How to Get More Likes on Instagram? 12 Tips You Should Know

With around 2 billion active users, Instagram is an all-you-can-eat buffet of potential engagement. As an advertiser or brand, you want as many of them as possible feasting on your content—because more likes mean more reach, credibility, and, ultimately, business growth. But with 95 million photos and videos posted daily, standing out often feels near impossible. 

So, how do you make them stop, look, and double-tap? ❤️‍🔥 Keep reading.

Why are likes on Instagram important?

Before diving into specific strategies, let's examine why Instagram likes matter more than ever in 2025:

Social proof drives consumer behavior. When potential customers see high engagement on your posts, it builds instant credibility. Research shows that 84% of consumers trust recommendations from peers over traditional advertising, making likes (and comments) a powerful form of social validation that can transform casual browsers into loyal followers and customers.

The Instagram algorithm prioritizes engagement. The platform's algorithm uses likes as a key metric to determine content quality and relevance. Posts with higher engagement rates are more likely to appear on the Explore page and in followers' feeds, creating a compound effect that can exponentially increase your reach.

Likes provide actionable insights. While vanity metrics shouldn’t be your sole focus, they offer accurate data on what clicks with your audience. Think about it—when did you last like a product you didn’t trust or care about? Exactly. Hitting that like button is almost instinctual, a quick stamp of approval for content that resonates. That instant feedback helps brands fine-tune their content strategy and maximize the ROI.

They indicate market interest. For businesses, likes serve as early indicators of product interest and brand affinity. They can help predict trends and guide product development or marketing decisions.

How to get more likes on Instagram - 12 tips

1. Create high-quality content consistently

The foundation of success on Instagram starts with content that stops Instagram users mid-scroll. High-quality content encompasses more than just well-crafted aesthetics - it delivers real value to your target audience. The key elements of high-quality content are:

• Visual excellence: Professional photography or well-edited images, a consistent brand aesthetic, and crisp, clear visuals optimized for mobile viewing are key to making your content stand out. Thoughtful composition, strategic color schemes, and proper lighting ensure your posts look polished and engaging, increasing the chances of stopping the scroll and earning more likes.
• Content strategy: A strong content strategy balances educational, entertaining, and promotional posts while maintaining a clear value proposition and authentic brand voice. Strong storytelling elements help create a deeper connection with your audience. At the same time, a consistent posting schedule (at about 1-2 times a day, 3-5 times per week) keeps your brand in mind and encourages ongoing engagement.

💼 Want to level up your content? Check out our guide on 14 creative Instagram post ideas for business—perfect for getting your creative juices flowing.

2. Understand your best time to post

Timing can make or break your post’s performance. Sure, there are general best practices, but the real magic happens when you figure out when your audience is most active. Posting at the right time means more eyes on your content, engagement, and growth. 

You’ve got to:

• Know the general best times to post – While the best time to post varies by industry and content type, some engagement trends remain consistent. The early-morning scroll (7 am – 9 am) is prime time as people catch up on their feeds before starting their day. Lunchtime (11 am – 1 pm) offers another sweet spot when users take a break to browse. And in the evening (7 pm – 9 pm), engagement spikes again as people unwind and scroll before bed. For the full rundown, check out our guide for the best time to post on Instagram.

• Experiment with different posting times - Track when your posts get the most likes, comments, and shares. Are mornings, lunch breaks, or evenings your audience's sweet spot? Test different time slots and adjust based on performance.

• Analyze your data using Instagram Insights, exclusive to business and creator accounts. Insights not only show your audience's most active times but also provide details on engagement, reach, and impressions. If you're still using a personal Instagram account, switching to an Instagram business account is quick and easy—just follow the steps in our blog. 
• Using third-party tools can also help you track your content performance and analyze engagement patterns in a more meticulous way that Instagram’s native features might not capture.  

3. Engage with your community

Don’t be that brand 👀 Building an engaged community on Instagram isn’t just about posting great content—it’s also about actively interacting with your audience. Engagement breeds engagement, creating a positive feedback loop that naturally boosts likes, comments, and shares.

Make engagement a daily habit. Respond to comments within two hours to keep conversations flowing, like and comment on followers’ posts to show appreciation, and participate in industry discussions to stay relevant. Sharing user-generated content and hosting Q&A sessions also help strengthen connections.

4. Optimize your hashtag strategy

Hashtags are still one of Instagram’s most powerful discovery tools, with posts that use them seeing 12.6% more engagement than those without. A well-planned hashtag strategy helps expand your reach, get new Instagram followers, and boost engagement.

Start with thorough research. Analyze competitor hashtags, study industry trends, track performance, and monitor trending topics. That will ensure that you use the most effective tags for your niche.

When implementing hashtags, aim for 3-5 relevant ones per post. A mix of popular and niche hashtags improves visibility, while branded hashtags reinforce your identity. Rotate your hashtag sets regularly to keep your content fresh, and always avoid banned or spammy tags to prevent shadowbanning.

5. Use Instagram Stories strategically

Instagram Stories are a powerful way to keep your brand top of mind. When your audience regularly sees your content, they start expecting it, which makes them more likely to engage with the heart button. For high engagement, aim to post 3-5 Stories daily, incorporating location tags, relevant hashtags, and clear calls to action. 

Mix up your Story content with behind-the-scenes glimpses, post previews using “New Post” stickers, and interactive elements like polls, quizzes, “shake to reveal,” and question stickers. Countdown stickers work great for product launches, keeping your audience hyped and engaged. 

🕹️ Looking to give your organic content an extra push for more reach? Our article covers everything you need to know about boosting posts on Instagram, and how it compares to running ads.

6. Run Instagram ads

Instagram’s organic reach has taken a serious hit over the years—most posts only reach a fraction of your followers. If you want to get your content in front of more of the right people and increase engagement, Instagram ads are your best bet.

Here’s how Instagram ads can give your content a growth spurt 🌱:

1. Reach the right people - Unlike organic posts, which depend on the algorithm to (maybe) reach followers, ads let you target users based on interests, behaviors, and past interactions—giving your content a much higher chance of hitting the mark with the right audience, and, ultimately, receiving more likes.
2. Get your posts in front of engaged users at the right time - Meta’s algorithm automatically serves ads to users when they’re most likely to engage. Unlike organic posts, where timing is a guessing game, ads ensure your content appears when your audience is most active.
3. Uncover advanced insights you can’t get organically - Meta Ads Manager gives you far more detailed performance data than Instagram Insights, showing exactly how different demographics interact with your ads. This helps you refine your creative and audience strategy with data you wouldn’t get from organic posts alone.
4. Optimize for engagement with Meta’s algorithm – When you run an engagement-focused ad campaign, Meta specifically targets users who are more likely to like, comment, and share. Organic posts don’t have this level of optimization—you’re at the mercy of Instagram’s algorithm.

Running ads is one thing, but running super ads is another. If you invest in paid promotion, you must ensure your creatives are as high-quality as your targeting. Madgicx is your super app for Instagram (and Facebook) ads, providing everything you need to create, test, and optimize your Instagram ads in one seamless AI Ads Workflow.

With Madgicx’s AI Ad Generator, all it takes is uploading a basic product photo to create multiple ad variations tailored to your brand. No design experience is required from your side.

Creative testing also becomes a breeze with AI. The AI Ad Generator can churn out multiple high-performing ad variations in seconds—so you can test different approaches and quickly discover what truly resonates with your audience. No more long hours spent tweaking designs. You can focus on optimizing your campaign with the right creatives, all while saving time and boosting your results.

Once your creatives are in place, Madgicx’s AI Marketer ensures optimal performance by acting as your personal media buyer—working 24/7 to analyze data and recommend the next best move for getting more out of your advertising budget. Using machine learning, the AI Marketer lets you automatically execute these strategies with just a click, optimizing your campaigns in real time.

By combining the power of Madgicx’s AI tools, you can elevate your Instagram ad game—create, test, and optimize all in one place, driving results without the manual hassle.

Ready to take your Instagram ads seriously? Take advantage of Madgicx’s 7-day FREE trial today. 

7. Leverage user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is a goldmine for engagement—it’s authentic and relatable, and multiple reports claim that it drives up to 6.9x higher interaction than brand-created content. 

I did a quick search on Converse’s Instagram to verify its effectiveness, and here’s what I found: the UGC post received an impressive 4.7 times as many likes as their branded collaboration with Swarovski. Plus, UGC content takes some of the content creation pressure off your plate, letting your fans do some of the heavy lifting ;)

To collect quality UGC, create branded hashtags, run photo contests, and encourage customer reviews or testimonials. Partnering with micro-influencers can also bring in fresh, trustworthy content. Always credit the original creators and get permission to use UGC. Repurpose it across multiple social media platforms, include clear calls to action, and track performance to see what resonates most with your audience.

8. Launch contests

Check out how Karen Millen saw a massive spike in popularity just after launching a contest.

Contests are a great way to increase engagement and brand awareness. When executed correctly, they give users a reason to interact and help boost your brand’s visibility through shares, entries, and that exciting buzz.

For planning, set clear objectives, choose prizes your audience wants, and create simple yet effective entry rules. Establish tracking systems and plan how to promote the contest to maximize visibility.

When running the contest, encourage engagement with entry requirements that drive participation (like tagging friends or sharing posts). Set reasonable timeframes to keep momentum going and continuously monitor participation. Don't forget to follow Instagram’s promotion guidelines to keep everything running smoothly.

9. Create carousel posts

Carousel posts are a secret weapon for increasing likes and engagement. In fact, they generate 12% more engagement than other post types, making them a great way to captivate your audience.

Consider using popular formats that resonate with your content. Examples include before-and-after transformations, step-by-step tutorials, product collections, customer testimonials, tips and tricks series, and multi-image stories.

For design, stick to consistent styling to keep your posts cohesive. Start with a compelling first slide to grab attention, and use clear navigation cues to guide users through the carousel. Optimize each image for maximum impact, and remember to include descriptive captions that enhance the storytelling. This way, your carousel posts will grab attention and spark more engagement.

10. Optimize your profile

A polished and well-optimized profile is key to attracting engagement and establishing credibility. One simple but effective way to do this is to get the blue checkmark on your profile. Check out our detailed guide on how to get verified on Instagram.

Another approach is to make the most of your bio space. For instance, Farfetch features a playful tagline that piques interest and includes a branded hashtag. They've also added a link that leads to a lookbook where you can shop their collection.

Here’s a checklist to make sure your profile is looking its best:

Visual elements:

✔️ Use a professional profile photo that represents your brand

✔️ Create cohesive highlight covers that align with your brand aesthetic

✔️ Stick to a branded color scheme across your profile

✔️ Make sure your header image is high-quality and eye-catching

Technical elements:

✔️ Craft a bio that’s keyword-rich and reflects your brand’s personality

✔️ Strategically place your link to drive traffic (Linktree, website, or campaign)

✔️ Fill in complete contact information to make it easy for followers to reach you

✔️ Select the correct category for your business to ensure users know what you’re about at a glance

11. Monitor your impressions

Tracking your impressions on Instagram helps you see how many people actually view your posts, which is the first step to increasing likes. If your impressions are low, your content isn’t being seen enough—meaning fewer chances for likes. Check your Instagram Insights to spot trends: Are posts with specific hashtags or formats getting more visibility? Are your best-performing posts appearing at the right time? By understanding what expands your reach, you can tweak your strategy to get more eyes on your content—and more likes as a result. 

12. Focus on Instagram Reels

If you want to grow your engagement and likes seriously, Instagram Reels should be a top priority. They get 36% higher organic reach than the other post types on the platform, making them a powerful tool for boosting visibility and connecting with new audiences.

Research trending topics to get the most out of Reels. Creating a content calendar helps you stay consistent and organized while planning a series or theme, ensuring your Reels feel cohesive and engaged. 

Remember the importance of preparation. Have scripts ready to keep your content focused and on point, and sourcing the right music and effects can elevate the overall experience. Reels are a fun, dynamic, and easy way to showcase your brand’s personality, so ensure you use them strategically.

FAQ - how to get more likes on Instagram

Now, let’s get into some burning questions about getting more likes on Instagram!

How can I increase my likes on Instagram?

Focus on creating consistent, high-quality content while implementing multiple engagement strategies:

• Post during peak activity times
• Use strategic hashtag combinations
• Engage with your community regularly
• Create shareable content
• Run targeted ads through Meta and Madgicx
• Analyze and adapt based on performance

What is the trick to getting likes on Instagram?

Success comes from combining multiple strategies:

• Understanding your audience deeply
• Creating content that solves problems
• Maintaining consistent content quality
• Using data to inform decisions
• Engaging authentically
• Leveraging both organic and paid promotion

Why am I not getting likes on Instagram?

Common issues include:

• Inconsistent posting schedule
• Poor content quality
• Ineffective hashtag usage
• Wrong posting times
• Lack of community engagement
• Algorithm changes
• Limited feature utilization

How do people get 1,000 likes on Instagram?

To achieve 1,000 likes on Instagram, focus on posting high-quality content with engaging captions and consistent scheduling. Use relevant hashtags and geotags, and post during optimal times. Engage with your followers through likes, comments, and collaborations with influencers. Utilize Instagram Stories and Reels for increased visibility, and consider hosting giveaways or contests to attract new followers and boost engagement.

Conclusion

Getting more likes on Instagram requires a strategic approach combining quality content, consistent engagement, and smart promotion. While organic growth is essential, don't overlook the power of paid advertising through tools like Madgicx to accelerate your results.

Remember that likes are just one part of a successful Instagram strategy. Focus on creating genuine connections while providing consistent value through your content. By implementing these tips and the right tools, you can build a strong, engaged Instagram following that supports your business goals.

Start your free trial with Madgicx today and discover how AI-powered tools can help you achieve better results from your Instagram advertising efforts.