Double taps, hearts, faves, whatever you want to call it — likes are the main form of currency on Instagram and have been the driving force for users putting out great content for a long time.
This guide is going to talk you through a number of ways to get likes on Instagram and skyrocket your profile engagement!
Unfortunately, it’s no longer a simple case of putting out great content and getting the engagement you deserve. With the shift to an algorithm led feed, the way we get likes on Instagram changed.
For more info about the Instagram Algorithm and how to make the most of it, check out this article:
📈 5 Ways To Increase Engagement Using The Instagram Algorithm 📈
We have compiled the ultimate guide to getting likes on Instagram in 2024 — housing all the tips, tricks and insights you need to know to increase engagement on your posts!
This guide will be updated regularly with new methods and advice as the world of Instagram changes…
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Do likes still matter on Instagram in 2024?
Absolutely! you might be thinking “users can now hide like numbers on Instagram, so who cares”
But if you’re on Instagram, likes matter as much as ever before, here’s why:
Back in 2019, Instagram started experimenting with hiding the number of likes on a post. This was a part of Instagram’s efforts to protect the mental health of its users by making the experience less competitive and more focused on sharing moments with friends through photos and videos.
The result? Some loved it, some hated it.
So, in 2021, Instagram announced that it would give people the option to hide the number of likes they get on their Instagram posts (either on all other posts or just their own feed).
But, here’s the catch, the Instagram algorithm continues to work like it always has, whether you hide the number of likes or not, the Instagram algorithm always knows.
So whether your Instagram likes are visible or not, here are 8 ways to get people to tap that heart button…
How To Get More Likes On Instagram In 2024?
1. Content Rules All (That’s Why It’s King) 👑
It may sound obvious, but high quality content is the most important foundation to getting likes on Instagram.
You can tell when a brand or influencer have put time and resources into producing epic content, and they get more likes on Instagram as a result.
Of course, what makes ‘good’ content is a very abstract question, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. However we do have some guidelines for you to follow:
– Stick to a consistent theme
Colour schemes and feed aesthetics are popular on Instagram because they make your profile cohesive and impressive, and your posts become memorable to your audience.
– Have a memorable style
Following on from this, having a unique type of content will increase likes on Instagram as your posts stand out from the crowd. Example: we love the way influencer Camilla Ackley puts stickers on all her photos.
– Have a high-quality camera
As good as iPhone cameras are these days, you can’t beat a high-quality camera! Professional-looking content stands out and is likely to get more likes. If you use stock images, use high-quality ones from sites like Unsplash and Pixpa.
For specific Instagram content ideas, check out:
📷 How To Produce Epic Instagram Content For Your Business 📷
Now we’ve laid the foundations for creating amazing content, let’s think about the magic pixy dust known as hashtags that will boost your engagement and help you get more likes on Instagram…
2. Use The Right Hashtags #️⃣
Hashtags help you reach more people in your target audience and ultimately get more likes on Instagram.
Not too long ago, you could litter your captions with dozens of generic #picoftheday hashtags and reel in tons of likes, but Instagram is clamping down on spam and the algorithm is more developed than ever, meaning those strategies no longer work.
Instead, when creating your Instagram marketing strategy, you need to invest some time in hashtag research so you’re using the best ones to get likes.
Discover better hashtags to reach the more people, grow your follower count and get more engagement on your posts.
Here are our top tips to finding the right hashtags:
– Related hashtags
Explore Instagram’s ‘related’ hashtag suggestions. If you search for #shampoo on the Instagram app, it will show you similar hashtags based on what other related accounts are using and searching for. This is when the Instagram algorithm comes in very handy, as you can ensure you’re choosing the right niche hashtags to reach your audience and get likes.
- Audience and competitor research
We also recommend manually searching what hashtags your target audience are using. These are the people you are trying to reach, and therefore you want to be using the same ones to increase likes on Instagram.
Similarly, keep an eye on what hashtags your competitors are using as your audiences are the same.
- Third party tools
There are specific tools out there to help you find new relevant hashtags. These tools are great to check the strength of a hashtag and other hashtags that are similar. On Hopper HQ, we have a hashtag explore tool which helps you compare hashtags and see how many posts they each contain.
– Beware of Shadowbanning
Instagram is hotter on spam and bot behaviour than ever before. Using spammy hashtags in your captions can result in your account being ‘shadowbanned’ and hidden from hashtag searches, having a crippling effect on engagement.
It’s not clear how Instagram decides on which hashtags are classified as ‘spam’, but there are tools online to check if your post has been shadowbanned by inputting the post URL.
Ultimately you want to be careful with which hashtags you use, avoid using the same 30 on every post and make sure they are highly relevant to your content.
For an in-depth hashtag strategy guide dedicated to Instagram best practices, check out:
#️⃣ The All-In-One Guide To Instagram Hashtags #️⃣
3. Use Photo Tags 🏷️
Did you know tagging relevant accounts in your post has the potential to boost engagement?
Whilst tags don’t function the same way hashtags do, they do serve a similar purpose: increasing reach. A top tip straight from Hopper HQ to get likes on Instagram is to tag your content with relevant accounts such as products or brands featured in the post, influencers in the space, or people you think would genuinely enjoy or be interested in the post.
This will have a profound effect on how the Instagram algorithm views the relevancy of the content. Tagging the post will increase the likelihood of it appearing on the Explore page of the followers of that tagged account, increasing your overall reach, impressions and potential for engagement!
As with hashtags, there is a risk of becoming spammy if you continually tag the same accounts in posts without a relevant reason.
To avoid this, try tagging the user and then mentioning them in a comment as well to start a conversation. This will justify your reason for tagging them, as well as show you’re making an effort to genuinely engage (rather than pulling off a quick-hack to get likes on Instagram).
> Video, gallery & image posts
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4. Use Location Tags 📍
Instagram posts with location tags receive 79% more engagement than those without, so it’s a great way to get likes!
Make sure to include location tags on posts where relevant, so more people in your target audience will discover you and engage with your content. This is especially important if you are a small local business looking to connect with people in your area.
Location tags also apply to Stories — use the location sticker to get it featured on the location Story and increase your reach!
5. Instagram engagement groups 🤝
For many users, Instagram Engagement Groups (or Pods) are a thing of mystery. However, engagement groups can be an amazing strategy to get likes on Instagram!
What is an Instagram engagement group?
In a nutshell, an Instagram engagement group is a group of users who agree to like and comment on each others’ posts when published.
Essentially they create a ‘like for like’ policy, but with genuine users and fellow business owners supporting one another’s marketing efforts, rather than spammy bots. They are a great tool to get likes on Instagram, especially if you’re just starting out.
Once a user uploads a post, they will share it with the engagement group via a large direct message, and all participants in the engagement group will immediately like and comment on the post.
Your post can literally go from 0-100 likes in minutes (depending on the number of users in the engagement group). The fact users interact with the post immediately after it’s been posted also gives a big thumbs up to the Instagram algorithm, helping your content to get likes on Instagram faster – more on this in the next section!
To find out more about Instagram engagement groups and how to get involved, check out our full comprehensive guide: Increase Organic Reach On Instagram With Engagement Groups!
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6. Post at the most active hours ⏰
As a result of developments to the Instagram algorithm, one of the most important factors to get likes on Instagram is posting at the time where your audience are most active!
When your post gets engagement quickly, it tells the algorithm that it’s a good piece of content and is therefore likely to be shown in more user’s feeds and even appear on the Explore page if you’re lucky.
The best time to post on Instagram is frequently debated, with many businesses and influencers declaring a set date and time to deliver optimum engagement.
However, at Hopper HQ we help manage thousands of Instagram accounts and understand that the best time to post will completely vary depending on the user and target audience.
So how do you find out when your followers are most active?
The good news is you came to the right place! At Hopper HQ we built the ultimate Best Time To Post On Instagram free tool which connects to Instagram Business accounts and assesses audience data and average post engagement to decipher the best hours to post to get likes on Instagram! You’re welcome…
7. Post Consistently 📅
The penultimate strategy we recommend to get likes on Instagram is to be consistent with your posting activity!
There’s not a set guideline for how often to post on Instagram, but remember that consistency is more important than frequency.
By staying consistent with your Instagram posting, your audience will become accustomed to the regularity of your content, and in turn, you will be perceived as a reliable, authoritative and attractive brand.
“But posting consistently is too time consuming! I can’t keep up!”
The demand of posting frequently can be highly time consuming, and result in marketers running out of content.
The way around this is to plan and schedule your Instagram content in advance.
Having the ability to create weeks’ worth of content in one go, upload them into a content calendar and schedule them to go out automatically days/weeks/months in advance is the ultimate solution!
Using Hopper HQ, you can schedule photos and videos across multiple Instagram accounts, and we post them automatically for you – helping you to maintain posting consistency and get likes on Instagram!
Plan & Schedule + Consistent Publishing = Success
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8. Host A Contest Or Giveaway 🎁
Our final tip to get likes on Instagram involves you giving something back to your followers.
Running a contest or a giveaway is a fantastic way to drive engagement to your account and guarantee you get likes on Instagram!
Contests and giveaways provide your followers with an incentive to like, comment and share your content, as the chance to win a prize is considered a fair value exchange.
If you plan your contest or giveaway strategically, you’ll not only get likes on Instagram, but you can also encourage your followers to repost your content to spread awareness – increasing your reach too.
How to run an Instagram contest:
Well firstly you need to decide on the prize or giveaway, and you should make this decision based on the niche of your account and the interests of your followers.
For example, if you’re a brand you may want to give away one of your products as a prize, or tickets to an event or some kind of voucher.
The possibilities of prizes are genuinely endless, but it’s important to choose something that your followers (and their friends) will want! There’s essentially 5 steps to creating an Instagram contest and these are as follows:
- Define a clear theme
- Choose an appropriate prize
- Create an entry method
- Choose an appropriate prize
- Spread the word like crazy
For a full step by step guide check out our full article:
How To Run An Instagram Contest – A 5 Step Guide
Should You Buy Instagram Likes?
No, a thousand times no. You should never buy Instagram Likes or followers.
The idea sounds tempting, we know, but buying likes or fake followers will actually do you more harm than good; it’s easy to spot fake likes and followers, which will likely deter you from your goal of building genuine relationships with your audience and engaging with them, costing you money and any potential deals in the long term.
Instead, focus on growing your following organically, it may take more time, but it’s well worth it in the end.
Parting Words 👋
Follow these steps to get likes on Instagram and watch your profile skyrocket! If you have any questions let us know in the comments. Happy posting! 🙌
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FAQs
How to organically increase Instagram Likes?
Use Instagram’s analytics to find your best time to post, or use a social media tool like Hopper HQ, which offers best time to post tool.