Instagram on Steroids: How To Get More Likes for Free
If you're looking to capture the hearts (and wallets) of millennials and Gen Z, do yourself a favor and wave goodbye to Facebook .
Facebook has become a digital relic (I couldn't resist that one).
But wanna know where the real action is?
Instagram.
Instagram is not the social media platform where the younger generation “hangs out”. It’s where they live and shop.
And sure, some folks are there to just laugh at funny memes. And others double-tap their favorite celebrities.
But they’re also there following their favorite brands.
They're basically begging those brands to give them a reason to hit that "Buy Now" button.
So for your digital marketing agency, Instagram is a no-brainer marketing channel. Especially if you’re looking to grow traffic.
But the real currency on Instagram?
Those little heart-shaped icons we call “likes.”
By now you’ve modeled examples of Instagram campaigns to grow traffic.
And today you’ll learn:
- How to get more Instagram likes without spending a dime.
- The art and science behind crafting content that not only engages but captivates.
- And how to take these strategies and make them work wonders for your agency.
Now, you won’t be seeing a gazillion more likes overnight. You’ll need to keep at it.
But with a little patience and determination, you’ll build brand awareness on a level you never thought possible.
So fasten your seatbelt because you’re about to get on a thrilling ride through the world of Instagram likes . Ready?
Get Free Instagram Likes by Using Pristine-Looking Photos
There's nothing more cringe-worthy than a blurry photo on social media.
I mean, it may have been acceptable in the days of Myspace but not now in the 2020s.
And Instagram is the most image-centric social media platform there is (along with Pinterest). If you can’t get your images on point, you’re in big trouble.
You see, there’s a much better chance that people will like your posts if the images are high quality. Not only is it easier for users to see what you’re trying to show them, but it demonstrates that you’re a reputable brand.
On average, image posts receive a 0.81% engagement rate on Instagram, according to Hootsuite. And carousel posts, which include images, get a nice 1.01% engagement rate.
But what makes for high-quality photos on Instagram?
Well, here are a few things to consider:
- Use natural light whenever possible
- Shoot outdoors whenever you can
- Edit your photos with a photo-editing app
- Use a consistent filter for all your posts
Get Free Instagram Likes by Posting Relevant and Engaging Content
It’s not enough to just post high-quality photos on Instagram.
You also need to post content that is relevant and engaging.
What does that mean?
Well, it means that you need to post content that your followers will actually want to see. That could be anything from behind-the-scenes shots of your business to tips and tricks for using your product to customer testimonials.
And being relevant also means posting content that’s timely. For example, if there’s a major news story happening, you could post about it on Instagram and get a lot of engagement.
How Do You Make Posts More Engaging?
Now, the best way to make sure your content is relevant and engaging is by targeting the right audience.
Because if your Instagram posts aren’t resonating with your target audience, then you’re just wasting your time.
For this, you need to think deeply about who your buyer persona really is.
What’s their income level?
Can you think of some hobbies and interests they have?
Where do they live?
Is there certain slang they use?
To decide on who you should be targeting, try:
- Reviewing the demographic data of your website’s visitors and customers.
- Sending out short customer-feedback surveys.
- Checking out who is following similar brands to yours on Instagram.
- Creating multiple buyer personas (based on behavior, intent, interests, etc.).
- Filtering out the audiences you shouldn’t be targeting.
The idea here is to share content with Instagram users that feels as personalized as possible. Almost as if you’ve known them forever.
Get Free Instagram Likes by Adding Relevant Hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to get your content in front of more people. And best of all, you can use them for free.
Just be sure to use hashtags that definitely relate to your industry.
And as tempting as it may be to use an insanely popular hashtag, like #love, it’s best to mix it up with niche hashtags. That’s because hashtags that are more specific (and use long-tail keywords) usually amass a more die-hard fanbase.
Really, this isn’t much different than when you use long-tail keywords for your blog posts or PPC ads.
You see, if a user is searching for a highly specific topic, then they’re going to be more likely to engage with content related to that topic.
As an example, instead of using a generic hashtag like #golfclubs, you could go with something like #mensgolfclubssummer2022.
See? With more details, the user intent is clearer.
Now, to get some ideas for what hashtags you should use to get more Instagram likes, you can:
- See what hashtags are working for your competitors.
- Check out what some influencers in your industry are using.
- Use some free Instagram hashtag generators like Seekmetrics or All Hashtag.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use?
There’s really no consensus on how many hashtags are ideal for an Instagram post. It’s a widely debated topic.
So Instagram itself advises to only use a few hashtags.
And Hootsuite’s research backs this up.
What they did was, they posted 10 wedding-related photos using 30 hashtags and another 10 wedding-related posts using just 3-5 hashtags. The photos and text were very similar each time to keep the content as consistent as possible.
And the results?
As it turned out, the posts with fewer hashtags generated, on average, 15% more reach.
But here’s the not so climatic news….the amount of likes were unaffected by how many hashtags were used. In other words, there’s no benefit from adding more hashtags.
However, what this study does tell us is that adding more hashtags won’t really get you more likes.
If there was a moral to the story here, it’s to make your life easier by just sticking to 3-5 hashtags.
Wait, More Hashtags Are Better Now?
On the flip side, there are those who say to use up all of your hashtag allocation.
As one example, there’s some recent research from Later.com that suggests more is better when it comes to Instagram hashtags.
According to their findings, going from one hashtag to 30 boosts reach by 11%.
With contradicting findings, what do you do?
Well, the only thing you can do is just experiment.
After a while, you’ll know if adding more hashtags gets you more reach and inevitably more likes.
To find your sweet spot, just try using a different number of hashtags for your posts.
You know, some with 1-3.
Some with 10-15.
And if you want, try going all the way with 30.
Your audience will have its own preference, and you’ll discover it in no time.
Oh yeah, and one last thing...don’t use the same hashtags over and over again.
It’s great that you get some more likes with a certain hashtag. However, Instagram’s algorithm will punish you for re-using that same hashtag for every post. It’s best to diversify your hashtags and use each one sparingly.
Get Free Instagram Likes by Hosting Giveaways
Giveaways are a great way to get people excited about your brand and to increase engagement for your posts.
And you don’t have to spend any money to do them. All you need is a prize (which could be something small like a gift card) and some basic rules for people to follow.
To get started, you first need to decide what the prize will be.
After choosing a prize, you need to come up with some rules for the giveaway.
Some rules that you could use are:
- Followers must like the post and/or comment on it to enter
- The giveaway is open to anyone in the world
- The winner will be chosen at random
- There’s a time limit to give the like and enter
Once you’ve got the rules down, it’s time to promote the giveaway.
For that, you can promote it on your Instagram posts and Stories as well as on your website, email, and other social media platforms.
And you should also use some relevant hashtags to get even more eyes on your giveaway (luckily, you already got that covered now).
At the end of the day, incentives make the world go round.
When a consumer has never heard of you before, or has heard of you but is still skeptical, they need a reason to engage with your brand without having to first make a purchase.
So, in a way, you can think of your giveaway as an ice breaker. You’re just warming up to people and showing them, "Hey, I don’t bite."
Get Free Instagram Likes by Geotagging Your Posts
When you add a location to your posts, Instagram will show your post to people who have visited that location, even if they don’t follow you.
It’s a great way to get more eyes on your content and get some free likes from people who are interested in the location you’re tagging.
And according to Socialhead, you can expect to receive 79% more engagement from geotagging your Instagram posts.
To get started with this strategy, all you need to do is turn on geotagging for your posts (you can find this option under the “Advanced Settings” tab in your Instagram settings).
Now, whenever you go to post something on Instagram, you’ll see an option to add a location.
Just select the appropriate location and voila! Your post will now be visible to anyone who searches for that location.
Of course, you only use geotagging when it makes sense.
For example, if you’re promoting your CSR initiatives in your local area.
Or if you’re sharing a screenshot of an in-person event that your team attended.
Here’s an example of GoPro tagging some user-generated content from Sierra Nevada, CA.
With this simple geotag, GoPro gets more people to see their post since, even if they’re not searching for camera accessories in particular, they are searching for Sierra Nevada, CA (possibly on a daily basis).
Get Free Instagram Likes by Using Hashtag Stickers in Your Stories
So you might already know about Stories stickers like polls, questions, mentions, and more. Those help boost engagement.
But there’s also something called hashtag stickers — and they work pretty similar to how regular hashtags work. Basically, they’re clickable text on your Instagram Stories that increase your reach — since users search for hashtags and keywords.
You can think of hashtag stickers as a funnel leading to your pre-existing posts — allowing users to discover your other Instagram content and of course, give you some likes.
You see, without adding hashtag stickers to your Stories, some of these users would never see your other content.
That’s because when people view your Story and see the hashtag sticker, they can tap on it and see all the other Stories that have used that same hashtag.
This is a great way to get more eyes on your content and get some free likes from people who are interested in the topics your hashtags reference.
Get Free Instagram Likes by Finding Optimal Times To Post
When more eyes are on your Instagram posts, the more likely you are to receive likes, right?
That’s not a trick question.
And one of the best ways to get more eyes on your posts is by showing them to people at the perfect time of day.
Now, figuring this out requires a little bit of experimenting.
But luckily, Instagram provides you with a great starting point.
When you go into your Instagram Insights, select the Audience tab.
From there, you’ll see things like the ages and gender makeup of your followers.
But a little further down, and you’ll see their Most Active Times. This is your little gold mine.
With this, you’ll know the days of the week and the hours of the day that your particular audience is most engaged with Instagram.
Unfortunately, it’s not the be-all-end-all you’re looking for since it’s limited to the last seven days only.
However, over time, you’ll start to pick up on recurring patterns.
For example, maybe if you’re doing a giveaway, you get more engagement in the evening. Or maybe customer testimonials get more views and likes around noontime.
Audience Insights is just a jumpstart for you.
From there, you have to be attentive enough to know what type of content works when.
What the Research Says About Timing Your Posts
According to Later.com’s study of 35 million Instagram posts, the best times to post are around 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.
The worst times of day to post varies quite a bit.
If you post daily, here’s what they found to be the worst times for each day:
- Monday: 2 p.m.
- Tuesday: 1 p.m.
- Wednesday: 10 a.m.
- Thursday: 11 p.m.
- Friday: 9 a.m.
- Saturday: 8 p.m.
- Sunday: 4 p.m.
But these times are just overall averages.
As you can see in the visual below, location matters.
Okay, that’s Later.com’s research. How about somebody else?
Well, Sprout Social’s research suggests that between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. is optimal. Moreover, Tuesday gets the most engagement while Sunday receives the least engagement.
Then there’s an analysis on millions of Instagram posts, carried out by social media scheduling company Hopper HQ.
And according to them, you should aim to post during small windows throughout the day, as follows:
As we can see, there’s no surefire time to schedule your Instagram posts.
Although, an argument could be made that morning posts perform the best.
When you’re dealing with conflicting reports like this, it tells you that every business has to try new things out.
Remember, companies may differ in industry, geographical regions, culture, the audiences’ age, etc.
A time that works for one company doesn’t guarantee it will work for yours.
If you want to get more Instagram likes, you have to always be testing.
Conclusion
If you’re just starting out with Instagram, the first thing you must focus on is just raising brand awareness.
And getting more Instagram likes is a telltale sign that you’re accomplishing that goal.
But as you read today, you don’t have to break the bank to get more likes. You can do it for absolutely free.
From using high-quality imagery to finding the best times to post, Instagram likes don’t require you to take out the credit card.
Just a little resourcefulness.
But if you don’t have the capacity to carry out your Instagram marketing projects, then AutoGrow might be a good fit for you.
Our social media experts will analyze your Instagram account(s) and, at your discretion and guidance, will take it from there. Using our web-based app, you can keep track of all your marketing projects in real-time and message your assigned project manager whenever you want to change gears or provide feedback. You can be as little or as highly involved as you wish.
If you want to learn more about the AutoGrow platform, Watch A Demo.
Now, let me ask you something…
Do you plan on ramping up your Instagram marketing soon?
Let me know in the comments below.
Keep AutoGrowin’, stay focused.
