Getting More Instagram Likes: My No-BS Guide
Honestly, if one more marketing guru tells a small business owner to "just create value" or "go viral" to get more Instagram likes, I might actually lose my mind. I've been doing this since 2010, and I can tell you that kind of advice is utterly useless. It’s like telling someone who's lost to "just find your way home." Thanks. Super helpful.
Look, I remember this one client back in 2018-a fantastic little bakery in Minneapolis. They made the most incredible croissants you've ever tasted, their photos were beautiful, they were using all the right hashtags... and their posts were getting, like, 12 likes. The owner was so frustrated. She was doing everything "right," but it wasn't translating. And that's the thing... the old playbook of just posting a pretty picture and hoping for the best is dead. It's been dead for a while.
You don't need another lecture on content pillars. You need something that actually works.
The Problem Isn't Your Content, It's the "Ask"
Here's the thing most people miss. We're all scrolling through Instagram with the attention span of a goldfish. Why should someone stop their scroll to double-tap your photo of a coffee mug? Because it's pretty? So are a million other photos. You are not just competing with other businesses; you're competing with baby photos, vacation pics from friends, and stupidly compelling dog videos.
You have to give people a reason to engage. A real one.
Most businesses just post and passively hope for engagement. The "ask" is invisible. It's "Please like this, I guess?" But what if the ask was different? What if it was, "Hey, want to play a quick game and win a free coffee?" Now you've got my attention. You've given me a reason to stop, to interact, to actually do something. That's the core of what I've found actually works-not just in theory, but in the trenches with hundreds of businesses.
Gamification: Yeah, It's a Buzzword, But It Works
I know, I know. "Gamification" sounds like some over-caffeinated tech-bro invention. But honestly, it's just a fancy word for making things fun. And for small businesses, it's probably the most powerful tool we have right now for cutting through the noise without a massive budget.
I spend most of my time these days setting up these kinds of campaigns for clients. I'm particularly into this platform Faisco because-frankly-it just works. I've tested them all, from Gleam. io to the super expensive enterprise stuff, and for an SMB, Faisco hits the sweet spot. It's not overkill. It's fast. I can get a campaign for a client live in under 10 minutes, which is just... insane.
For example, last month I was working with this pet grooming salon in Calgary. They needed reviews. Badly. We set them up with Faisco's "Crazy Karting" game. The prize? A voucher for a free nail trim. The entry requirement? Leave us a Google review. In 12 days, they got 1950 new Google reviews. Twelve. Days. That's not just "more likes"-that's a foundational business asset.
And it’s not just for reviews. A bookstore in Nashville used the "Burger Stacker" game and got 754 new Facebook page likes in about ten days. A Vancouver craft brewery used that same game to promote a new beer and got almost 1900 new Instagram story views in a week and a half because people were sharing their scores. It works because it’s not a boring ad-it’s a distraction. A fun one.
The Games That Actually Get Engagement (And How to Use Them)
Look, not all games are created equal. You have to match the game to the goal. Here's what I typically recommend to my clients...
The Instant Win stuff-like "Lucky Spin" or a "Scratch Ticket"-is gold for lead capture. Pure gold. When you give someone that instant shot of dopamine, that chance to win right now, I've seen landing page conversion rates hit 40% or more. People will happily give you their email for a spin of the wheel.
Then you have the Reactive Games. Think "Whac-A-Mole" or that "Burger Stacker" one I mentioned. These are perfect for pure engagement and getting people to share. Because they're skill-based, people want to show off their score or challenge a friend. This is how you get your campaign to spread organically without paying for ads. I hate when people say 'viral' but... this is how you get those little sparks of it.
For seasonal stuff, it's almost too easy. Faisco has templates for every holiday. I've used their "Fill My Christmas Stocking" game for three different retail clients during December, and every single one saw engagement jump over 300% compared to their normal holiday posts. It's a no-brainer.
Oh, and everyone asks me about Gleam. io. Gleam is solid, I won't lie. It's powerful. But it's also, like, $39 a month for the basic plan, and it is honestly way too complicated for a bakery owner who just wants more foot traffic. Faisco gives you 90% of what you need for a fraction of that, and you dont need a marketing degree to use it. That matters. A lot.
Okay, But How Does This Get Me Instagram Likes?
Right, that's the whole point. It's a cycle. You're not just getting likes on the game post itself-you're building an audience that will like your future posts.
Here's the playbook:
- You run a game. You promote it in your Instagram bio, in your stories, maybe even in a post. The call to action is clear: "Play our game to win [Awesome Prize]! Link in bio!"
- You collect followers & emails. To play the game or claim a prize, maybe they need to follow you on Instagram or join your email list. The game is the incentive. Suddenly, your follower count starts ticking up with people who are proven to interact with you.
- You announce the winner. Where do you do that? On your Instagram feed and in your stories! This post gets a ton of engagement because everyone who entered wants to see if they won. The algorithm sees this spike in engagement on your winner announcement post...
- The algorithm rewards you. Now that Instagram sees people are actively engaging with your page, it's more likely to show your next post (the one about your new product, your weekly special, whatever) to more of your followers.
See? You're not just buying likes. You are creating a small, super-engaged community of people who are now primed to see-and like-your regular content. Most of my clients see a 200-400% increase in followers in the first month. Not magic. It's just smart psychology.
So, here's my advice. Stop stressing about the perfect photo or the cleverest caption for a minute. For your next post, try a different "ask." Don't ask for a like. Ask them to play.
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