50 Ways to Increase Instagram Engagement Organically 2026

Last Updated on 6th January 2026 by Charlotte Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.

With rumours that Instagram will very soon be changing its home feed algorithm once again, now is a better time than ever to increase Instagram engagement. Here is how to increase Instagram engagement organically in 2026!

Pretty photos, endless wanderlust inspiration and the fact that the network is in general, pretty positive. Who isn’t on Instagram these days? 

If you follow me on Instagram (which is full of colourful Paris life photos and French chateaux…. just sayin’), then you’ll know that Instagram is by far my favourite social media platform.

Only post your very very very best photos

I can’t stress this one enough. In the beginning, I was always stressed about posting at the ‘right’ time. Well, let me tell you this: If your photo is bad then there is never going to be a ‘right’ time to post it. You should never post it. Period. It’s better to post less often and higher quality than more frequently and turn people away.

Composition is key

Much like content is king in blog posts, composition is key to an epic photo. Even if your photo is a little blurry or overexposed, fantastic composition will compensate for this. For more tips, be sure to check out our guide to the top travel photography mistakes (and how to avoid them!)

Find a niche

Remember that when people look at your feed, you have about 1.5 seconds to impress them enough to click on your photos. Why should they click on them?

Do you have a theme? Are they all your very best photos? If the answers to any of these are no, refer back to point one. For more tips on how to do this, check out our guide on how to find an Instagram niche.

Is your photo interesting to strangers?

Always ask yourself if you would be interested in seeing the photo you are posting if you were a stranger. If the answer is no, refer back to point one.

Come up with a brand name or use your own name

Think of a name for your account (this will save a lot of time later on): Do you want to post wanderlust destinations? Do you want to post sunset pictures? Think about the direction in which to take your account. 

However, be careful not to corner yourself. For example, if you build an incredibly centred niche around matcha lattes, people will be confused if you suddenly start posting images of the Flat Iron building or cherry blossoms.

If you don’t know what to use, your real name is always a good idea (but bear in mind hat future employers will find it easier to find you later on). If your real name is taken, consider using a nickname or adding your middle name.

For example, ‘sophienadeau‘ was taken so I’m using ‘sophieannenadeau‘. Using my real name has also allowed me to post whatever I find pretty that day rather than centering my images around a ‘niche’…

Tell a story through your photos

Photography is more fun when you’re telling a story and have the challenge of conveying your point through image only. Consider what story you’re telling your readers and this will, in turn, help to make your Instagram content more engaging.

Add a caption to your image

Although Instagram is mainly about imagery, that doesn’t mean to say that people don’t read your captions. Your words will only add weight to the story you are telling and the points you are trying to get across. If you can’t think of something to write, add your favourite quote or a few emojis. Something is better than nothing.

Change up your image style

Even if you want to have a theme, don’t be too repetitive and don’t be afraid to try new things. How about going back to the same location in a different season or at a different time of day?

Make sure that all of your images are well lit

No one can be bothered trying to work out if the picture you’ve taken is of a dog or a cat… Be sure that your images are clear and visible so that people end up spending time actually looking at your photos. After all, a part of Instagram engagement these days is based on how long a user looks at your image!

Remember that the best camera is the one you have on you in the moment

Whether it’s your smartphone, digital camera or DSLR, capturing the moment is more important than the quality of your equipment (besides, most people will view your photos on a small screen).

Work with natural light as much as possible

Naural light makes everything look more ethereal, beautiful and ensures a lot less time spent editing your photos later on!

Remember that Sunrises and Sunsets do really well on Instagram

‘Golden hours’ are perfect for soft lighting and create beautiful images that lead to more interaction, thus increasing Instagram engagement.

Try not to post the same thing multiple times in a row

Do you get bored looking through your feed and seeing three pictures of your lunch in a row? Chances are, other people will get bored too.

Leave the drunken selfies on your phone memory

Would you be happy with a potential employer seeing these photos? Would you be interested in seeing a stranger’s drunken night out? Again, always remind yourself that the people viewing your photos may be complete strangers and probably aren’t interested in seeing your friend Bob down 5 tequila shots at once (no matter how funny it was at the time).

People love familiarity so pay attention to the background

People may love your icecream, but wouldn’t they love it more if they could see the Eiffel Tower or Central Park at the same time?! Think about how you frame your photos and include familiar attractions so that people linger on your photos for longer.

Reply to all you comments

Instagram is about building networks and communities, not just a one sided platform. Strike up a conversation and engage with your followers to increase your Instagram engagement.

Look at your statistics and work out when the best time of the day to post is

Consider when you check your instagram. When you first wake up? During your lunch break at work? Just before you go to bed? Chances are, everyone else is checking their phones at around the same times that you are. With business and creator profiles, you’re given detailed analytics

Always edit your photos

Enough said!

Use hashtags on every photo

It’s important to use hashtags so that you can be seen and found by a new audience who don’t know about your account yet.

Use hashtags on every photo and try and focus on hashtags that have between 10k and 300k photos. Hashtags with too few photos underneath won’t reach many people and hashtags with too many photos underneath will simply get lost in the crowd.

Change up your hashtags

If you always use the same tags, chances are, they’ll always be viewed by the same people. Different hashtags ensures that different people will be able to see your photos.

When visiting a new destination, look up all relevant hashtags and use them

Again, this is similar to changing up your hashtags and is a great way of increasing your Instagram engagement by targeting a new audience.

Tag your photos

Not only can you hashtag your photos, you can also tag them so that people will see these photos when they’re looking at photos of the person/ organisation you’ve tagged. For example, on a recent trip to Brittany, I tagged a number of feature pages in my photos.

Make your bio epic

Can you explain who you are in one sentence? What do you want people to know about you? Are you a book lover, sunset chaser or thrill seeker? Use the few lines you have in your bio wisely (and add a link to your website if you have one).

Add an email into your bio (but be prepared for a lot of spam)

This way, people can contact you for collaborations.

Let people get to know you

Add the occasional photo of yourself so that your account feels more personal and people feel like they can better connect with you.

Attend Instameets

When I went to my first Instameet and told my friends where I was going, they thought it was so hilarious. However, I’ve found that by attending instameets, I’ve made loads new friends, and had a lot of fun in the process. You’ll also meet people to collaborate with and potentially expand to a new audeince.

Link your profile and share your photos there

This includes linking your Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Twitter profiles – the more reach and spread you can share your work on, the better!

#communityfirst Like other people’s photos

Instagram is about building relationships, not just a one sided showcase of your best work. Interacting with people will probably mean that they’ll come and engage with your content, thus increasing your overall Instagram engagement.

Comment on other people’s photos

Commenting on photos takes a lot more effort than just liking them and a nice comment can not only make someone’s morning but also build the foundations to creating an online friendship with them.

Use geotags

With this being said, never tag your home, work etc. for safety reasons. I also always personally wait until I’ve left a location to post a story or photo from the location.

Remember that daytime photos generally do better than night ones

But that this is not always the case. A well composed photo at night trumps a poorly composed daytime one.

Remember that photos with a lot of blue in them also tend to do well

As do warm, bright photos.

Take pictures of things that inspire you

In the beginning, I took photos of things I thought other people would like. They were pretty boring (well, my photos may well still be boring) and so I sarted adding my friends into the shots and had fun making my photos.

Put your own spin on things

If you like a photo that someone’s taken, don’t just create a carbon copy. I.e. although I love taking photos of the Eiffel Tower, I add my friends into the frame in order to create a unique image.

Surround Yourself with inspirational people (and follow them as well)

I’m lucky that a lot of my friends have the same interests as me and bouncing ideas off each other has led to more interesting photos!

Target larger accounts

Leave nice messages and they may well come to your account and return the favour…

Talk to other people with cameras

You may well learn some new tips and tricks. Besides, who knows, they may well be on Instagram as well!

Never take yourself too seriously

When you start taking yourself too seriously, you stop positively criticising your work and trying to improve it. The quality of your images will suffer as a result. Besides, taking photos is about sharing stories and inspiring people.

Take breaks every now and then

If you spend too much time on one thing, you’ll burn out and your creativity will suffer as a result. Give yourself regular social media breaks and give yourself time to rest from the online world.

Although saying this, make sure to practice your photography skills every now and then

Just like learning a language, photography requires practice on a regular basis to ensure that you don’t get rusty at using the camera and composing shots!

Post on a regular basis and have a schedule

If you only want to post once a week, make sure it’s on the same day so that people will make sure to visit your feed on that day. Since the home feed on Instagram is no longer chronological, it is more important than ever to remain consistent.

Leave a minimum of three hours between photos

Don’t overwhelm people by posting too many photos! As of 2026, it’s better to use Instagram stories to post updates and only post once or twice a day maximum on your permanent feed.

I am currently posting just one story and then letting it expire before posting my next story to get the greatest amount of visibility per story.

Use reels

As of 2026, Instagram (as it has done over the past few years) is really pushing video and the reels feature is a great way to grow your account. Use reels to increase Instagram engagement and reach a new audience!

Never ever post multiple photos in a row

Would you want to scroll through your home feed and see it clogged up by one person? Be sure not to post too many photos in a row (use stories for this) and save only your very best content for your feed post!

Never use filters!

As a general rule, I never ever ever use the filters which come with the Instagram app. In fact, studies have even shown that using filters on your photos will, in general, result in less engagement. Instead, edit your photos first on a different application or by using LightRoom (use these editing apps instead).

Play your poker game right

Don’t put all of your cards on the table at once. Be elusive and make people want to come back for more.

Be patient

If you’re wondering how to increase engagement on Instagram, then one of the most important things to remember is to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day… and neither will your account be. Of all the ways to increase Instagram engagement, this is probably the point that it’s most important to remember!

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER GIVE UP. Like, ever.