Instagram Engagement Strategies: How to Get More Likes & Growth
Chloe Davis
July 16, 2025
Chloe Davis
July 16, 2025
Audience Growth
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6 minutes read
Ever scroll through Instagram and wonder how some accounts just explode? It’s not magic, and it’s definitely not just about posting pretty pictures. It’s about connection. It's about engagement.
Instagram engagement is the currency of connection. It’s every like, comment, share, and save your content earns. When your engagement is strong, it tells the world — and the algorithm — that your audience is paying attention, and they're invested enough to stick around or even make a purchase.
Think of it this way: high engagement and a solid like count are your account's first impression. It's the digital handshake that influences potential followers and brand partners before they even read a single caption.
Let's break it down. When we talk about what is Instagram engagement, we're talking about a whole buffet of user interactions:
Each of these Instagram engagement metrics tells a different story. Likes are a simple pulse check, but comments, shares, and saves? That’s the deep, meaningful conversation you’re aiming for.
Still believing the hype that "likes don't matter anymore"?
Your empty DMs and quiet sales funnel might disagree.
High engagement rates are non-negotiable for reach and perception. Brands are notoriously hesitant to collaborate with accounts pulling in fewer than 1,000 likes per post. A low like count makes new visitors pause and question your authority. It’s the digital equivalent of an empty restaurant.
Even though Instagram has toyed with hiding like counts to ease our collective social anxiety, that little heart remains a vital sign of life for creators and brands. Strong engagement builds trust, and trust translates directly into business goals, whether that's sales or partnerships.
While the standard engagement rate formula—(likes + comments) / followers × 100—provides a basic measure, it doesn't capture the full picture.
Engagement rates vary wildly across different niches and follower counts. For instance, nano-influencers (1K–10K followers) often hit impressive engagement rates around 4-5%, while massive macro-influencers (500K+ followers) might see their rates dip to 1-2%. This is a totally normal trend, and it’s precisely why many brands love collaborating with micro-influencers who pack a bigger punch relative to their audience size.
So, how to use Instagram Insights to track all this? If you have a Business or Creator account, Instagram’s built-in analytics tool is your new best friend. It gives you the hard data on post performance, audience demographics, and all the key engagement metrics.
Switching to an Instagram for business account is a no-brainer. It helps boost your reach and gives you the tools to see exactly who you're talking to, broken down by location and demographics. Make it a habit to check your analytics weekly. Staying close to your data is the key to smart, sustainable growth.
Alright, let's get down to business. If you want to build a loyal following and rack up those sweet, sweet engagement numbers, you can't just throw content at the wall and hope it sticks. You need a plan. A foundation. These are the non-negotiables for a killer content strategy on Instagram.
This isn't just about knowing their age and location. This is about getting inside their heads. Taking the time to understand who you're speaking to is a thoughtful, crucial step. What do they love? What inside jokes will make them laugh? What do they expect from you?
Deeply understanding your audience is the secret to how to create engaging instagram content that resonates. It helps you build bridges, not burn them. Dive into your Instagram insights to see who’s already listening, and then give them what they came for.
Your brand's aesthetic is its signature. It’s what makes someone stop their endless scroll and say, "Oh, I know them." When your posts share similar aesthetics, you become instantly recognizable, even to people who don't follow you yet.
Pick a vibe and commit. Use consistent filters, a defined color palette, and a uniform editing style. High-quality, aesthetic photographs are the price of admission on a visual platform like Instagram. Don't be the account that looks like it's having an identity crisis every other post.
Here’s a revolutionary idea: if people follow you for your expertise on vintage sneakers, they probably don't want your hot take on 18th-century pottery. Posting random, off-brand content is the fastest way to confuse your audience and watch them hit the unfollow button.
Every single post should tie back to your niche and brand identity. Stay focused.
Look at someone like Amanda Cerny. She's a fitness influencer. Everything she posts is connected to fitness, even when she's being creative. This topical consistency is what makes an account appealing to both followers and potential brand partners.
Posting when your audience is actually awake and scrolling is one of the most basic yet powerful instagram engagement strategies. You could create a masterpiece, but if you post it when your followers are asleep, it's like a tree falling in an empty forest.
Your Instagram Insights will show you exactly when your audience is most active. Use it. While some research from Trackmaven. Inc points to the witching hours of 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. as a sweet spot, don't take that as gospel. Your audience is unique. General stats are a starting point, but your own data is the source of truth.
And since nobody wants to manually post at 3 a.m., there are plenty of apps that help you schedule your content in advance. Work smarter, not harder.
If the last section was your strategic blueprint, this is your tactical field guide. These are the moves you make every day to win hearts, minds, and clicks.
Let's be brutally honest: content quality is the whole damn game. Nobody is going to engage with blurry photos or half-assed videos.
Your content must be sharp, visually stunning, and perfectly aligned with your brand's vibe. Mix it up with a variety of formats — crisp images, slick videos, engaging stories, and multi-slide carousels. And for the love of the algorithm, use relevant hashtags, location tags, and captions that actually say something.
People crave authenticity, not carefully constructed fake personas. Be a real person. Show your hobbies, your messy desk, your weird taste in music. The more genuine you are, the closer your followers will feel to you, and the more likely they are to engage.
Your caption is your chance to start a conversation, not just describe the picture. Want "engagement"? You could just craft a caption that's blandly "relatable," like training pigeons to peck for crumbs.
Or you could be better.
Make them laugh with a terrible pun. Make them think with a provocative question. Make them feel seen with a personal story. When you make a follower feel something, they're infinitely more likely to engage. And don't forget to engage with comments — even the negative ones. That's where community is built.
Hashtags are the signposts of Instagram, guiding users to your content. But are you using the right ones?
Sure, you can use hashtags for every post. But if you're just slapping on #likes, #explore, and #trending to get more likes?
Congratulations, you're the most popular ghost in the digital graveyard.
Those broad hashtags might give you a fleeting spike in visibility, but they won't attract a loyal following. The real magic is in niche hashtags that reach the right people — the ones who are genuinely interested in what you have to say.
In a world of endless scrolling, video is the ultimate pattern interrupt. A well-made video has a much higher chance of grabbing and holding a user's attention.
Don't overthink it. You can make videos about anything: product tutorials, a day in your life, a review of that new coffee shop. Video allows you to share more information and context than a static image ever could.
Want to take it a step further? Go Live. Live sessions are raw, interactive, and personal. They allow for real-time Q&As, making your audience feel like they're right there with you.
A lone voice may declare a truth from a mountaintop, but it is the quiet chorus of a thousand lives that truly shapes the world.
This is the power of user-generated content on Instagram. UGC is any content — photos, videos, reviews — created by real people, not brands. It's powerful because it's authentic social proof. People trust people.
Encourage your community to create content by running contests or creating a branded hashtag. When you share their posts, you're not just getting free content; you're building a community and showing that you value their voice.
Want to know what your audience wants? Just ask them. It's that simple.
Creating polls and quizzes in your stories is the most direct way to gather opinions and feedback. This isn't just about engagement; it's free market research. Use story polls to learn what your audience wants to see more of, and then give it to them. When people feel heard, they stick around.
While these strategies are proven to work, every account is unique. Get a personalized audit that analyzes your specific account data and provides tailored recommendations for growth and monetization.
When I'm not writing, I'm usually trying out a new recipe, tending to my ever-growing collection of houseplants, or planning my next weekend trip to a place I've never been.
