At Facebook’s F8 conference in April 2019, Instagram announced a test in Canada that would hide public like counts on posts. The account owner could still see performance, but followers would no longer see the public total. For marketers and creators, the test challenged years of habit around visible engagement.

For SMBs, hidden likes were a useful reminder that easy-to-see numbers are not always the numbers that matter. A post with fewer public likes can still drive profile visits, DMs, website clicks, store visits or real customer conversations.

Influencer value needed better measurement

When public engagement becomes less visible, brands need to judge creators and content more carefully. Audience fit, trust, saves, shares, replies, site visits and conversions matter more than surface-level popularity.

Burns’ view is that hidden likes pushed marketers toward healthier evaluation. “Likes are feedback, but they are not a business model. SMBs should care about whether social content attracts the right people and moves them closer to action.”

What SMBs should have tracked

• Profile actions: Monitor clicks, calls, directions and messages.
• Content saves and shares: These often indicate deeper usefulness.
• Creator fit: Niche trust can beat broad popularity.
• Campaign outcomes: Use landing pages, codes or CRM notes where possible.

Brand Fuel Digital’s View

Instagram’s hidden likes test was not the end of social measurement. It was a cue to measure better. SMBs should treat social content as a trust and demand-building channel, not a scoreboard for public applause.

Sources: The Verge on Instagram’s Canada hidden-likes test and TechCrunch on Instagram hidden like counts.