Instagram continues to roll out new features that allow us to engage with content and connect with users. You can now like people's stories instead of having to “react” or “swipe up.” This is a simple yet powerful new feature that can guide brands’ social strategy. So, of course, we’re here for it!
Story replies and the number of story views are not public information. If you posted the story, only you can see the insights and reactions to it. Similarly, story likes are also only seen by the account owner.
Your story likes will show up as notifications, in the same place your post likes show up. The notification will simply say so-and-so liked your story.
You may be wondering how likes that are “private” can have an impact on your brand's social media presence. But as social media is constantly growing and changing, users' priorities are changing too! When Instagram started allowing users to hide their like count, people realized that creating a strong brand isn’t always about showing off numbers. And we totally agree. Creating an impactful platform is definitely more about understanding your audience and creating content that your audience will get excited about, and engage with.
In the past, responding or reacting to a story meant sending a DM. Sliding into someone’s DMs (a brand or a person) is a big step and more times than not, no matter how engaged a user is with your brand, they are not going to do that.
So, this new feature gives users an easier way engage with your content. No strings (or DMs) attached.
The affect this feature can have on your account and social strategy is almost endless. You can use story to gather insights on what content is getting the most traction and positive responses from your followers!
Be on the lookout for story like notifications on your page and above all else, remember to use these likes as legitimate feedback on your content!