Following some or all of the suggestions below can help grow your Instagram likes organically and through direct methods. This list isn’t a guarantee of increased likes. Knowing your audience goes a long way toward getting likes, and having patience keeps you from feeling defeated.

Post Regularly

Perhaps nothing makes a follower base lose interest in a social media account quicker than sporadic or a low number of posts. Instagram is no exception.

You don’t have to share something every day. However, having some level of consistency with the frequency of your posts has proven to keep your followers engaged and, in turn, leads to more likes in the long run.

If you’re leaving for vacation and don’t want to log in for a while, schedule posts in advance using a tool like Hootsuite so that your account remains active.

Use Hashtags the Right Way

Hashtags are one of the most powerful tools to increase your Instagram likes organically. Still, hashtags are also the most misused, leading to posts not always getting the views they might deserve.

You should only include popular or trending hashtags if those hashtags apply to a particular post.

Adding a hashtag that has nothing to do with your post just because it might get you some extra traffic is a big no-no. You’ll be looked upon as a spammer by anyone who stumbles upon your post.

Avoid stacking hashtags at the end of your caption, which isn’t necessary. Instead, spread hashtags throughout the text so that they stand out and are easily readable. If you must place all the hashtags at the end, separate them with creative spacing or punctuation.

Don’t Forget to Tag

Each time you tag an Instagram user in your photos, they receive a notification. This notification may lead to them viewing the post and perhaps liking it while they’re there.

Tags can be especially useful if you tag profiles with large follower bases. However, don’t tag accounts just to tag them. Ensure a tie-in with the post, such as their product featured in the photo.

The IG community frowns upon tagging without relevance, which is essentially spam.

Use the Add Location Feature

Instagram provides the option to include a location tag with your posts. This tag shows where you took the photo or where you happen to be.

A location tag increases the likelihood of your post getting viewed (and therefore liked) by users other than your followers, as many people use the IG search by location functionality. Choose Add Location, select the correct value, and post.

Follow Others and Like Their Photos

Just as you’ll want to interact with your follower base to secure more likes, following others and liking their content is also essential. While you shouldn’t expect the same treatment from others, reciprocation of likes is often a common way to grow your numbers.

Be Interactive

It isn’t enough to post photos, videos, and stories and wait for the accolades to pile up. Respond to your followers when they post comments or inquiries. Proactively send them messages when the situation calls for it. Let your personal or business personality shine through by taking part in conversations regularly.

Find Your Niche

The number of Instagram profiles can make it tough to stand out, especially when you post similar content. If you’re foundering in your quest for likes, focus on a particular topic or genre. Choose something about which you’re knowledgeable and passionate. Otherwise, your IG experience will become tedious instead of enjoyable.

Use Instagram Stories

While Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours and you can’t technically like them, they can help you gain more interest in your profile. The trickle-down effect of this is typically more likes on your photos and videos.

Post Quality Photos

It doesn’t take much effort to share any old picture on Instagram. Low-quality photos don’t garner much interest and, therefore, won’t lead to many likes. To increase your likes, post mostly high-resolution, eye-catching images.

Add Video to Your Repertoire

Sharing video content with your followers and the general public is something you should do if exponential growth in likes is your primary goal. Static images are the main bread and butter of IG. However, supplementing your pictures with an occasional video post almost always results in an engagement boost from your followers and others.

Just Be You

A common pitfall of Instagram revolves around the perceived pressure to always seem exciting, humorous, or exceptional. This pressure causes many users to try too hard when being themselves is more than enough to develop a following and rake in likes.

Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

While it’s crucial to come across as genuine, it’s also essential to have a sense of humor about yourself. Social media brings out critics and trolls. Having the ability to be self-deprecating in certain situations can win over the harshest commentator and make you seem down to earth. This combination almost always leads to added likes.

Don’t Overdo It With Filters

For many people, filters are the heart of Instagram, allowing you to edit your photos in several unique ways instantly. Because it’s easy to apply these filters, the temptation to use filters across the board can be strong, something you often see throughout the service.

Many photos are fine in their original state and should be left as-is. Also, some filters perform better than others, so practice makes perfect. It’s often best to choose one or two filters that you like that seem to work best and stick with them for consistency.

Put Some Effort Into Your Captions

So you have a cool photo or video, and you can’t wait to share it on Instagram. Not so fast! A quality image or clip may not live up to its full potential in terms of exposure and likes if a carefully-constructed, well-written caption doesn’t accompany it.

Without overthinking it, make sure your caption relays the point you want to get across without being unnecessarily wordy. If you want to convey a specific image with your IG profile, your caption text should be in line with that vision. Finally, make sure the caption contains relevant hashtags.

Solicit Responses From Your Followers

Encourage interaction within your captions by asking pointed questions or requesting a like without sounding overly anxious about it. Try something along the lines of “Don’t forget to double-tap if you’re impressed!” If someone takes the time to leave a comment on your post in response to a question, there’s a chance that they will also spend a second liking it.

Going Live to Your Followers

One of the more undervalued features available on Instagram, broadcasting live video, allows you to engage directly with your viewers in real time whenever you wish. No matter the topic, this can be a great way to spark interest in your profile and gain new followers.

Although going live may not directly impact your number of likes, the increased activity around your profile certainly will.

In-Progress Posts

Mostly applicable to artists and other creative types, including those who like to showcase their cooking or baking prowess, this tip can be used elsewhere as well with a little creativity.

Rather than posting only the finished product, whatever it may be, many Instagram users choose to share in-progress photos along the way. They involve their followers in the process and provide them with something to look forward to at the end.

This tried-and-true practice is almost always worth the effort, as you’re more likely to gain a steady stream of likes as opposed to only posting the final result.

Trading Likes for Contest Entries

This one typically applies to businesses but can be extended to anyone with a little imagination and ingenuity.

Many Instagram users run contests, offering to give something away to the winners. In some cases, all you have to do to enter one of these games of chance is to like a post. Running this style of contest once in a while is an effective way to rack up likes.

The Boomerang App

Creating and posting videos created with the Boomerang app has become the rage on Instagram due to its unique style of melding a burst of ten photos into a type of live-action selfie. With a couple of finger taps, you can capture and share these mini-videos to your IG profile, and the likes should soon follow.

This tip will cost you more than time. If used correctly, its overall effectiveness may be worth the hit to your wallet.

The Instagram Ads program allows you to pay for promoted posts, reaching segments of the IG population that aren’t always possible with free methods. Ads all but ensure an increase in your follower base and subsequent likes.

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