17 Ways to Crush IG Likes

Along with killer tools to do it

Joshua Parkinson
September 19, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Together With

Understanding IG Likes 💥

Instagram likes aren't just vanity metrics anymore. They're free advertising that creates a snowball effect of exposure.

Most businesses are just guessing with their IG strategy. But there's actual science behind what works. Here are 17 proven tips that'll get your engagement rolling.

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1. Use Solid CTAs 💬

Pictures with "like" in the caption received 89% more likes. Photos with "comment" got 2,194% more comments.

Don't just write "Like, Comment." Use your caption as a call to action.

Try: "Comment your favorite [fill in the blank with whatever your post was about]!"

Still don’t know how? You can use Post Planner’s AI Caption Generator to create killer CTAs.

2. Share "Edgy" Photos 📐

Not edgy content - photos with lots of edges and structures.

Studies show that pictures with more edges perform better. When your picture has edges, it takes the viewer a moment to process the image, meaning they dwell on your picture longer.

Try incorporating buildings and structures in your pictures in intriguing ways.

3. Color Psychology Matters 🎨

Avoid yellow, orange & pink. Photos with grays, blues & greens get the most engagement on Instagram.

Your guess is as good as ours as to why this happens, but it does. Using bluer images will help you get more likes.

4. Keep Photos Bright ☀️

Brighter pictures consistently get more likes than darker ones.

People don't log onto Instagram to look at dark pictures. If your picture is dark, try using an editing app to brighten it up.

5. Include Human Faces 👥

People are 38% more likely to like a picture if it includes human faces.

Your profile should be FULL of faces if you want more likes:

Selfies (they still work!)
Your coworkers
Your happy customers
Your kids (if you're comfortable)

6. Use Stories Often 📱

Hundreds of millions of stories are uploaded to Instagram daily worldwide.

Your Instagram story gives you the chance to keep followers up-to-date. They create interest in your profile, leading to more likes and followers.

Keep your story active and up-to-date.

7. Post at the Right Times ⏰

Even the same picture can get different results depending on when you post it.

Look at your post analytics to see which times are getting more likes, then post at those times. Don't rely on generic "expert" recommendations.

8. Vary Your Content 🔄

Nobody wants to see the same kind of post repeatedly.

Mix in a variety of pictures:

Memes
Selfies
Business pictures
Customer stories
Random funny pictures

Boredom causes unfollows. Mixing it up keeps the likes rolling in.

9. Link from Your Website 🔗

Your website should push people to your social media.

Getting people to follow you on social media begins a long-term relationship with them. Add a "Follow Us" button that links to your Instagram page.

10. Behind the Scenes Content 🎬

Give your followers a chance to see how your business runs:

Who do you work with?
What does your office look like?
Pictures of office parties
Your at-home work setup

Anything that helps followers feel like they're getting to know the real you will generate likes.

11. Work with Micro-Influencers 🌟

Nearly 4% of micro-influencers' followers regularly engage with their content.

If you can work with a micro-influencer to promote your page, you will almost certainly see an increase in likes and followers.

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12. Use Videos 🎥

Videos are growing quickly on Instagram because they work.

Guidelines for Instagram videos:

Keep videos short and sweet
Videos should be high-quality and well-produced
Videos should have a point

13. Post Customer Stories 📖

When people see happy customers on your Instagram page, it makes them want to hang around.

Customer stories are always well-received. People like to read about other people's successes.

Always ask permission before sharing customer stories publicly.

14. Engage with Your Followers 💭

If you want followers to engage with your posts, you need to engage with them.

Think of social media as a platform to build relationships with customers:

Interactive posts
Responding to comments
Highlighting customer stories

15. Host Giveaways 🎁

People love free stuff. Giveaways always generate many new likes and followers.

You can have people:

Like a post
Tag your account in a post
Tag friends on your post

Share a picture of the winner so followers know you followed through.

16. Follow Online Trends 📊

When your posts don't reflect current trends in your niche, it makes you look outdated and irrelevant.

Two good ways to follow trends:

Follow influencers in your space
Use Google Trends for keyword research

17. Post Consistently 📅

You should post once per day on Instagram at a minimum.

You can post more, but never more than 3 times in a day. Never skip a day completely.

The more they look at your content, the more likely they are to like and engage.

Remember, you can use epic tools like Post Planner to post on IG consistently and grow your reach.

What NOT to Do ❌

DON'T Buy Followers

Purchasing followers results in low-quality followers who don't care about your content. Even worse, it can get your Instagram account suspended or banned.

DON'T Expect Overnight Results

You'll likely see a slight uptick immediately, but it takes time to grow significantly. Stick to your plan and keep posting consistently.

The Bottom Line ⚡

Quality and consistency will get you a long way on social media.

If you only remember two things:

Post consistently
Make every image/video/story high quality

The snowball effect is real. Likes bring followers, followers create more likes, and the cycle repeats itself into a thriving Instagram community.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Now…

Go BIG or go home!

~ Josh from “This Week in Social Media”

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