, the opportunities for Instagram Stories are endless. 

Omaha Media Group provides Omaha marketing solutions which can help with Instagram marketing and other social media marketing strategies! 

Give us a call to learn more.