Increase Instagram Engagement: 10 Proven Ways for 2025

Everyone wants to increase Instagram engagement, but very few have mastered this. Instagram engagement strategies 2025 differ from previous years. Many content creators notice fewer notifications and comments despite their best efforts.

You’ve tried regular posting, trending hashtags, and last year’s popular tips, but Instagram’s algorithm continues to shift. Content creators struggle to find effective techniques among outdated advice.

These 10 lesser-known tactics deliver results. You’ll discover interactive Instagram story ideas, data-driven social media planning, updated hashtag research, why carousel posts outperform single images, and which engagement types the algorithm favors.

Why Instagram Engagement Matters and How to Calculate It

Your engagement rate measures audience interaction with your content and indicates post performance, delivering real results whether you seek brand awareness, leads, or loyal fans.

A solid engagement rate signals audience trust for brands and influencers. Creators with 5,000 followers and a 7% engagement rate typically provide more value than accounts with 50,000 followers but minimal interaction, making this metric valuable for businesses and marketers.

Now, here’s how to calculate your Instagram engagement rate:

The formula is simple:

(Likes + Comments + Saves) ÷ Reach × 100 = Instagram engagement rate (%)

Some users include shares or DMs in calculations. Calculate manually or use free tools like Modash or Inbeat for instant results. RecurPost tracks engagement trends through its analytics dashboard, showing what works and what doesn’t.

The average Instagram engagement rate in 2025 is around 3.4%. For influencers, a 3-5% engagement rate can be powerful in building brand deals and growing communities.

Instagram engagement calculators or RecurPost’s built-in tools eliminate guesswork. Consistent tracking allows you to refine your content plan and post strategically.

Here are the most effective methods to increase likes, comments, and shares:

1. Get Creative with Instagram Stories Stickers

Instagram Stories stickers function as interactive add-ons for 24-hour content. These clickable elements include polls, quizzes, questions, and countdown clocks that prompt viewer action rather than passive scrolling.

Popular stickers include:

• Poll and Quiz stickers to gather opinions and test knowledge
• Question stickers to host Q&As and collect feedback
• Add Yours stickers to create public content threads.
• Countdown stickers to build anticipation
• Shopping stickers to tag products

Why Instagram Stories Stickers work

Instagram Stories stickers build brand loyalty by increasing relatability and encouraging interaction. Research indicates 57% of users prefer Instagram polls and questions from brands over other platforms. These interactions signal to the algorithm that users connect with your business.

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Stickers transform one-sided messages into two-way conversations, increasing content memorability and encouraging return engagement.

How to implement Instagram Stories Stickers

Add stickers by tapping the sticker icon (smiley face) in the top toolbar after uploading or creating your Story, then select and customize with your question, prompt, or information.

Limit each Story to one or two stickers for maximum impact. Position stickers away from edges where interface elements might obscure them.

Select stickers based on your objectives: polls for feedback, countdowns for launches, or shopping stickers for products. Pairing appropriate stickers with relevant content creates authentic connection opportunities rather than appearing promotional.

2. Create and Share Relatable Memes

Relatable memes act as cultural symbols or social ideas that spread like wildfire. People make them to amuse others or spark thoughts. They capture common experiences in an easy-to-digest format, a picture with witty text that delivers a joke or message. Unlike staged product shots, memes look more real and homemade, helping them pop in busy feeds.

Why Relatable Memes Work

At their core, memes work because they stir up emotions. They tap into experiences that ring true across different groups, creating an instant bond between a brand and its audience. This relatability makes people want to share them when someone reposts your meme to their Story or tags a friend, your engagement grows on its own.

Memes foster community through shared humor. Followers who understand your memes feel included, establishing connections among like-minded users. Consequently, meme posts consistently outperform standard images in engagement metrics across all industries.

How to Use Relatable Memes

To use memes well, first know what your audience finds funny. Then:

1. Make your own branded memes instead of just sharing others’ content.
2. Jump on trending pop culture moments to catch viral waves.
3. Use tools like Canva’s meme maker to create custom ones.
4. Keep your message brief and easy to grasp
5. Mix humor with brand relevance, and make sure your memes match your brand’s voice

Don’t forget to stick to a posting schedule, maybe something like “Meme Monday” to help your followers look forward to this fun content.

3. Use Instagram Reels to Boost Visibility

Instagram Reels are short vertical videos designed to entertain and capture attention. Launched in 2020 as a TikTok competitor, Reels allows videos up to 90 seconds with effects, music, and creative elements. Instagram features Reels prominently across the platform: Reels tab, main feed, Explore page, hashtag pages, and direct messages.

Why Instagram Reels work

Data demonstrates Reels’ effectiveness: they generate 22% more engagement than standard videos and reach 49% more people than carousels and photos. Accounts under 5,000 followers see Reels reaching 39.5% of followers on average, compared to carousels at 3.5%.

Instagram’s algorithm contributes significantly to Reels success by ranking them based on watch time, like-to-view ratio, and share-to-view ratio. The platform promotes Reels to new audiences via the Explore page and Reels tab, enhancing discovery potential.

How to use Instagram Reels

To get more eyes on your Reels and boost engagement rates, try these tested strategies:

Content Creation for Engagement:

• Grab attention in the first 3 seconds, think about showing the final product first to spark interest.
• Keep Reels under 90 seconds with good pacing to keep viewers engaged.
• Include trending audio to gain favor with the algorithm.
• Create content that’s relatable, helpful, or funny so people want to pass it on.
• Share clear original posts without logos from other sites

Reels-Specific Engagement Tactics:

• Add text overlays with questions or statements that encourage comments.
• Use the “POV” (point of view) format to create relatable scenarios that viewers want to share.
• Create “Part 1” content that makes viewers ask for “Part 2” in the comments.
• Include interactive elements like “Comment your answer” or “Tag someone who does this”.
• End Reels with conversation starters like “What would you do?” or “Agree or disagree?”

Advanced Reels Engagement Strategies:

• Post Reels that teach something in under 30 seconds to boost saves and shares.
• Use trending challenges, but add your unique twist to stand out.
• Create “day in the life” content that shows behind-the-scenes moments.
• Share transformation content (before/after) that viewers love to watch multiple times.
• Reply to comments with new Reels to keep conversations going.

Start by planning your content with storytelling in mind. Next, make sure each Reel has a clear opening, useful information, and a powerful call-to-action. Post successful brands put out about six Reels each month, creating a steady flow of content people can discover.

4. Create Graphics and Quotes People Want to Share

Shareable graphics consist of stunning images or text designs crafted for redistribution. They feature uplifting quotes, inspiring messages, humorous tweet adaptations, or visually appealing information. These elements transform written content into attention-grabbing posts that stand out in feeds and prompt sharing via Stories or direct messages.

Why Shareable Graphics Are Effective

Quote images rank among the most shared social media content, driving engagement by evoking emotions. When audiences relate to uplifting or humorous content, they share it, extending your message to new audiences.

Shareable graphics establish strong brand impressions. Audiences connect with well-crafted uplifting quotes, frequently reposting valuable content to their Stories, transforming viewers into brand ambassadors.

How to Implement Shareable Graphics

To create graphics that people want to share:

1. Try design tools like Canva or Adobe Spark, which have tons of templates made just for Instagram.
2. Keep it simple, designs with less clutter and text as the main focus do better than complicated ones
3. Stick to your brand’s colors and fonts.
4. Make uplifting content that has a real impact on personal growth instead of using worn-out sayings

To get the best results, make shareable graphics a regular part of your content plan. Think of them as key marketing tools, not random posts, and make sure they fit your brand’s voice and what your audience likes.

5. Share Informative Carousel Posts

Instagram carousel posts accommodate multiple photos or videos (up to 20 slides) in a single post for horizontal swiping. Small gray dots beneath posts (turning blue as users progress) indicate this interactive format. Mobile users swipe left while desktop users click the right-side arrows to navigate.

Why Carousel Posts Are Effective

Data confirms carousel effectiveness with an average engagement rate of 10.15%, surpassing standard photos and videos due to several factors:

For one, carousels make people stay longer as they swipe through multiple slides. This tells the algorithm your content is worth seeing. Also, Instagram’s algorithm gives carousels a big edge. If people don’t interact at first, the post shows up in their feed again later, but with the second slide this time. This “do-over” feature boosts how many people see and engage with your post.

Research indicates carousel posts receive 2.37% more engagement than other formats and users save them twice as frequently, fostering enduring audience connections.

How to Create Effective Carousel Content

Maximize carousel post effectiveness by:

Creating an attractive first slide that halts scrolling while ensuring each slide functions independently, as any slide might appear first in feeds.

Maintaining visual consistency with uniform colors, fonts, and design elements across slides. Including explicit prompts like “Swipe to learn more” to encourage interaction.

Carousels work best when they showcase step-by-step guides, transformations from before to after, sequences that bust myths, data presentations, and challenges where you swipe to spot differences. Each format should tell a complete story without cramming too much info into a single slide.

6. Include a Call-to-Action in Every Caption

Call-to-actions (CTAs) give followers clear directions on what to do after they see your content. They serve as signposts pointing users toward your goal, whether you want them to comment, share, save, or visit your website. Good CTAs use action words like “Shop now”, “Double-tap if you agree”, or “Tag a friend who needs to see this”.

Why Call-to-Actions work

CTAs have an impact on results because they remove doubt about what to do next. When people don’t get clear directions, even those who are interested often keep scrolling instead of getting involved. Emails with just one CTA saw a 371% increase in clicks and a 1617% boost in sales, showing how effective direct prompts can be.

Also, well-planned CTAs help you:

• Boost engagement rates and gain favor with algorithms.
• Establish yourself as an expert in your field.
• Bring more traffic to your website and increase conversions.
• Grow your community through talks

Instagram now penalizes engagement-baiting tactics. According to one source, “We won’t recommend content if we think it asks for engagement through shares, comments, tags, or other actions”. The distinction lies in Instagram’s continued support for “content that inspires people to engage in real discussion”.

How to Implement Call-to-Actions

To maximize impact, put these tested strategies into action:

1. Go for action words that get people moving: “discover,” “join,” “explore”.
2. Make instructions easy to follow and understand.
3. Show the benefits so followers know what they’ll get by taking action.
4. Build some urgency when it makes sense with time-limited prompts.
5. Ask questions that start conversations and get people talking.

Before you post, make sure your call-to-action fits your content and campaign goals. For example, educational carousel posts might end with “Save this for later,” while product features could say “Tag someone who needs this.”

If you’re looking to improve your social media presence, check out “How to Create Engaging Content on Social Media” for practical tips and strategies that boost engagement.

7. Let Your Personality Shine in Instagram Stories

Personality-driven Stories show the human side of your brand or business through honest, real content. Unlike planned feed posts, these Stories give strategic peeks into your personal life, behind-the-scenes moments, and everyday activities that match your brand values. They change your account from a nameless entity to a relatable presence with a real personality.

Why Personality-Driven Stories Work

Personality-driven Stories humanize your brand by establishing audience connection points. Currently, 58% of consumers view Stories specifically seeking authentic content, as audiences grow weary of curated feeds and prefer genuine, unfiltered material.

Posting on Stories helps your frequent viewers feel like they know you. This sense of familiarity builds trust, the basis for all successful Instagram engagement plans in 2025. Studies back up this effect, showing that personal content, such as family photos, can generate three times the engagement of sponsored or business content.

How to Use Personality-Driven Stories

To use effective personality-driven Stories, follow this content mix approach:

• 50% value content: Tips, how-tos, and quick advice
• 30% engagement content: Polls, sliders, and questions
• 20% connection content: Your personality, behind-the-scenes, and daily life

Keep it simple instead of going overboard with production. Focus on being clear rather than using fancy effects, and remember most people watch without sound, so add text to videos. At the same time, make sure your Stories match your brand’s voice while still seeming off-the-cuff.

Showing who you are doesn’t mean sharing everything, just picked parts that click with your audience. A marketer working with women who own businesses might share moments as a working parent to create common ground, which builds real connections that turn into long-term engagement.

8. Post When Your Audience is Most Active

The best time to post on Instagram means the hours and days when your followers are most likely to be online and interact with your posts. Unlike general tips that work for everyone, the ideal posting schedule is unique to each account. It depends on when your specific followers are active, where they live, and what time zones they’re in. As one expert points out, “There’s no single best time to post on Instagram that works for everyone; it’s different for each account”.

To know in detail about the best times, visit our page of Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2025

Why Optimal Posting Time Works

Posting when your followers are online has a big impact on how well your content performs with Instagram’s algorithm. When you get likes and comments on Instagram, Instagram sees your post as valuable and shows it to more people beyond your initial audience.

Experts say, “How you get engagement on your post determines its lifetime value”. Also, content you share when lots of people are using the app gets seen by many more users, since the algorithm prefers to show posts to people who are scrolling at that moment.

How to find your best posting times

To figure out when you should post:

1. Go to the Insights section of your business account and look at the “Total Followers” stats. This shows you when your audience is most active during the week.
2. Play around with posting at various times when your followers are online. Say they’re active from 5-9 pm – test posts at each hour to see which one does best.
3. Studies show these times work well:
4. Monday-Friday: 10 am-3 pm
5. Saturday: 9 am and 4 pm
6. Sunday: 10 am-12 pm
7. Monday-Friday: 10 am-3 pm
8. Saturday: 9 am and 4 pm
9. Sunday: 10 am-12 pm
10. Put social media scheduling platforms into action that post when your audience is most active, keeping your content flow steady even when you’re not around.

During this process, keep in mind that content quality is key; the right timing just helps your great content reach more people.

9. Use Niche and Relevant Hashtags

A hashtag strategy entails selecting relevant tags that categorize content and expand audience reach. Beyond popular hashtags, comprehensive strategies involve researching, organizing, and testing various combinations of:

• Brand-specific hashtags that show your unique identity
• Niche hashtags aimed at specific community interests
• Location-based hashtags for local relevance
• Industry hashtags linking you with professional networks

Right now, Instagram’s algorithm uses hashtags as context clues to grasp and group your posts, making them key for people to find and stumble upon your content.

Why Hashtag Strategy is effective

Strategic hashtags function as digital bridges connecting your posts to non-followers. Posts using 9 hashtags perform nearly 2.5 times better than those with single hashtags. Despite Instagram’s evolution, research confirms hashtags remain effective when properly implemented.

Remember, hashtags that are popular but not too broad or specific tend to work best. A hashtag with about 10 million posts will push new stuff out of the top spots in minutes, so medium-sized hashtags are better for staying visible longer.

How to Put a Hashtag Strategy into Action

To get the most out of hashtags:

First, do your homework using Instagram’s search tool to find trending and related hashtags in your industry. Look up common hashtags that fit your brand and see which accounts show up most in the results.

Second, make specific hashtag lists for different types of content. Come up with 10-20 targeted hashtags for each content group, mixing popular tags with more specific ones.

Third, keep an eye on your performance using Instagram Insights to figure out which hashtags get people to engage with your content and help it reach more users. This approach, based on data, lets you keep improving your plan.

Overall, don’t spam the same set of hashtags on all your posts; Instagram doesn’t like it when you use the same hashtags over and over. Instead, pick tags that fit what your post is about and what your followers care about.

10. Share User-Generated Content Regularly

User-generated content (UGC) means any photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, or social posts that your followers make, not your brand. This real stuff includes customer photos showing off your products, reviews, unboxing videos, and tagged mentions. Customer-created content shows actual people sharing their true experiences with your brand, which makes it more relatable than typical marketing.

Why User-Generated Content is Effective

UGC influences people because it’s believable. Research shows that 84% of people trust what their friends say more than any other kind of ad. What’s more, UGC has 8.7 times more impact than content from influencers and 6.6 times more power than content from brands.

From an engagement perspective, UGC campaigns increase interaction by 50%. UGC influences 79% of buyers’ purchase decisions, with consumers typically reviewing multiple UGC pieces before purchasing. This translates to measurable outcomes: brands utilizing UGC achieve 29% higher web conversions, while UGC ads generate quadruple the click-through rates of standard ads at half the cost.

How to Implement User-Generated Content

To make UGC work well:

• First, come up with a branded hashtag that gets your followers to share on-topic stuff. This works like a filing cabinet, making it a breeze to find posts about your brand.
• Second, always ask before you repost. Shoot a DM to get the OK and spell out how you plan to use their content.
• Third, give credit where it’s due when you share someone else’s work. Tag their username and give them a shout-out, which builds trust in your community.
• Last but not least, use Later’s Search by Hashtag tool to find and plan posts tagged with your branded hashtag, which speeds up the UGC gathering process.

As you put this into practice, keep your content quality high while embracing the real rough-around-the-edges look that makes UGC so powerful.

Conclusion

Instagram success now requires mixing creativity with smart planning. Simple hashtags and basic posting won’t cut it; real connections and focused content matter most.

Here’s what gets results:

• Carousel posts top the list with a 10.15% engagement rate.
• Well-chosen hashtags can increase visibility 2.5 times.
• User-generated content (UGC) outperforms influencer material by 8.7 times.
• Quick replies build essential customer loyalty.

The best approach integrates several methods. Try different things to see what clicks with your followers, striking a balance between showing your true self and planning for long-term growth.

Despite Instagram’s evolving algorithm, its core purpose remains connecting users with valuable content. Success comes from understanding audience preferences and implementing proven methods.

Start small: Select 2-3 brand-appropriate tactics, track performance, refine approaches, and gradually expand. Your engagement metrics will improve!

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Shalini Nagar

Shalini Nagar is an experienced content writer with a proven track record of creating diverse and engaging content across various formats. With years of expertise in crafting blogs, articles, she excels at delivering compelling narratives tailored to different audiences.