Anyone can create an Instagram account and create their own posts. You might get a few followers, and if you have creative talent, you’ll even get likes and comments. And engagement like this is how you grow an account organically.
Likes will signal to Instagram that your posts are worth promoting and push them to more users.
But it’s a game of doing everything just right to get more likes. If you’re not actively trying to increase your like count, you need to start now. We’re going to share 11 strategies on how to get 1k likes on Instagram.
If you put the effort in, you can grow your account using these tips.💡
11 Strategies to Get 1k Likes on Instagram
Below are the strategies anyone can use to get more likes on Instagram, starting with one of the easiest and most powerful methods.
1. Tell People to Like Your Post – It Really Works ❤️
Follow in the footsteps of YouTubers who say, “If you like this video, hit the like button.” It works. And it’s a strategy that all of the top Instagrammers use to get more likes. You should:
- Ask for likes in your reels, stories and videos.
- Write captions for your posts with a CTA asking people to like this post.
Simply telling people to like a post will increase the number of likes you receive instantly. Try it out for yourself on a few reels and posts to see how it works for you. Likes are one of the main forms of engagement that Instagram uses to determine which posts are worth promoting and which are not.
2. Buy Instagram Likes from a Trusted Service 💸
Purchasing likes is the most “controversial” item on the list, but they work, and trust me when I say that there are more than a few influencers using this type of service. Buying likes fast tracks your engagement, but you must spend the time to do your own due diligence, such as:
- Read through reviews of the seller to see if they’re legitimate or not.
- Pay attention to the fine print to be sure that all of the likes are “real.”
- See what type of guarantees the service offers if likes disappear.
If you find a good service that sells likes, they’re definitely worth buying.
3. Collaborate With Other Quality Users 🤝
Quality collaborations can lead to tons of new followers and fast account growth. You can use this same strategy to get likes, but it’s important to focus on a few things:
- Collaborations within your niche because they’re most valuable.
- Collaboration strategy to create high-level content with the other person.
If you have no one to collab with, start researching others in your industry and inquire with them about collabing together. Introduce yourself via DMs, but try to comment and engage with the account beforehand.
Why?🤔
You’re far more likely to have someone say yes when they recognize you already.
Instagram makes it easy to collaborate together:
- Open your app
- Hit the + sign
- Fill out all of your normal captions, location, etc.
- Tap the Tag people icon
- Tap Invite Collaborators
Search for the account you want to invite to collab, tap on their profile and repeat until you’re done adding the collaborators you want to join in on the post. Up to 5 people can be invited, but you can tap Done > Share when you’ve added the accounts you want to invite.
4. Offer Something for Free (i.e. Run a Contest)
One strategy that works so well that all major brands use it is to offer something for free. The idea is simple:
- Promote the free thing via a post
- Explain that to enter, the person needs to like the post
- Watch the number of likes go up
- Select the winner
And you can even have rules asking the individual to like multiple posts.
Here are a few ideas on free things to offer: gift cards, products, services you offer, eBooks, webinars or virtually anything else.
If you have a large enough account, you can even offer a free shoutout to anyone who enters.
5. Monitor Your Posting Time for When Your Audience is Active
Your audience has a common time when they’re more likely online and will see your posts. For most countries, this is:
- 7am – 3pm on most days
- 7am – 7pm on Saturday
But this is a loose recommendation because on days like Wednesday, you can post until 4pm and still see a lot of traction.
How do you get 1k likes on Instagram by posting at the right time?🕜
The idea is simple. If your audience is more active at certain times, they’ll see your post, and the chance of them liking it will go up. But keep in mind that this is local. If you’re in New York, the time to post in the UK will be drastically different.
Instagram makes it easy to see the top locations of your followers by:
- Going to your profile
- Tapping the hamburger icon at the top right
- Tapping Insights > Top Locations
Use the top locations as a guide to know when the best time is to make a post.
6. Add Location Tags for Popular Areas You Visit 📍
Location tags are still popular, and they’re a lot of fun to browse through. Many hours are lost looking at what’s going on in the world’s major cities or at top attractions. For example, if you’re at the Grand Canyon, you can tag yourself, and people will see your post and millions of others.
Locations have their own “Top” and “Recent” post-sorting options, and it’s always a good idea to tag yourself at the top locations you visit.
People are far more likely to like posts they find on the location page, and your account will benefit from this engagement.
7. Sprinkle in Hashtags
Hashtags may not be as powerful as they once were, but they still play a huge role in helping your posts get discovered.
Even if you have the best video with an unforgettable story, you may struggle to get likes if you’re not adding hashtags. Why? Because hashtags tell Instagram what your content is about and helps users who are interested in your topic/niche find your posts.
What’s the best approach to hashtags on Instagram?
- Aim to add 3-5 highly relevant and specific tags to your posts.
- Use a mix of really popular and niche tags.
- Don’t overload your posts with hashtags. Adding more than 5 can do more harm than good for your reach.
How can you find the best tags to target? Start with the Instagram app itself. When creating a post, type the “#” symbol followed by a phrase you think your audience would search for. A list of tags should appear with their search volume.
You can also use hashtag generators and keyword research tools to find highly relevant tags for your posts.
8. Tell People to View Your Posts on Instagram
Want more likes? Ask people to view your content. Sometimes, the simplest strategies really are the most effective.
- If you have a following on other social platforms, ask your followers to check out your posts and like them.
- Ask friends and family to view your content.
- Remind your followers to check out your new posts in your stories.
The more exposure your posts receive, the higher the chance of getting more likes and other engagement.
9. Treat Your Posts Like You’re a Professional
Creating content should be fun. There’s nothing wrong with creating content spontaneously and posting it to your stories or reels. In fact, this type of content is great for improving your authenticity.
But if you’re serious about growing your following, then it’s time to start creating professional posts.
Which tools are you using to edit your content? Are you just using your phone’s default editor? If so, it’s time to upgrade.
There are tons of excellent video editing apps for Instagram that can help transform your content into like-worthy posts.
Some of the most popular apps include:
- Adobe Premiere Rush. Adobe software is still a top choice for video and graphic design. This app offers high-quality output and customizable templates. Just bear in mind that the learning curve will be steeper for this solution. A free version is available.
- CapCut is still a fan-favorite for Instagram video editing. It’s a completely free solution with no watermarks, and it’s loaded with advanced features.
- InShot has a user-friendly interface and an impressive library of filters, effects, music and text overlays. A free version is available (with watermark), but the pro plan is pretty affordable.
Taking a professional approach to your posts will instantly increase their quality and help you get more likes organically. But it’s also important to hone your editing skills and study how other successful creators present their content to continue improving your content over time.
10. Be Sure That Your Profile is Set to Public
If you’re struggling to get more likes on Instagram, the issue may be something as simple as having a private account.
Maybe you made your account private months or weeks ago and forgot. Maybe you didn’t realize that private accounts can’t be viewed by anyone other than friends.
In either case, fixing this problem is quick and easy.
Here’s how:👇
- Open the Instagram app.
- Head to your profile page.
- Tap the three horizontal lines at the top right corner of the app.
- Navigate to Settings.
- Tap Account privacy.
- Toggle the Private Account option to make your account public.
Once your account is public, other Instagrammers will be able to view and like your content. Then, you can focus on the most important thing – making your content more shareable.
11. Plan Out Your Content to Make It “Likeable”
Posting content consistently is a great way to get more likes on Instagram, but if you want to kick things up a notch, look for ways to make your content more “likeable.”
How do you do that?
- Tell a story with your content. Stories will capture the attention of your audience and keep them engaged. You can share personal stories or use your videos and photos to create your own narratives.
- Add a call-to-action (CTA) to your post. Saying something as simple as “like this post if you agree” can go a long way in getting more likes to your content.
- Upgrade your visuals and editing skills. High-quality video equipment is more affordable than ever, so if your budget allows, invest in better quality gear and editing tools to make your content more visually appealing. Higher quality visuals alone can make your content more likeable.
At the end of the day, you need to give users a reason to go out of their way to like your posts. Creating the best content for your audience can help you achieve that goal.
Why Do Instagram Likes Matter?
On Instagram – or any other social media platform – likes are a “vote” in favor of your content. It’s a measure of interest and engagement, both of which are highly valuable.
The algorithm takes engagement into account when recommending content to users. A post with 10k likes is more likely to show up in someone’s feed or Explore Page than a post with 1k likes or 500.
If your goal is to grow a following and become an influencer on Instagram, then you want as many likes as you can get for your content.
Can Likes Help Me Hit the Explore Page?
Yes! In fact, likes are one of the best ways to hit the Explore Page. Instagram’s algorithm favors posts that have lots of engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.) because this means that people love the content. If your post has tons of likes, Instagram is more likely to recommend it to users who are interested in your type of content (a.k.a. niche).
Depending on your niche, 1,000 likes could very well push your content to the Explore Page.
