Get More Likes on Instagram without Hashtags

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Instagram is a simple but addictive social media app that allows users to share their photos and memories with family, friends, and anyone else who chooses to follow them. For bloggers, amateur photographers, and other aspiring internet stars, an Instagram account with tons of "likes" on each photo is highly prized, as this is a sign that the account has a wide reach and that its content is well-liked. Though hashtagging is one common way to increase an account's visibility (and thus earn more likes), there are plenty of other ways to do it, including interacting with the Instagram community, posting high-quality images, and even borderline-unethical methods like paying for likes!

Steps

Posting Likeable Photos

  1. Be creative. One of the easiest ways to see the number of likes on each of your photos decline over time is to post the same sort of content over and over again. On the other hand, consistently posting gorgeous, interesting content that stands out from the other contributions users see every day is a great way to start getting noticed.[1] Try to do something new with each photo — if your followers don't know what will come next, they'll be more likely to stick around and keep liking your photos!
    • In the rest of the steps in this section, we'll explore some posting strategies that can help you gain a reputation as a quality Instagram poster. However, it's important to remember that there's no "right" way to use Instagram — the most popular users of all are often people who use Instagram in new, exciting ways that others haven't thought of before.
  2. Post visually-appealing pictures. No matter what the subject of your picture is, people on Instagram tend to have positive reactions to content that contains bright colors and interesting contrasts — in other words, pictures that are pretty! There are chances to capture beauty with your phone's camera almost everywhere, so be on the lookout for eye-catching subjects in the world around you. Below are just a few ideas for visually-appealing photos that often do well on Instagram (there are many, many more.)
    • Exotic locales (a vacation or trip is a great opportunity to take some high-scoring Instagram shots)
    • Wilderness shots
    • Beaches
    • Sunsets
    • Interesting reflections
    • Cityscapes
    • Close-ups of colorful things (like flowers, paintings, etc.)
    • Well-crafted objects or possessions (like cars, musical instruments, etc.)
    • Delicious-looking food
  3. Post amusing content. Humor works on almost everyone — a truly hilarious Instagram post can become a magnet for likes (or even a viral sensation) if it has enough visibility. If users can consistently find something new on your Instagram profile that makes them laugh, you should quickly start racking up likes. Below are just a few ideas for things you may want to post to get you started:
    • Prank videos (an old online staple)
    • Pictures of funny/garish costumes or outfits
    • Pictures of amusing/embarrassing social media interactions
    • Silly visual puns
    • Parodies of Instagram culture (i.e., intentionally vain selfies, pretentiously "artsy" shots, etc.)
  4. Post heartwarming content. Another way to get likes out of your audience is to tug at its heartstrings. Pictures that feature cute, loveable, or nostalgic content can sometimes be immensely popular, so try adding some of the following ideas to your normal rotation:
    • Family photos
    • Pictures of cute animals
    • Pictures of babies
    • Inspirational photos
    • Precious moments with an S.O. (be careful not to come across as sappy or attention-seeking)
    • Old/new comparison photos (i.e., a picture of you and your friends at age fourteen split with a picture of the same people ten years later)
  5. Use interesting shot compositions. It isn't all about what you shoot — it's also about how you shoot it! If you can, try to give each Instagram shot the same amount of time and focus that you'd give a piece of professional photography. For some shots, like pictures of objects in motion or live events, this may be impossible, but for stationary subjects, there's no reason not to take your time and arrange an interesting shot. Below are just a few very basic tips you may want to consider when taking pictures.
    • Keep the main subject in focus. Other objects in the frame can sometimes be left out of focus for an interesting contrast — it's up to you.
    • Make sure your subject is well-lit, but not harshly lit. Bright light from fluorescent lights or the sun can give the subject an unpleasant sheen. In addition, it can be difficult to capture partially-lit objects in dark environments (though if you can, the effect can be quite powerful.)
    • Play around with closeups and wide-angle shots. Does your subject look most impressive from a few feet away or from a few inches away?
    • Try varying the position of the main subject in the frame. Does it look best in the center of the shot or at the edge of the frame?
  6. Vary the filters you use. Instagram is famous for its filters. While many photos look great without filters, adding a filter is often an easy way to give your photos a more dramatic, interesting feel without having to re-take your shot. Best of all, there are dozens of filters available for free with Instagram — simply select one that you think will improve the feel of your photo the best before you post it.[2]
    • Note, however, that using the same filters over and over again can give your post history an unappealing "samey" feel, so try to vary them over time.
    • Don’t just choose a filter and post. Take your time, think about the kind of effect you want to achieve, and experiment. Specific filters will suit some images better than others.
  7. Use a photo collage app. Downloadable third-party photo collage apps do exactly what their name implies — allow you to post exciting collages to Instagram. Many photo collage apps are completely free and allow you to choose from a large variety of frames. If you haven't already, try downloading and using one of these apps to add some spice to your Instagram profile — you may end up loving it!
    • One general tip for posting high-quality collages is to pick photos for the collage that are all thematically connected in some way. For instance, you might want to use a collage to show off a handful of pictures you took while baking a cake, with one picture showing the ingredients, one showing you mixing them, one showing you putting the batter into the oven, and so on.
  8. Consider other third-party editing applications. Sometimes Instagram's default filters and editing options just don’t cut it. Third-party apps can give you more options and make your photos stand out, so if you're a frequent Instagram user, they can be a good use of your device's storage space.
    • Some of the most popular editing apps available include Photo Editor by Aviary, Afterlight, Bokehful, and Overgram.

Posting Selfies Intelligently

  1. Limit your overall number of "selfies". "Selfies" (pictures you take of your self) are popular on Instagram — simply scroll through the "Explore" tab and odds are that you'll see plenty. However, unless you're a gorgeous celebrity, followers will often get annoyed if all they see on your profile is your face, so try to avoid posting too many pictures of yourself. A selfie or two is OK every once in a while, but doing it all the time can make you come across as vain or narcissistic, which can have a negative effect on your likes.
    • In this section, we'll give you a few tips for getting lots of likes with the selfies you do take. However, keep this first step in mind — no matter how good your selfies are, taking too many can be a very bad idea.
  2. Lean towards "cooler", earthier colors. Research has shown that certain color combinations make selfies statistically more popular on average. In particular, cool tones like blue and purple and earthy tones like tan, beige, burnt orange, and so on seem to do especially well. On the other hand, bright, "warm" colors like red, yellow, pink, and so on seem to be less popular on average. [3]
  3. Reduce your reliance on filters. Sometimes, the best selfies are ones that show you as you actually are. Posting a selfie without an obnoxious, overpowering filter can be a boost to your popularity if it helps convince others that you're not especially vain about your appearance. In fact, besides those with the "Willow" black-and-white filter, selfies with no filter at all have been found to be the most popular on average.[4]
  4. Use imaginative composition for your selfie shots. You can sometimes get away with posting lots of selfies if the selfies themselves are shot in interesting ways. Playing around with the composition can help here — for instance, you might try to show off your amazing eyes by posting a close-up of your iris, or you might advertise the new lip gloss you're crazy about by posting a selfie that only captures your face from the nose down. It's up to you — there's no "right" way to take a creative selfie, so use your imagination!

Interacting With Your Followers

  1. Like other people's photos. Becoming successful on Instagram is a give and take process: if you like others' photos, then these users are more likely to notice you and like yours. Think about what you do when you get a notification that someone has liked one of your photos — odds are that at least some of the time you'll head to that user's page and check out their photos. Making an effort to like others' photos increases the chances they'll do this to you in return.
    • You can start by going to your followers' pages and liking your favorite photos among the most recent posts. However, you may not want to stop there — liking content from new users outside your list of followers is a great way to expand your Instagram visibility (plus, it can help you get new followers.)
  2. Follow more users. On Instagram, following someone else means getting more followers for yourself! The more people you follow (and interact with) on Instagram, the more people will have the chance to see and like your pictures. In addition, for profiles with restrictive privacy settings, you'll need to become a follower before you can start viewing photos, giving out likes, and making your presence known to the profile's other followers.
    • You don't just have to follow people you already know — following random users whose content you like can help you expand your reach (and keep your personal feed fresh and interesting at the same time.) Try browsing through the top photos in the "Explore" tab (which you can get to by pressing the button at the bottom of the screen that looks a little like a compass) and start following people who take photos you are interested in.
  3. Make the most of your current online connections. If you're just starting out on Instagram, one of the quickest ways to boost your follower count (and start getting likes) is to find people on Instagram you already know from your other social media sites (like, for instance, Facebook.) To do this, head to your profile tab (tap the button in the bottom right of the screen that looks like the outline of a person) and head to your settings menu by tapping the button in the top right. Here, tap the "Find Friends" option to see your options for locating Instagram users from other social media sites you have associated with your mobile device.
    • Note that, if you're on a smart phone, you should also have the option to search for Instagram users in your phone's contact list.
  4. Be active in the Instagram community. Maintaining a strong social media presence requires a time commitment. The more time you spend on Instagram liking photos and interacting with other users, the more likes you will receive yourself. As a general rule, spending about an hour total active on Instagram each day (spread evenly throughout the day) should help you start building your Instagram presence and earning more likes.
    • Recent data shows that the average Instagram user spends about 13-14 minutes on Instagram per day.[5] Remember that, for the best chance of putting yourself ahead of the pack in terms of Instagram likes, it will help to have a greater level of engagement than this.
  5. If all else fails, beg for likes. It's not pretty, but sometimes outright asking for likes is a good short-term strategy for boosting the amount of Instagram love you get. Unfortunately, this sort of approach can be somewhat effective — research shown that Instagram content with hashtags like "#follow" and "#likeforlike" receive slightly more attention than content that doesn't.[6] You can achieve the same effect without using hashtags by using the photo's caption or comments section to ask for likes.
    • Note, however, that it can be a bad idea to rely heavily on this strategy in the long run. Begging for likes is often seen as obnoxious or needy by Instagram users, so using this sort of poor Instagram etiquette can actually damage your reputation once you get a significant number of followers.

Maximizing Your Appeal

  1. Post often, but not constantly. Ideally, to gain the most possible likes, you should try to post a steady stream of content most days (if not every day.) Posting about two or three photos a day (with at least a few hours between each photo) should ensure that most followers see something new from you every time they log in.
    • However, you won't want to post too frequently, especially if this forces you to post uninteresting content. Doing this can "flood" your followers' feeds with a high volume of mediocre photos, which may persuade them to unfollow you or
  2. Post photos at high-traffic times. You should try to avoid posting photos at a time when your target audience is fast asleep. A good policy is to try to post in the morning, during lunchtime, and/or around the end of dinner, as many people like to browse their social networks before their daily activities or during their downtime. This will usually ensure that you get the most exposure possible.
    • It's also a good idea to avoid posting on Friday or Saturday evenings, as most people are usually busy with their friends or family at these times.
    • If you're popular internationally, keep in mind that your followers abroad will usually have very different schedules than you due to time differences.
  3. Consider giving your account a theme. Having a good theme or "schtick" can make it much easier for your Instagram to get popular and start racking in likes. Ideally, this theme should be something you're interested in — for instance, if you're involved in the world of muscle cars, car photography might be your thing, whereas if you're a dog trainer, you might make a name for yourself by posting cute pet videos. Your theme is not necessarily something you need to stick to 100% of the time, but having a theme is a good way to immediately create a potential audience for yourself.
  4. Cross-promote yourself on other social networks. Why rely only on your Instagram presence to get likes for yourself? Posting your Instagram content to other social media sites you're active on is a great way to get it noticed fast and capitalize on the online presence you've already built up elsewhere.
    • Best of all, this is quite easy to do — just take a picture or video as you normally would, then, when you get to the page where you can write a caption for your content, simply click the buttons under the "Share" header to cross-post your Instagram content to other networks. If it's your first time doing this, you may need to supply your login credentials for these other sites.

Buying Popularity

  1. Consider purchasing more likes. If you're absolutely desperate to get likes fast, there's a market on the internet to meet your need. Try doing a search engine query for "buy Instagram likes" or similar terms — it shouldn't be hard to find relevant results. There are a variety of services that offer instant likes for a fee. Many offer different packages that you can choose from, depending on how many likes you want.
    • Note that, typically, in order for this set-up to work, you’ll need to make sure that your Instagram account is not private.
    • In general, buying likes in bulk gets you the best value per like, just like buying goods in the real world.
  2. Consider paying for followers. It's also possible to buy large numbers of followers at once to instantly boost your Instagram visibility. Typically, the followers you buy will be "bots" (profiles created and run automatically by computer programs), but depending on the service you use, these "fake" followers may still be able to like your posts.
  3. Be aware of the professional/ethical hazards of buying popularity. It should go without saying that paying for likes or followers is usually seen as a shallow, borderline-unethical thing to do by most Instagram users. It's sometimes described as "cheating" one's way to visibility by using one's wealth (and not one's creativity) to achieve popularity. In addition, it can sometimes be a professional liability — some companies may be hesitant to endorse or partner with Instagrammers who became popular by paying for it.[7]
    • Be aware that it's not always hard for followers to figure out that you are buying likes or followers, especially if you buy a lot. If you're looking for it, it's easy to notice a sudden enormous upsurge in someone’s likes. If you're caught in the act, you may lose the favor of some of your "real" fans.

Sources and Citations