Whether you’re hoping to market an awesome product or boost your personal brand, success on Instagram is usually measured by the number of likes you receive.
After all, what’s a good Instagram post without engagement? If you’re disappointed with your Instagram likes and need a new strategy, check out the tips below!
1. Engage
It’s a bit unfair to expect your followers to like your posts if you don’t return the favor. However, some people do buy automatic Instagram likes in order to boost their profile further. Take some conscious time to scroll through your feed and like other posts, especially if they have a similar nature to the content you’re trying to produce on your own page. The more you pop up in someone’s notifications, the more likely they are to check out your content. Learning about instagram will take a while since there’s so much to know, but you can check out more at https://gainmorefollowers.com
Give likes -> get likes!
Develop a similar action plan for comments.
Leaving a few encouraging words or emojis on someone’s photo can make a huge difference in their perception of you as a follower.Click To TweetBonus: it takes you less than twenty seconds.
Leaving a comment is a surefire way to express interest and involvement.
If your comment receives a like or a reply, you’ll know you’ve helped build a connection.
Return the favor with any comments you receive as well. Read each one! Leave a short reply when possible, especially if a question has been asked. Otherwise, be sure to like the comment so that the reader knows they’ve been acknowledged.
2. Hashtags
You’ll find this tip everywhere, but that’s because it’s one of the most effective. The primary way to gain likes on your photos is through your hashtag usage, especially if you have a public profile. Some use the best instagram bot to work towards organic traffic.
Hashtags serve as a way for your photos to gain exposure beyond just your followers. Click To TweetThis is critical if you’re looking to boost your likes.
When utilized correctly, hashtags can also promote your content to the niche audience who cares the most.
Use a wide variety of hashtags on your post, ranging from super obvious to super popular to super niche. Use All-Hashtag to find popular hashtags, then check its popularity by using Hashtagify, which analyzes a hashtag’s long and short-term success. Tailwind has a cool feature that tells you if a hashtag is niche, good, best, or competitive.
Another way to find the best hashtags is to explore what hashtags are being used by accounts similar to yours and use them as well. Research hashtags by simply searching for them within Instagram seeing what other options pop up.
Stay active in researching the hashtags that work best for you and your brand!
3. Timing
For social media timing is everything.
The number of likes you can get on a post is directly linked to the time of day your followers see it on their feed. Click To TweetYou’ll want to target the part of the day when people are most likely to be actively scrolling on their feed.
This means avoiding moments like the morning and afternoon commute.
Try posting around lunchtime or the late evening when followers are more likely to have some free time.
But note that weekend activity times are different as well! It’s a strategy game.
Instagram Insights are extremely helpful for figuring out when your followers are most active. Use it to your advantage! Take note of your target timezones for key posting times, remembering that your followers might not all be local.
Timing can be tricky, especially considering Instagram’s unique posting algorithm. If you’d rather pass off the task to someone else, try a posting scheduler like Planoly or Tailwind. A posting scheduler might be the best option for optimizing your likes!
4. Follow
Though not as popular as it once was, “Follow For Follow” is still a fairly active mantra for Instagram. The majority of your likes are likely to come from people who follow you, so it’s important to put a lot of energy toward gaining followers!
Actively seek out your audience as much as you would want them to seek you. Click To TweetFind the people who provide similar content to yours and give them a follow!
This is a massive part of strengthening your niche.
Know the “big names,” the influencers who are excelling in your niche.
Explore hashtags relating to your niche and follow some new faces.
It’s all about consistent exposure. You want people to know that you exist!
5. Tagging
This form of Instagram outreach is an extension of using hashtags, but it’s just a little bit more focused.
There’s two different types of tagging for Instagram posts:
- Tagging people
- Tagging locations
Both are fairly subtle but effective means of increasing your chances of gaining likes.
Tagging other people and accounts can lead to features!
There’s a reason that the “Tag us to be featured” statement exists.
Look for the creative leaders of your niche, not necessarily the ones producing original content but the ones who can help boost your following by featuring you.
Tag niche-specific accounts in your posts to increase the likelihood of your posts being found and thus liked.Click To TweetLooking for the local or tourist touch?
Try tagging your photos with a the location of its origin. This is especially effective for location-specific photos such as tourist attractions, coffee shops, amusement parks, and so on. If your photo was taken at a specific business location, tag the business account in your post as well.
Remember that these types of tags stay until removed, which is a great means of permanent exposure for your account!
6. Expand
Ever heard of cross-posting on different social media platforms?
It might become your new best friend!
If you don’t have a specific branding strategy for your individual social media accounts, cross posting is an ideal way to increase your likes. Click To TweetThis simply includes posting your Instagram content on your other accounts such as Facebook or Twitter. It’s easy to link your accounts together! You can change captions or hashtags for each platform, or keep the content consistent.
The main point is that your followers have easy access back to your original Instagram page where they can follow you or like your other posts.
7. Consistency
Show dedication to your Instagram.
Providing regular content for your followers is key to gaining likes.Click To TweetHow much is too much? It’s really a personal preference.
The stigma of “double-posting” (posting twice or more in one day) is beginning to disappear, making it harder to know what would make someone sick of your content.
What’s most important is sheer consistency.
If you’re going to post once a day, find the optimal time for you and post! Three times a week? Still great, just keep the pattern flowing.
Encourage your followers to turn on their post notifications for your account!
It’s very easy for one of your high quality photos to slip through the cracks on someone’s feed. Post notifications can increase follower loyalty and help avoid this problem.
Another potential way to increase exposure is by updating your Instagram Story to feature new posts!Click To TweetIf they have a limited amount of time, Instagram users might be more likely to flip through their stories than scroll through their feed.
Sharing a quick “new post!” update on your story can spark enough interest for the follower to check it out.
8. Quality
Quality over quantity, always—especially on Instagram.
What does this look like practically?
Learn some photography basics, such as composition tips (the rule of thirds) and lighting tricks (exposure). You don’t have to be a master, but you want to be equipped! You can always research the basics through blogs or find Pinterest graphics to help answer your questions.
Be unique. Set up an Instagram feed that fully expresses your brand or identity. Try new angles or play with lighting and shadows. Find inspiration from other accounts!Click To TweetNobody likes “cookie cutter” photos. Keep your content fresh and enjoyable, something that causes the viewer to pause and smile.
Consider following a consistent color scheme throughout your posts, this creates an aesthetic look, both for you and your followers.
9. Edit
(Or don’t! #nofilter).
It’s an extremely rare photo that can look perfect without any post-processing. Leave intense editing to the pros, but also know how to spice up your photos to improve their quality.
It doesn’t take much! Even some minimal brightening or darkening can make a huge difference.
Adjusting your colors through warmth, saturation, or contrast leads to more visual interest.
Don’t underestimate the power of cropping when editing a photo!Click To TweetUnless you’re taking a more artistic angle, make your subject the focal point of your shot (see Rule of Thirds).
Play around with editing programs outside of the Instagram app such as VSCO, Pixlr, or Snapseed.
10. Pay
Now that I’ve given you some free options, I also have to mention one that’s a bit of a financial investment.
Instagram’s in-app advertising might be the way to go if you’re looking for a guaranteed way to boost your Instagram outreach.
Instagram will sponsor your posts so that they appear on the feeds of users who aren’t your followers. This is a great way to target the specific demographics you’re trying to reach with your content, especially if you have a niche audience.
This option is not for everyone, but it’s definitely worth considering if you want the extra “push” toward gaining more likes!
Go!
You’ve read the top ten ways to grab more Instagram likes, so there’s nothing left except to experiment!
Jump out of your comfort zone, and try a few new techniques.
You might be surprised with the results.
Pin the post below to remember the 10 Ways To Get Likes On Instagram as you implement these strategies!
Mercy Barrial is a senior at Wheaton College (IL) studying Communication Media Studies and Journalism and hoping to go into the marketing industry after graduation. She serves as Chair of the Media Team, Arts, and Entertainment Editor for the Wheaton Record and works as a Media Relations intern for the Marketing and Communications Department.
Jonah says
Hi Elaine,
We are very glad you find our tool useful! 🙂
Thanks very much,
Have a great day.
-Jonah
Tina Morrison says
I just implemented all 10 of these ideas and generated an unbelievable amount of likes!!!!!!!!! All these methods WORK ya’ll!!!!!!
Sherry Lyons says
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Regards!
Emily Quirq says
Hi, thank you for this great content. I followed all the steps and it’s really grown my following!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Bianca Rose says
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