Boost Your Instagram Presence: 22 Proven Strategies for More Likes and Engagement

Likes on Instagram are a reflection of the popularity of your content and serve as a determining factor in how widely seen your posts are by others. The more likes you have, the higher your content is ranked on Instagram's hashtags pages and Explore page, leading to even greater visibility.

Despite the option to hide likes counts from your audience, the drive to receive more likes remains. High like counts inspire trust and credibility among those browsing your profile, opening up opportunities for sponsorships and collaborations, and increasing your reach to attract new leads and followers.

If your content is not receiving adequate engagement, it may be due to a lack of a clear content strategy. But don't worry! There are proven ways to get more likes on Instagram in 2023.

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Do Likes On Instagram Still Matter?

The option to hide likes on Instagram has led to some confusion regarding their significance. 

Despite the change in visibility, likes on Instagram remain an integral part of the platform's algorithm and continue to play a major role in determining the visibility and recommendation of content.

It is important to note that while hiding likes may improve the user experience on the platform, the underlying likes still exist and hold the same weight as before.

Can I buy Instagram likes?

While there may be temptations to buy Instagram likes or followers, it is important to resist this urge. Doing so will harm the credibility and reputation of your account in the long run.

Boosting your likes on Instagram requires effort, but taking shortcuts such as buying engagement will ultimately harm your brand's credibility.

Discover the truth behind buying likes and followers on Instagram! Learn why taking shortcuts can harm your account and what are the real benefits of organic growth. Don't miss out on valuable insights, read the article now. 

To increase likes, develop a consistent posting schedule, craft engaging captions, post high-quality content, use relevant hashtags, and actively engage with your audience. These basic steps will help you achieve more likes organically.

While there may not be an easy way to skyrocket your likes, implementing various strategies can maximize your engagement and reach on the platform.

Try Conte.ai, the proprietary social media AI service that does the work for you. Say goodbye to manual content creation and hello to more likes and followers. Join Conte.ai today!

How to get more likes on Instagram? 22 Proven Strategies for Boosting Likes

Instagram is a popular social media platform with over 1 billion active users. 

In order to effectively reach your target audience and grow your following, it's important to implement strategies that will increase your likes on Instagram. 

The following text outlines key tactics for boosting your likes on Instagram and increasing your visibility on the platform.

Identify Your Target Audience

One crucial step in increasing your Instagram likes is identifying your target audience. 
Don't try to be everything to everyone.

Instead, focus on the people who are interested in what you have to say and tailor your Instagram profile and content strategy towards reaching them. This targeted approach will attract genuine likes.

Analyse Your Competitors

To further improve your Instagram strategy, it's important to know and understand your competitors.

Observe their posts, especially the ones that receive high engagement from their audience. Draw inspiration from a combination of your industry, related industries, and even industries that are not related.

Look for strategies you can apply to your own posts, adapting the content to match your own style.
Additionally, you can check out their most engaged followers and engage with them to potentially attract them to your own account.

Post Quality and Eye-Catching Photos

Instagram is a visual platform, so the quality of your images matters. People often make assumptions about your brand based on your photos before they even have a chance to know more about your content or products.

Therefore, it's essential that you put in the effort to create high-quality, eye-catching photos. Instagram users expect a certain level of quality from brands, regardless of whether you're a start-up, aspiring influencer, or small local business.

Investing in a good camera can certainly help, but there are also numerous photo editing apps available that can help you enhance your photos with great lighting and focus.

Remember, the better your photos, the more likes, shares, comments, and engagement you'll receive, putting you one step closer to increasing your followers.

A lot of brands create eye-catching visuals that make a cohesive Instagram feed:

source: @fourseasons

source: @westelm

source: @hm

If you don't have your own team of professional designers, you can use a free graphic design tool like Canva that lets you drag and drop files like your brand logo and fonts and create templates that match your corporate identity. 

This is a simple yet effective way to create compelling visuals that will make your followers love your content.

Embrace Video Content

Maximize the potential of your Instagram presence by incorporating more video content. Videos are highly engaging and make your feed stand out amidst the sea of static images. Focus on videos that don't rely on audio and consider incorporating how-to videos, which are particularly popular on Instagram. 

Including captions is a must as it reaches users who don't listen to audio while scrolling, and makes your content more accessible, a crucial aspect for a brand or influencer looking to reach a wider audience.

Use Right Hashtags

Boost your organic reach by using hashtags to your advantage. Don't just randomly tag your posts with popular hashtags like #love, #great or #coffee. Instead, be strategic in your hashtag use by focusing on both your brand and industry hashtags. 

Having a specific brand hashtag helps you connect with related content and influencers, while industry hashtags keep you updated on trends in your field.

Whether you're an e-commerce store or a local business, you can achieve success on Instagram by constantly attracting new followers interested in your content. Adding relevant hashtags to your captions expands your reach and allows you to connect with potential followers and customers. 

When non-followers discover and engage with your content, they may start liking your posts and engaging in conversation with your brand on the platform.

Don't miss out on our exclusive guide on How to Use Instagram Hashtags! Get insider tips on how to maximize your reach and engagement using hashtags.

source: @yamahamotoruk

source: @purelei

Utilise Photo Tagging

Did you know that tagging relevant accounts in your post can improve engagement?

While photo tags don't work exactly the same way as hashtags, they still have a similar purpose: increasing visibility.

A pro tip to get more likes on Instagram is to tag content with relevant accounts such as products or brands featured in the post, influencers in the field, or people you believe would appreciate or be interested in the post.

This will have a significant impact on how the Instagram algorithm evaluates the relevance of your content. Tagging the post will increase the chances of it appearing on the Explore page of followers of the tagged account, leading to increased reach, impressions, and potential for engagement.

However, be careful not to become spammy by continually tagging the same accounts in posts without a valid reason.

To avoid this, try tagging the user and then mentioning them in a comment to initiate a conversation. This will justify your reason for tagging them and show that you're making a genuine effort to engage, rather than just seeking quick ways to get likes on Instagram.

source: @motul

Tag Relevant Accounts

Tagging other accounts in your posts can help to increase your reach and build relationships on Instagram. When you tag someone, their username appears as a hyperlink in your caption, and they will receive a notification about your post. This can lead to more engagement, as they may share it with their followers or even like it themselves.

Additionally, tagging relevant accounts in your post gives credit where it's due. If you have products or people in your photo, tag them on the post to show appreciation and acknowledge their contribution. This can result in brands liking your post and commenting, which can enhance customer loyalty and create a mutually beneficial relationship.

For example, CB2 often reposts customer photos and acknowledges the designers and venues that use their products. This enhances customer loyalty and showcases their work, resulting in a win-win situation for all parties involved. So if you want to get more exposure for your account, start tagging relevant accounts in your posts!

source: @sharpie

Ask to tag a friend

Tag a friend is a popular engagement strategy on Instagram where users are encouraged to tag a friend in the comments section of a post. The aim is to increase the reach and exposure of the post, as well as encourage interaction among followers.

By asking followers to tag a friend, you are leveraging the power of word-of-mouth promotion. When a user tags a friend, the post is not only shown on their own feed, but also on their friend's feed, potentially reaching a new audience.

This strategy works best when the post is interesting, funny, or informative. Posts that evoke a strong emotional response are more likely to inspire followers to tag a friend.

source: @kitkat

Add the post’s location

Geo tag is an important tool in increasing engagement on your Instagram posts. By including the location of your photo in the post, you make it easier for users to discover and connect with your content.

When you geotag a post, it appears on a map within the Instagram app, making it visible to users who are searching for photos from a particular location. This increased visibility can lead to more views and likes on your photos, as users who are interested in the location can easily find your content.

Additionally, geotagging can also help you gain more followers. As users who enjoy your photos can see more of your work by following you, it is an effective way to build an engaged audience.

source: @yolobstertx

Add calls to action in your caption

Successful Instagram marketing is about building a relationship between your business and followers. While publishing posts is great, you can increase engagement by inviting your followers to join a conversation. One effective way to do this is by asking questions and adding calls to action in your captions.

To get more likes on Instagram, prioritize your followers and show them that you value their interests. By including calls to action that encourage conversation and foster a connection with your brand, you can provide a compelling reason for followers to like your content.

For example, Starburst invites its followers to discuss their preferences by asking a question and including hints in their post. People are naturally drawn to focus on themselves, so asking about their preferences is a proven way to get the conversation started and increase engagement. 

source: @starburst

Use Instagram Shopping

By utilizing Instagram shopping, you can create a seamless shopping experience for your followers, making it easier for them to discover and purchase products from your brand. This can increase your engagement and sales, as users can see and buy products directly from your posts. 

Additionally, this feature can help to increase your brand visibility and credibility, as followers can view your products in a curated and organized manner. 

Utilising Instagram shopping can be a great way to take your brand to the next level and gain more likes and followers on the platform.

source: instagram

Understand Your Instagram Analytics

Maximizing your Instagram Insights can assist you in understanding what drives more followers to your account. The analytics are solely based on data from your Instagram Business account.

There are two primary analytics you should concentrate on to gain guidance on the type of content that will increase followers and grow your page.

Instagram Audience Analytics:

• Top locations: This information displays the top five cities and countries where your followers are located.
• Age range: A simple way to find out the age group of your followers. Instagram categorizes it as follows: 13-17, 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+.
• Gender: The distribution of your followers divided by men and women.
• Follower hours: A useful statistic to know the average time of the day when your followers are active on Instagram.
• Follower days: Similarly useful, this section shows the days of the week when your followers are most active.

Individual Post Analytics:

• Interactions: These are actions taken from your post directly, including visiting your profile, clicking a hyperlink, or using the call/email button in your post. These are tracked and recorded here.
• Discovery: If you have used the discovery feature on Instagram, this section informs you of the number of accounts reached through discovery that are not currently following you.
• Follows: The number of new followers gained from a post.
• Reach: The number of unique accounts that a post has reached.
• Impressions: The total number of views on your post. Instagram also breaks it down by category, showing where the post was viewed from (home, hashtags, profile, and others).
• Saves: The number of unique accounts that saved your post to their personal saved folder.
• Comments: The number of comments on your post.

By keeping an eye on your analytics, you can optimize your content for your target audience more effectively, leading to more likes and engagement.

Utilise Your Bio for Brand Promotion

Your Instagram bio serves as more than just an introduction to new followers - it can actually aid in attracting new followers.

Think of your bio as a visual representation of your brand, and make it as concise and specific as possible.

source: @cattoysshop

Adding keywords to your bio helps new followers find your brand or products through online search engines. Utilizing SEO keywords can increase the visibility of your profile and attract potential followers.

Using a unique or branded hashtag in your bio creates a strong connection with your online audience and encourages new followers to join in.

Optimizing your bio will make your profile more visible to your target audience, leading to more likes on Instagram.

Check out our article on optimizing your Instagram bio for more information.

Interact with Similar Accounts

By following and liking posts from other users, you increase your visibility and build relationships with other users.

In return, these users are more likely to like and comment on your posts.

Engaging with other users also provides valuable insights into what types of content resonate with your audience and how to create posts that generate more engagement.

If you want to increase your likes on Instagram, start by reaching out to similar accounts and expanding your network.

Share User-Generated-Content

Sharing user-generated content on Instagram is a great way to build a strong and engaged community. By featuring content created by your followers, you show them that you value their contributions and appreciate their support. This can increase user engagement, create a sense of community, and boost brand loyalty.

To get user-generated content, you can encourage followers to use a branded hashtag or tag your account in their posts. You can then easily find and share this content on your own account. Sharing user-generated content also gives your followers exposure and can help you reach a wider audience.

Almost 86% of millennials consider user-generated content (UGC) as a reflection of a brand's or product's quality. UGC refers to content created by individuals outside the business, and is often a genuine expression of love for the brand.

As a brand with an active social media presence, you can expect fans to post content related to your brand. To increase likes, go beyond simply liking or commenting on these posts and instead repost them while giving credit to the original creator. This is a great way to encourage more users to share their own content and fill your Instagram queue with genuine and engaging content.

In addition to promoting engagement, user-generated content can also provide valuable insights into your target audience. By analyzing the type of content that your followers are creating, you can get a better understanding of their interests, preferences, and needs. This can inform your future content creation and marketing strategies.

Display Your Instagram on Your Website

Incorporating an Instagram widget on your website can boost likes and followers for your account. This makes your Instagram easily accessible to website traffic and customers, allowing for easy online connection. 

Encourage followers to post pictures for your brand using a branded hashtag for daily social listening. This is an excellent way to get more free Instagram likes and user-generated content.

Post During Peak Hours

The best time to post on Instagram varies for different accounts, depending on factors such as target audience, location, and niche. However, there are some general guidelines that can help increase the visibility and engagement of your posts.

Research has shown that the optimal posting time on Instagram is from 2 pm to 4 pm GMT and from 7 pm to 8 pm GMT. During these hours, engagement is typically higher as many users are checking their feeds before and after work.

It's also important to consider the time zone of your target audience. If your target audience is located in a different time zone, adjust your posting schedule accordingly. Additionally, keep in mind that weekends tend to be slower in terms of engagement, so you may want to adjust your posting schedule accordingly.

It's important to experiment and track the engagement of your posts at different times to determine the best posting schedule for your specific account. You can use Instagram's analytics tools to track your engagement and make informed decisions about the best time to post.

Keep in mind that posting frequency and consistency are also crucial factors in the success of your Instagram account. In addition to posting at optimal times, aim to post consistently and at a frequency that is manageable for you and your audience.

Don't miss out on maximizing your engagement! Make sure to read our article about the best times for posting on Instagram. This crucial piece of information will help ensure your posts are seen by the most people, leading to even more likes and interactions.

Post Consistently

To maximize likes on Instagram, it's crucial to maintain consistency in your posting schedule. While there's no set guideline for posting frequency, being consistent is more important than posting frequently.

By consistently sharing content on Instagram, your audience will come to expect and appreciate your regular updates, leading to a perceived increase in reliability, authority, and brand appeal.

It's important to note that excessive posting frequency can be time-consuming and can lead to running out of content.

Join Conte.ai now and let our proprietary AI handle your content creation and publishing on Instagram! Get more likes, reach a wider audience and save time with this innovative social media solution.

Run Contests or Giveaways

As an important recommendation for getting likes on Instagram, consider giving back to your followers through contests or giveaways.

Running a contest or giveaway is an effective way to increase engagement on your account and drive up likes. These events incentivize followers to like, comment, and share your content in exchange for the chance to win a prize.

If planned carefully, contests and giveaways can not only get you more likes but also help spread awareness about your account as followers repost your content.

source: @hersheys

Utilise Memes and Trends

Using memes and trending topics in your posts can be an effective way to increase engagement, as long as it's done strategically. There are many Instagram accounts that are dedicated solely to memes and popular themes.

Before incorporating memes into your own account, it's crucial to assess whether your audience is the right fit for this type of content. Your followers should be well-versed in pop culture and regularly spend time on the internet to be able to recognize and appreciate memes.

Keep in mind that memes may not be suitable for all brands, as some audiences may not appreciate this type of humor. Ensure that you understand your followers' preferences before posting a meme just because it's trending or popular.

source: @chipotle

Cross-Promote on Other Platforms

Linking your Instagram account with other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter is a great way to share your content and reach a larger audience. 

By doing so, you can direct the traffic and views generated on your other platforms to your profile, which can result in more Instagram likes and followers.

Your blog is also a great place to share your Instagram posts. Instagram allows you to embed posts or you can use external widgets.

Enhance Reach with Boosted Posts

To increase the reach of your posts, consider "boosting" them rather than creating an ad campaign in the Facebook Ads Manager. Boosting allows you to reach more people within a single post, thanks to its powerful targeting options, which are similar to those available on the Facebook Ads platform.

With the right targeting and engaging content, boosting your posts can lead to more followers who are interested in your business, which can result in more likes on Instagram.

Note that boosting a post is not the same as creating an ad campaign; it is a more limited version of it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting more likes on Instagram can greatly benefit your brand and help reach a wider audience. There are 22 various strategies to achieve this, including posting consistently, hosting a contest or giveaway, leveraging trends and memes, promoting your Instagram on other platforms, boosting or promoting posts, and sharing user-generated content. 

However, it's important to remember that success on social media also involves engaging with your followers and being social with other influencers and brands in your niche. 

By combining these tactics, you can increase your chances of getting more likes on Instagram and growing your brand presence on the platform.

Say goodbye to the hassle of constantly coming up with new ideas, managing multiple accounts, and scheduling posts. Conte.ai uses AI technology to create content that is tailored to your brand, ensuring that your Instagram presence stays active, relevant and engaging. So why not join us today and let Conte.ai help you get the likes and followers you deserve!