Nearly 80% of small businesses now use social media for customer service, sales, or marketing purposes. If you’re struggling to generate Instagram likes, however, it’s likely people aren’t finding your content.
You might need to reevaluate your social media marketing strategy this year. Otherwise, you might continue missing opportunities to reach customers online.
Here are 11 tips you can use to gain more Instagram likes this year. As you generate more Instagram engagement, you could gain fresh leads and sales, too. Improve your social media marketing strategy with these Instagram tips today.
Establish Goals
The best way to develop a strong Instagram or social media marketing strategy is to establish goals. Specifying your goals can help you determine which tactics to use. It can also help you track your progress along the way.
When developing a list of social media marketing goals, make sure they’re SMART. For example, a SMART goal might read: Generate 10% more likes overall by posting branded content daily for the next month.
You might want to add goals that go beyond generating likes, too. For example, gaining more followers first can help you gain more likes from those followers. Expanding your reach could also help you generate more likes.
Other goals might focus on generating:
- Brand awareness and recognition
- Brand trust and loyalty
- Followers
- Website visitors
- Credibility
- Likes
- Comments
- Shares
Once you establish your SMART goals, choose a key performance indicator (KPI) to track each goal. For example, you’ll likely start by tracking likes, comments, and shares. Tracking engagement can also help you determine how many people you’re reaching online.
Once you determine your goals and KPIs, consider how you’ll accomplish each goal. For example, you might generate more Instagram likes by:
- Sharing personalized content
- Cross-promoting from TikTok
- Working with influencers
- Posting more contests
You can use the rest of these tips to determine the best way to accomplish your social media marketing goals.
Research Your Audience
If you want to generate Instagram likes, you need to make sure you’re creating content for your target audience. If your content isn’t relevant to their interests or needs, they’ll turn away. In fact, 74% of consumers get annoyed when content fails to match their interests.
Over 50% will leave your brand for another if you fail to personalize communications. Focusing on personalization can help improve your entire Instagram marketing strategy.
In fact, 90% of marketers note a significant lift in results due to personalization. Nearly 60% of marketers claim the lift is over 10%. Meanwhile, 98% note that personalization can strengthen customer relationships.
About 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase if you personalize content, too. Meanwhile, 50% would pay more if brands did a great job at personalizing experiences.
To personalize your Instagram content, first research your target audience. For example, you might consider their:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Salary
- Education
- Marital status
- Pain points
- Interests
- Hobbies
- Buying behaviors
- Online behaviors
You might find it’s easier to create personalized content if you segment your broader audience into smaller buyer personas.
Next, determine what content each group looks for while online. For example, you can start by gathering keyword research (usually used for search engine optimization). You can also check out the accounts your customers already follow on social media.
Once you’ve gathered this research, start creating personalized content for each group.
Check Out the Competition
Don’t forget to check out the brands your customers are already following online. Researching your competitors could provide you with valuable information.
First, look at the posts your competitors have shared in the past. Consider:
- When (day/time) they post
- How often they post
- The content formats they use (videos, still images, Reels, Stories, etc.)
- The topics they cover in their content
- Hashtags they use per post
- The type of content (contests, informative, sales-oriented, behind-the-scenes, etc.) they create
This information can help you determine which mistakes to avoid. For example, which posts fail to generate engagement? What topics do they cover within those posts?
It can also better inform your own Instagram strategy.
Look at their most popular posts. Note the format, topic, and hashtag relevant to each post. Use this information when developing your own content.
Optimize Your Profile
Before you begin posting on Instagram, make sure to optimize your profile. A strong profile could help you generate more Instagram followers. Remember, gaining more followers could help you gain Instagram likes in the future.
First, make sure to use an eye-catching, branded image for your profile photo. Make sure it’s sharp and clear.
Next, update your company description. Make sure you’re using a business account! Write a description that’s engaging and informative.
Consider adding a call to action like “Follow for Tips” or “Follow Us for Future Discount and Exclusives” to generate more followers.
Add a link to your website to encourage more people to learn about your business.
You might want to add a branded hashtag to your company description, too. Then, your customer can use that hashtag within their posts. You’ll have an easier time gathering user-generated content to use in the future.
Track Trends
Before you begin creating your own Instagram content, make sure you’re up-to-date with the latest Instagram trends. Otherwise, your posts might fail to attract Instagram likes. You might look behind the times, too.
Tracking the latest trends could help you find new ways to get ahead of your competitors.
For example, you might consider:
- Shoppable posts
- Influencer marketing
- Live videos
- Interactive content
- Collaborative albums
- Replying with Reels
- Dance challenges
- Story links
New trends will pop up as the year progresses. Make sure you’re tracking these trends and applying them to your strategy.
Create Compelling Content
Once you’ve gathered the necessary research, you can start creating content. Remember to personalize your content for your target audience. Otherwise, you might struggle to generate likes.
When creating content for your Instagram feed, make sure to diversify. For example, you might consider:
- Still images
- IGTV
- Stories
- Reels
- Contests
- Carousels
If you’re posting images of your product or service, focus on quality over quantity. Quality images can help your brand look impressive. Low-quality images, on the other hand, can make you look cheap.
Once you begin posting on your Instagram feed, review the analytics from your posts. Make an effort to check your analytics once a week. Reviewing your data can help you determine which posts are the most popular.
If you’re still struggling to generate likes, consider checking out Stormlikes this year.
Use the Right Hashtags
Consumers won’t find your Instagram posts online if you’re not using the right hashtags.
When gathering your research, consider the hashtags your followers check out the most. Don’t forget to check your competitors’ posts as well. Then, start creating a library of hashtags you can use in the future.
Don’t use generic hashtags. Instead, make sure the hashtag you choose is relevant to the context of the post.
Host Contests
You can also generate more Instagram likes by hosting contests. Offer a prize your customers will want to win. For example, you can offer a free product, apparel, or coupon code.
Then, prompt them to like the post to apply for your contest. You can also use contests to reach new customers online.
Prompt your followers to tag friends within the contest post. Let them know that each person they tag is a contest submission.
Share the news about your contest in your Stories to generate more Instagram engagement.
Establish Credibility
As you begin posting content on Instagram, try to prove your experience and expertise within your content. Proving you’re an experienced expert could help you become a thought leader. Becoming a thought leader can boost your brand’s credibility.
Becoming a credible resource will help brand trust grow. You could start gaining new Instagram followers as a result.
Work With Others
You don’t have to use these tips alone. Instead, consider collaborating with others online.
For example, you can start working with influencers on Instagram. They can promote your product or service to their current Instagram followers. Those followers might decide to explore your content based on the referral.
You can also partner with other brands or start posting more user-generated content.
Analyze and Adjust
Once you start using these Instagram tips, make sure to analyze the results from your efforts.
First, consider your timing. When do you generate the most Instagram likes? You might want to adjust your post schedule based on your data.
Next, determine what types of posts gain the most engagement. For example, maybe your followers prefer Reels and Stories over still images.
Use your data to make adjustments to your social media strategy. You could have an easier time gaining Instagram likes in the future based on the changes you make.
Start Generating More Instagram Likes Than Ever Before
Learning how to generate more Instagram likes is easier than you might think. Give these 11 easy tips a try. Remember to make adjustments to your campaign over time to generate even more results. With these tips, you can set your Instagram strategy up for success.
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