Are your thirst trap pictures not getting the likes they most definitely deserve on Instagram? You are far from being the only person experiencing this issue! Instagram changed their algorithm —AGAIN! Having tons of followers on the gram doesn’t hold the same value that it once did! To get a lot of likes on your posts, you have to engage with your audience! Might sound a bit tricky, but with my help, you can get back to being the social media king or queen you once were in no time! Here are 6 Ways to Get More Likes on Instagram in 2021 by increasing your Engagement Rates!
- Being Active on Instagram!
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This may be a no-brainer to some, but for those of you who post once a year just to let everyone know you’re still alive, this may come as a shocker!
Posts or accounts that you would normally like or interact with will appear first in your newsfeed on the social platform. This being said, if you don’t post often or frequently, that would suggest that your followers don’t normally interact with your account! So you may not be getting likes because your followers are simply not seeing your posts on their newsfeed.
It isn’t necessary to make new posts every day, but adding pictures or videos to your story will help increase your engagement rate!
- Make Your Story Posts Interactive!
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Similarly to your Instagram posts, if people don’t engage with your account then your story posts may not be getting the recognition you may expect them to!
How to fix this? Make your followers feel involved!
Two Words: BE. PERSONABLE.
YouTuber Sunny Lenarduzzi says that consider Instagram to be a party! Don’t be that person at the party who is too conceded to talk to anyone.
Share something personal (nothing that makes you uncomfortable though) or share things that interest you!
On Instagram, you should always be the friendly person at the party who talks to everyone!
With the help of a few new features created by Instagram, your audience can effectively interact with your story posts!
- Post Quality & Shareable Content
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Do you spend your time on Instagram watching things that you don’t have any interest in?
Simple answer: YOU DON’T!
So why post pictures or videos that may be bland, boring, or cringe just for the sake of posting something?
Post content on your Instagram page that is interesting!
Don’t try to be someone you’re not! Be authentically you!
Post good quality pictures! And by that, I don’t mean you need to have a DSLR camera that’ll take pictures with such high resolution that you’ll be able to zoom in on every pore on your face!
I just mean to not be basic!
Think about it like this: Everyone can go to Starbucks and take that same picture of their pricey Vanilla Chai Latte’s, which will then be skipped by everyone who watches their Instagram stories.
However, adding some gif stickers and a doodle or two can change what many find to be a basic Starbucks picture to a high-quality and shareable Instagram post!
The longer people stay viewing your content, the more Instagram will be notified to give your content more exposure to your followers and other accounts.
Just know that Instagram would be nothing without its users.
The platform thrives off accounts that generate a lot of attention because it keeps people on the app! Therefore, if people seem to really be gravitating to your posts, then so will Instagram!
- Connect with your audience!
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It may sound like I’ve said this a hundred times already, but it’s only because it is THAT important!
The next time you post a new picture RESPOND TO EVERY COMMENT!
I see many people posting pictures and never liking or commenting back to people who have taken their own time to comment on their posts!
Don’t be that person, for two reasons: 1. It’s rude! 2. Interacting with the comments will increase engagement!
If someone took the time to compliment you, the least you can do is respond!
People will also feel comfortable to comment more knowing that you will for sure respond to them!
Be sure to respond as much as you can in the first 30 minutes after you posted! This will let Instagram know that this post is highly engageable and will be on the top of most of your followers’ newsfeed!
But don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to waste your time and respond to people that make offensive or spam comments! Simply report and delete those!
Remember to also make engaging conversations when someone responds to your story posts (or if you respond to theirs)!
Instagram will acknowledge that you and the person you are direct messaging have a connection/friendship and your posts will be one of the first that they see when they open the app!
- Don’t Over Edit Your Posts!
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A little sometimes does go a long way!
Add a filter if you like or saturate your photo to make yourself a bit more tanner!
But don’t make yourself look orange! It’s not a good look on anyone.
If you like super over-edited pictures, then by all means post them!
But if you’re really trying to strive to get lots of likes on your Instagram posts, then try to use light filters!
A little marketing tip: people really gravitate to photos that are bright, clean, and have some blue!
- Have A Captivating Caption
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As previously discussed, a lot of comments on your post will inform Instagram that your post is very engaging.
The comment section wasn’t made for only teen girls to be fake to each other and comment “OMG goals” or “UGH YOU’RE SO HOT!! Miss u babe!”
It was meant for its users to discuss posts!
You can have a witty caption that will provoke your audience to comment or simply ask them a question to get a response.
Hopefully, their responses will cause much communication amongst many users which will let Instagram know that everyone needs to check this post out!
Just remember that at the end of the day likes are just a number on a screen and hold no real value. Don’t do all these steps because you’re feeling pressured or don’t care much about social media in general. This is for the people that want to build a following because Instagram is their hobby or they made it their business!