How to Get Likes and Views on Instagram

Getting your content seen on Instagram can feel like trying to solve a puzzle that just keeps changing its pieces. You post a Reel that gets thousands of views, then the next one barely breaks a hundred. You’re not alone in that frustration. This guide cuts through the noise and provides a straightforward, actionable plan for creating content that genuinely boosts your likes and views, moving well beyond the tired advice of just “posting more often.”

The Foundation: Start with Strategy, Not Just Content

Before you even think about captions or hashtags, you have to nail the fundamentals. Chasing likes without a plan is like shouting into a crowded room - you might make some noise, but no one's really listening. Getting clear on who you're talking to and why you're talking to them is a game-changer.

Who are you trying to reach?

You can't create engaging content if you don't know who you're trying to engage. Take a moment to think beyond basic demographics. What are their goals? What problems do they have? What makes them laugh or feel inspired? When you understand this, creating content that resonates becomes intuitive.

• Creator Example: A personal finance coach. Instead of generic money tips, they target young professionals struggling with student debt. Their content speaks directly to that pain point with skits about budgeting for city living, carousel posts breaking down loan repayment options, and Q&A Stories where they answer specific questions about saving for a down payment.
• Brand Example: A local, sustainable coffee shop. They know their audience values community and eco-consciousness. Their feed isn't just photos of latte art, it's short videos introducing their baristas, carousels explaining their composting process, and Stories highlighting other small businesses in the neighborhood. They're selling more than coffee, they're selling a community hub.

What’s your goal for each post?

Every single piece of content should have a job. Most fall into one of three buckets: educating, entertaining, or inspiring. When you know the goal of a post, you can craft it with a purpose that your audience will actually connect with.

• To Educate: Give your audience valuable information they can use. This is perfect for carousel posts, how-to Reels, and text-based graphics. The goal here is to get saves and shares.
• To Entertain: Make them laugh, surprise them, or give them a moment of escape. This is the sweet spot for trending audio Reels, memes, and light-hearted daily vlogs. This content is designed to attract a new audience and earn shares.
• To Inspire: Share a success story, your brand’s mission, or a motivational thought. Authentic storytelling, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and milestone celebratory posts fit perfectly here, helping build a ton of connection and loyalty through comments.

Don't just post a photo of a product. Educate them on how to use it. Don't just film a day in your life. Entertain them by showing the goofy, unfiltered moments.

Master the Core Instagram Content Formats

Instagram gives you several ways to share content, and the most successful accounts use a mix of them. Each format serves a different purpose for growing your likes and views. Here’s how to leverage them.

Reels: Your Engine for Reaching New People

There's no way around it: if you want more views and to reach people who don’t already follow you, Reels are your best bet. The algorithm is designed to push short, engaging video content to a wide audience. But it's not just about hitting record and being done. It's about how to make Reels strategically:

• Nail the First 3 Seconds: This is non-negotiable. Start with a strong visual hook, an on-screen text question, or an action that immediately grabs attention. Forget long, slow introductions.
• Leverage Trending Audio (Wisely): Yes, use trending sounds, but don't just copy someone else's video. Find a trend that you can adapt to your own niche. Can you apply that popular audio to a common problem your audience faces? That’s where the magic happens.
• Keep it Sharp and Simple: Focus on one idea per Reel. Use quick cuts, dynamic camera angles, and on-screen text to keep the viewer’s attention. Your goal is re-watchability - if someone watches your 7-second Reel three times, the algorithm sees that as fantastic engagement.

Carousels: The King of Likes, Saves, and Comments

While Reels reach new audiences, carousels build deep connections with your existing one (and anyone new who discovers you). A perfectly crafted carousel can generate massive engagement through likes, comments, and especially saves - a "super-like" in the eyes of the algorithm.

• Think in Slides: Use the first slide as your hook, just like you would with a Reel. Make it an irresistible headline, like a question. Use the following slides to deliver value step-by-step.
• Mix Media: You don't need to use only text or just images for your post. Use a combination that includes step-by-step images, videos, and text to tell a complete story.
• Don't Forget the Last Slide: End with a call to engagement. Ask a question related to the carousel’s topic, or remind people to “Save this for later!” It’s a simple prompt that actually works.

Stories: Your Tool for Building Real Community

Stories don’t directly drive massive view counts like Reels do, but they are a powerful tool to nurture your followers and keep your brand at the top of their minds. They are a place for less polished content where you can be more candid and talk to your audience on an ongoing basis. Their biggest advantage? The tools they provide make engagement simple:

• Use Interactive Stickers Every Day: The poll, quiz, slider, and question stickers aren't just for your followers' fun, they give the Instagram algorithm important engagement signals that can help boost your account. Each interaction a user has with your content teaches Instagram that the user enjoys it.
• Go into More Detail: Give your Stories' viewers an inside look at your products or your company's latest news. This can establish a deeper trust with you and your community.

Craft Smarter Captions and Hashtags

A great visual can stop the scroll, but the right words can turn a passive viewer into an active follower. Don't let your captions and hashtags be an afterthought.

Writing Captions That Connect

Stop thinking of captions as just a description. Think of them as an extension of your video or post.

• Lead With a Hook: Your first sentence is the only one most people will see without tapping “more.” Make it count. Ask a question, state a bold opinion, or share a surprising fact.
• Make it Easy to Read: No one wants to read a huge wall of text. Use short paragraphs and bullet points, as this will increase readability tenfold and lead to a higher retention rate.
• End With a Question: If you want comments, ask for them. But don’t ask a lazy question like “What do you think?” Make it specific. After a post about your favorite recipe books, ask, “What’s the one cookbook you think everyone should own?”

A Modern Hashtag Strategy

The days of copying and pasting 30 broad hashtags are over. Today, it’s about using a small but mighty collection of relevant tags. Aim for 5-10 ultra-targeted tags that describe your post and audience.

Create a "hashtag ladder" that includes a mix of tag types:

1. Niche Specific (2-3 tags): These describe exactly what’s in your post. e.g., #coldbrewathome, #ceramicplanters, #woodworkingtips.
2. Community Specific (2-3 tags): What tags would your ideal follower use or search for? e.g., #apartmenttherapy, #nycfoodies, #smallbusinessowner.
3. Location Specific (1-2 tags, if applicable): Local discoverability is huge. e.g., #austincoffee, #sandiegomarkets.
4. Branded (1 tag): Your unique hashtag for your content, which you should always include.

Engage Like a Human, Not a Bot

Instagram rewards accounts that drive conversations. Here's how to stoke the fire.

The Golden First Hour

The time you spend right after you post will make a big difference in its organic results. Spend about 20 minutes before posting by responding to comments from your followers or people you follow. Then, spend another 20 minutes right after your new content goes live responding to any DMs or an influx of new comments. This initial burst of engagement signals to Instagram that your content is worth pushing out to a wider audience.

Engage with Your Niche Community

Get likes by giving them - authentically. Spend 15 minutes a day interacting with content under your top niche hashtags. Leave thoughtful comments longer than four words on others’ posts. Don't be spammy about it, and don't leave generic comments like "Great post!" or ask for favors. Just be part of the community, and you will grow within it. It's a simple win-win relationship.

Encourage Shares & Saves

As mentioned before, saves and shares are extremely powerful metrics in the Instagram algorithm's eyes. Don't be too shy to directly ask your audience to do so. A simple "Save this for later!" or pointing out the share icon can work wonders. Just focus on creating highly useful and valuable content, and you'll find it's easy to ask, and people will often comply.

Final Thoughts

Boosting your Instagram likes and views comes down to a consistent, thoughtful strategy. It's not about quick hacks or one-time luck, but crafting valuable content using the appropriate platform formats. From there, focus on writing authentic captions and communicating with your community daily to build a deep bond of trust that keeps people coming back for more. This is what makes all the difference.

Putting all of this to practice - being consistent, planning a quality content mix, and engaging with your audience - can feel like a full-time job. Our core goal when we built Postbase was to solve exactly that. It's a single tool that removes the frustration by letting you use a visual calendar to easily plan a well-crafted storyline for your posts or Stories. It also has one unified inbox that helps you manage conversations at scale without losing time going back and forth. It's a simple, all-in-one solution designed to help small and large teams stay consistent on every platform without losing engagement.