Instagram is an app which is built on engagement and the formation of a community – be it in sharing photos with your friends, building a profile for your brand, or establishing your own profile as a creator in a specific sector or industry.
One of the best ways of engaging with a piece of content that you like or agree with is by liking it: a quick action which requires the click of a single button, letting the poster know that you have seen and approve of their post or content.
For brands, businesses, and creators, these ‘likes’ mean a whole lot more than just a nod of approval.
Likes are a fundamental part of an Instagram strategy, supporting the brand or creator’s growth and boosting their prominence in the Instagram algorithm.
In this article, we’re speaking directly to brands, businesses, and creators – sharing advice on how to boost the number of likes that you get on Instagram without paying a penny.
Aren’t All Likes Free?
Yes – but there are ways of boosting your engagement stats on Instagram through paid services.
In this article, we’re focusing specifically on organic likes and how to boost your engagement without buying likes from a third party provider. However, if you need to quickly increase the number of likes on a specific post, you can always fall back on a reputable provider like Twicsy.
Why Are Likes So Important?
Before we share some tips on boosting likes, why are likes on Instagram so important?
In short, the more likes a post gets, the more people will see it.
Instagram’s algorithm uses the number of likes on a post to determine its value and how useful or appealing that content is for those who have seen it. If a post receives a positive response and lots of likes, Instagram will push that post out to other users via the Discovery and Explore page.
Another reason why likes are so important is that they increase credibility. When a brand’s post has lots of likes and engagement, both Instagram and other users tend to view that content as more credible.
Finally, likes can help the creator or brand to see how many of their followers are regularly viewing and engaging with their posts. When a post receives lots of likes, the poster can use that to ascertain the type of content which receives high interest, the best time to post, and the right calls to action which ignite and inspire engagement.
Tips to Boost Likes and Engagement on Instagram
So, how can you boost the number of likes you receive on Instagram without paying anything?
- Post on a regular basis, so that followers see your content on a consistent and reliable basis.
- Pack your content with value that users will genuinely like seeing!
- Use aesthetically pleasing and inspiring visuals. Remember that not all followers will read your caption – many will simply react to the image you post, which is why that visual has to be enough to stop them scrolling!
- Encourage followers to like your post if they agree with the message or sentiment, by adding a call to action in your caption.
- Use hashtags which will connect your post to specific searches carried out by your target demographic. This will likely result in likes which come from people who don’t follow you, as well as users who do.
- Avoid over-editing your photos! Recent research suggests that users are more likely to engage with content and photos which are more natural!
- Use Instagram stories to draw followers back to your content, even when you haven’t shared a grid post.
- Know when to post according to your audience.
- In fact, know your audience! This is crucial when it comes to boosting likes and engagement, as it is only by knowing your audience that you can really create content that appeals to them.
- Use different styles of content – combining behind the scenes updates with team profiles, advice posts, tips and guides, photos, memes, and reviews!
- Add UGC (user-generated content) to your posting schedule. Users love to see what other users think of your brand / product / service and are more likely to engage with this kind of content.
- Drive users on other platforms towards your Instagram.
- Consider collaborations and influencer posts to boost your brand exposure and prominence in specific industries.
- Be engaging by responding to comments, messages, and tagged posts.
Suffice to say, there is plenty that you can and should be doing to boost your profile and increase the number of likes that your content gets! We hope this article helps and gives you some ideas as to what you can do to take your Instagram to the next level!
