33 Instagram Post Ideas & Examples that Always get Likes

Wondering what to post on Instagram?

Many of you know we built the Post Planner app to be a never-ending content source for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X, and more.

Well... I also wrote this article so you can quickly grab 33 Instagram post ideas that'll get your followers double-clicking your posts TODAY.

But fair warning: Using these ideas might get you A LOT more followers and more engagement! 🙀😂

Feel free to skip ahead:

• Your business’s products in use
• Behind-the-scenes
  
• Selfies
  
• Quotes
  
• A social cause
  
• Video
  
• Time-lapse content
  
• Throwback Thursday or #TBT (only on Thursdays!)
  
• Memes
  
• A sneak-peek
  
• Do a monthly challenge
  
• Tutorials and how-to's
  
• Do a trend
  
• User-generated content (UGC)
  
• Instagram Reels
  
• Transformations
  
• Fascinating statistics
  
• Drawings or graphics
  
• Run a contest
  
• Post your employees
  
• Cross-promote from your other social media accounts
  
• Seasonal posts
  
• Cover an event
  
• Collab with other brands & influencers
  
• Carousels
  
• Go Live
  
• Recap your year
  
• Share a mistake
  
• Ask a question
  
• Share a testimonial or customer story
• Stories
• Shoppable posts
• Cross-promoting with other businesses
• How to use Post Planner to save hours on Instagram every week
• FAQ

1. Your business’s products in use

Want a powerful way to tell your company's story?

Post photos or videos of your product in the real world.

This helps viewers imagine themselves using your product in action.

The same goes for a service. You can show step-by-step how your company delivers on what your customers pay for!

When showing your product in use, remember not to overdo it (you want to sprinkle this type of post now and again).

2. Behind-the-scenes

More and more businesses are sharing photos taken behind the scenes.

These images work great for providing an authentic voice for your brand.

Here are some examples of behind-the-scenes content:

• A project you're working on (video, eBook, course)
• A company meeting
• Your work set-up
• Things going on before an interview
• Logistics of how your company operates

Here's an example from Canyon Coffee showing what their delivery process looks like (in a very aesthetically pleasing way, which is what makes this such an effective post):

If it's a feed post, don't forget to add the best Instagram hashtags for your industry!

Behind-the-scenes posts are all about authenticity and are a fantastic way to show a different side of your brand.

3. Selfies

Ok, I know you know this one!

Selfies are all over social media, and for a good reason!

They're simple and can be taken anywhere.

A good selfie is all about the right angle!

I actually have an entire article about how to take fantastic Instagram photos that'll rake in more engagement. Check it out!

4. Quotes

Let’s say your creativity gauge is running low, and you need ideas for QUICK Instagram posts.

Instagram quotes can be just what you need.

You can find quotes all over social media to share.

But try Post Planner's content library if you want to do it fast AND efficiently.

Here, you can find all the best quotes you’d possibly need (for any vibe or industry).

Meaning you can find any type of quote ranging from funny to deep and inspiring.

Another great thing?

Quotes can help your business page break up monotonous content.

Quotes get some of the strongest engagement on Instagram, so don't forget to have them in your Insta Stories as well!

5. A social cause

Many of us believe in something bigger than ourselves.

Sharing social causes with your audience is a fantastic way to show that your business is involved in making a positive change.

Think of a cause you care about and mention what your company is doing to contribute to its success.

Invite followers to join the cause and educate them on what it's all about!

6. Video

Social media is a fast-paced medium.

Video is treated differently depending on which social media platform you're on.

But Instagram only allows 3 to 60 second videos.

Let's say your video is 30 seconds.

Within that timeframe, you must capture and keep attention and elicit engagement.

• Grab attention is when you have a “scroll stopper” (AKA a hook) in the first 3-seconds of your video.
• Keep attention with video cuts, subtitles, and interesting content your average follower will LOVE.
• Elicit engagement with CTAs that ask for engagement or make sure your content has a “wow” factor that invites it.

7. Time-lapse content

Time-lapse videos are a visually appealing and interesting way to show a long process in a short amount of time.

When posting a Reel on Instagram, you can use the native Instagram editor to speed up your video to accomplish this type of effect.

Here are some niches that could benefit highly from time-lapse content:

• Outdoors
• Cooking
• Photography
• Art
• Automotive
• Technology
• Travel
• Videos sped up for comedic effect (like the example shown below)

And these are just to name a few! Be sure to get creative in YOUR industry.

8. Throwback Thursday or #TBT (only on Thursdays!)

Thursdays are when Instagram users share images from the past.

They could be photos from when your company was just starting out or images from fun company parties of yesteryear.

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #TBT or its variations:

• #Throwbackthursday
• #Throwbackthursdays
• #Throwbackthursdayy

This way, your post shows up on the hashtag page!

9. Memes

How many times have you gotten on Instagram only to end up scrolling through funny memes?

If you’re like me, probably more times than you’d like to admit.

We all have this shared experience because memes help you connect with your audience in a lighthearted and relatable way.

In general, the memes that perform the best on any given Instagram page are funny and relatable, and they play on insider knowledge of an industry to create a connection between the poster and the viewer.

For example, here’s a video meme that makes an inside joke about single-person small businesses that clearly resonated with the poster’s audience (over 32,000 likes!):

To create effective memes:

• Use trending formats and cultural references
• Keep them relevant to your audience or niche
• Make them visually appealing and easy to read with as few words as possible
• Encourage engagement by asking followers to tag friends or share their reactions

Memes add personality to your brand and can significantly boost engagement when done right!

Pro tip: You can use Post Planner's Content Studio to create your own memes!

Be on the lookout for trendy meme images by browsing your Instagram discovery feed.

10. A sneak-peek

Releasing a new product or feature soon?

Tease your audience with it!

Let's face it: Movie trailers excite us, and the anticipation makes us want to TELL our friends.

Your sneak-peek can be a short video or an image that says a little about the new product or feature.

Having a date for when it’ll be released is a great way to gain awareness and even get pre-orders.

11. Do a monthly challenge

Think of doing something different EACH day.

Maybe like a 30-day photography challenge!

For example, if you were a fitness influencer, you could do a 30-day diet challenge where you post your progress and how you're feeling on your Stories.

Here's an example of a clean eating monthly challenge:

12. Tutorials and how-to's

If you're in business, it means you have expertise in something.

If you know something well, someone else probably doesn't know it as well as you do.

Tutorials are a great way to share value with audience members.

Not to mention, it attracts steady engagement - like people asking questions and tagging their friends.

For example, if you’re a fitness trainer, you could post videos of how to properly do certain exercises.

Remember to break it down step-by-step to keep it simple.

13. Do a trend

Social media is DRIVEN by trends.

Every month...scratch that...EVERY WEEK, something big is trending.

When you leverage trends, it can be the perfect VIRAL hit your Instagram page needs.

Trends can be:

• Challenges
• Video ideas
• News stories
• Products

Pro tip: Finding trending content is super easy with Post Planner's content library. Filter by industry, and browse what everyone is talking about!

14. User-generated content (UGC)

UGC is when you repost content that your followers posted related to your brand.

UGC results in 4X higher click rates when used in advertisements, so this type of content is POWERFUL!

Your customers are some of your BEST advocates.

So using UGC opens the door to impactful posts.

Here's a UGC example from Starbucks:

Be sure to incorporate UGC to help emphasize your product (especially after you've done a product “in action” post).

15. Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels was rolled out in the summer of 2020 to compete with TikTok.

This feature is an even SHORTER way to share videos, lasting from 15 to 90 seconds.

Reels let you:

• Record short videos
• Speed up or slow down your clips
• Add music from Instagram's music library
• Apply other trendy edits

Why use Reels?

They're an even quicker way for your business to share information while entertaining your audience.

Not to mention, they're also versatile.

Reels are in the "Reels” section of your Instagram page but can also be posted to your Stories AND feed.

Here are other benefits of Instagram Reels:

• Reels reach a wider audience since users are shown Reels from accounts they don't even follow.
• They’re very easy to repurpose and share on other platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts.
• They’re optimized for viewing on mobile, which encourages phone users (most Instagram users are on their phones) to engage longer with Reels than other types of content

Pro tip: Mix these other post ideas into your Reels!

16. Transformations

If your business has helped many people, sharing a transformation can inspire people to work with you.

In other words, a transformation shows the RESULTS you can produce.

You can see this with coaches in the fitness niche, real estate, and other niches where the visual aspect of something changes dramatically.

Transformations are a form of a case study.

In your caption, write about where your customer was initially and the results they accomplished in the end. Also, mention what YOU did to get them there!

17. Fascinating statistics

Statistics posts are a fantastic way to engage your audience by providing valuable data.

People LOVE numbers and data, especially when it helps them understand trends, behavior, and industry insights.

Plus, sharing statistics can help establish yourself as an authority and expert in your field.

Here's how to create the perfect statistics post:

• Source data from industry reports, surveys, studies, or by collecting your own data
• Choose a statistic that's relevant and interesting
• Turn the statistic into a visually appealing graphic that makes the data easy to consume
• Give your graphic a header that hooks users
• Write a caption that gives context into why the data matters

Important note: Remember to cite your source to show your content is credible.

18. Drawings or graphics

Not everyone is an artist, but if you are... You should show it on your Instagram!

Posting artwork is a way to connect with your audience personally while showcasing your creativity.

This will attract followers who appreciate your unique style.

19. Run a contest

A straightforward way to build hype around your brand is by running an Instagram contest.

Contests encourage engagement AND attract new followers.

So, get your creative juices flowing and develop a contest idea that aligns with your brand and appeals to your target audience.

When brainstorming contest ideas, think about:

• What would resonate with your followers?
• What would incentivize them to participate?
• What would cause your contest to go VIRAL?
• What metric do you want to improve with your contest (more followers, signups, sales, etc.)?

For example, you could do a giveaway where participants have to follow your account, like the contest post, and tag a friend for a chance to win a prize.

To promote your contest, create visually appealing graphics or videos that communicate the rules and entry requirements.

Don't forget to set clear guidelines and rules for your contest to ensure fairness and transparency.

20. Post your employees

Creating posts about your employees can be a powerful way to humanize your brand.

And remember: People buy from people. Not companies.

Consider highlighting your employees' unique skills, talents, achievements, and contributions to the company.

Share photos of them in action.

This could be your employees working on a project, interacting with customers, or participating in team-building activities.

In addition to showcasing your employees' professional side, don't be afraid to show their personalities and interests outside of work.

For example, you could share photos of them enjoying hobbies, celebrating milestones, or participating in community events.

This adds a personal touch to your brand and helps create a connection with your audience beyond just the products you offer.

21. Cross-promote from your other social media accounts

Did you know you can get more reach out of the content you post on OTHER social platforms?

Instagram is PERFECT for promoting your content from other platforms like Twitter and YouTube.

One effective way to cross-promote is by sharing snippets or teasers of your content from other platforms on your feed or Stories.

For example, if you have a YouTube channel where you create educational videos, you can post a short clip or a captivating thumbnail on Instagram, along with a call-to-action to watch the full video on YouTube.

This gives your Instagram followers a taste of what they can expect from your content and encourages them to explore your other channels.

22. Seasonal posts

Seasonal posts are a great way to keep your Instagram content fresh, relatable, and engaging.

These types of posts are about the equivalent of asking a stranger, "How about that weather today, huh?"

Literally anyone can have a conversation about the weather, right? 😂

By creating posts that align with specific seasons or holidays, you can tap into the excitement and anticipation that comes with specific times of the year.

Pro tip: Plan your seasonal posts AHEAD of time. (It's easy to forget posts that align with the seasons when you're focused on your usual content.)

23. Cover an event

How often do you attend industry events?

Attending events is an excellent opportunity to create engaging and exciting content for your Instagram feed — especially if they're relevant to your audience.

Events could be a lot of things...

• Conferences
• Trade shows
• Local community events

Consider capturing the atmosphere and setting of the event.

Take photos or videos of the venue, the stage, or any eye-catching decorations or displays.

This will give your audience a sense of what it was like to be there.

In other words, you could be your audience's eyes and ears for those who couldn't attend.

Remember to respect any rules or guidelines set by the event organizers regarding photography or sharing content.

Some events may have restrictions on what can be shared, so make sure to check before posting.

24. Collab with other brands & influencers

Here's a quick way to grow your following of people in your target audience:

• Find other brands and influencers in your industry that have a similar audience
• Reach out to them to start a relationship
• Pitch the idea of collaborating on content together

It's a win-win situation.

You both get content to post and cross-pollinate each other's followings.

Check out this example of an artist doing a collab with a popular animated series.

25. Carousels

Capturing your audience's attention while they're scrolling is more important than ever.

Feeds are saturated with content, meaning you'll have to take it a step further to stand out.

One way to do this is by posting carousels!

Carousels are a post format that allows you to share multiple photos or videos in a single post.

This adds variety to your content and encourages your followers to engage with your post by swiping through the carousel to see more.

Consider making a carousel to:

• Tell a story
• Showcase a product or service
• Share a step-by-step tutorial

Or pair this post format with the other post ideas in this article!

26. Go Live

Go Live on Instagram to connect with your audience in real time and create an interactive experience.

Going Live allows you to engage with your followers more personally and spontaneously, fostering a sense of authenticity and community.

Here are some tips to make your first Instagram Live a success:

• Plan your content and have a clear purpose for your live session. (This could be hosting a Q&A session, giving a behind-the-scenes look at your work, hosting a live tutorial, or even conducting interviews with industry experts.)
• Promote your Live sessions with Instagram Stories, Reels, and regular posts to generate anticipation.

• Let your followers know the date, time, and topic (just like the post above does!).
• During your live session, engage with your viewers by responding to their comments, questions, and reactions. Encourage them to participate by asking for their input, conducting polls, or hosting giveaways.
• Make your Live session visually appealing with good lighting and a clear background.
• Consider using props or visual aids to keep your audience engaged.
• Use features like filters or stickers to add a touch of creativity and fun to your Live session.

After your Live session, save the video and share it on your Instagram feed or IGTV to reach a wider audience.

This allows those who missed the Live session to catch up and provides long-term value for your content.

27. Recap your year

What have you accomplished in the past year?

Or what were your biggest failures and lessons learned?

As the year ends, it's the perfect time to reflect on and share a recap of your year with your followers.

A year-end recap post allows you to highlight your achievements, milestones, and memorable moments.

28. Share a mistake

The image most people show of themselves on social media is often their best picture, with perfect lighting, at the perfect time of them doing something really interesting.

This is flat-out not realistic.

Even the most aesthetic Instagrammers are doing very unaesthetic things throughout the day.

Which includes making mistakes in their life.

And that's okay.

So, if you want to come off as more real and HUMAN, consider posting about one of your big mistakes (or even just an everyday struggle).

Although you might not be proud of it, plenty of your followers would still appreciate learning from it!

29. Ask a question

Want to know one of the most simple YET effective ways to engage your followers?

Ask them a question!

By posing a question, you encourage engagement (which increases your reach) and gain valuable insights and feedback from your followers.

Which could be used to create even more posts in the future!

If you’re a Post Planner user, you can easily find a list of highly engaging questions in the “Post Ideas” section of the Content page:

30. Share a testimonial or customer story

Your customers are the lifeblood of your business.

And if you want more Instagram followers to turn into customers, you must give them social proof.

So, what's the best social proof you can show off on Instagram?

Customer stories!

If your followers are already interested in buying from you, a customer story will help them visualize what it's like to be your customer.

Here's how to make the perfect customer story post:

• Hand-pick a customer that you know is very happy with your business.
• Ask them for permission to be featured on your Instagram.
• Interview them to learn about what their life was like before they became a customer.
• Tell a success story about how your product solved their problems and helped them reach their dream outcome.
• Don't forget to include a photo or video of your happy customer for proof!

31. Stories

Instagram Stories are content that appears at the top of your feed and disappears after 24 hours, encouraging users to spend more time scrolling through the Stories of the accounts they follow (they don’t want to miss anything!).

Stories also have interactive features that businesses can use to generate more engagement. For example, the business below used a Story to advertise a deal and provide a direct link to sign up for it.

You can use Stories to:

• Share behind-the-scenes moments
• Conduct polls or Q&A sessions
• Announce limited-time offers or promotions
• Post quick tips or mini-tutorials
• Highlight user-generated content

In other words, Stories can be used in combination with ANY of the other post types discussed in this article – you just have to get creative!

If you get a Story that generates a ton of engagement, don’t let it go to waste!

Stories can be saved as Highlights, which allows you to add them to your profile as permanent content!

32. Shoppable posts

A shoppable post allows you to tag products directly in posts, making it easier for your followers to find and buy them.

One of the most common applications of this type of post is a “shop the look” style post like the one shown below.

However, you can use shoppable posts for ANY kind of product – not just clothing!

Shoppable posts MASSIVELY reduce purchasing friction by putting your products just one click away from your Instagram posts.

To maximize the effectiveness of shoppable posts:

• Use high-quality images and lifestyle shots of your products (especially of customers using them!).
• Write compelling captions with a strong call to action to clarify that your post is shoppable.
• Tag products correctly so followers can easily click and shop.

Next time you post a picture of someone using your product, make it shoppable to generate sales directly from your Instagram post!

33. Cross-promoting with other businesses

I discussed cross-promoting between your social media channels earlier, but you can also cross-promote with other businesses in your niche!

For example, take a look at how this artist shared a promotional piece of content for an artistic wallpaper company:

Partnering with other businesses can help expand your reach and bring in new followers from a similar audience (just make sure not to promote businesses that are your direct competitors!).

Reach out to other businesses in your niche and explore the possibility of trading posts (you do a promotional post for them and they do one for you).

Teaming up with brands that share some of your target audience means BOTH businesses can benefit from one another’s audiences–it’s a win-win!

How to use Post Planner to save hours on Instagram every week

So, you have all of these new Instagram post ideas.

How do you turn these ideas into a full-fledged Instagram content strategy?

Use a social media scheduling tool like Post Planner!

Sure, you can post manually, but that will usually cost you consistency and followers.

Post Planner gives you tools that help automate Instagram and save you a DOZEN or more hours every week.

Let’s look at 2 of Post Planner’s core functions that you can use to quickly turn these 33 post ideas into real time savings and follower growth!

Find content using Content Streams

Many struggle to find enough content to fill their Instagram with enough posts.

Fortunately, Post Planner solves this problem by compiling TONS of content from around the web into organized Content Streams. Content Streams are searchable by niche, allowing you to find content related to your audience quickly.

You can save as many Content Streams as you want, constantly exposing you to content in your niche.

You can also make new Content Streams by selecting the feeds you want to include, making it easy to source content from your favorite pages.

Automate your Instagram using a posting calendar

Now that you’ve found some content, add it to a posting calendar.

Just select the piece of content you want (or multiple pieces if you want to bulk post), then select “Create X post(s).”

You’ll be taken to the content composer. From this screen, you can accomplish a ton of different things:

• Create captions and text-based content using AI tools

• Optimize your post for each social network where you’ll post it
• Select whether you want Post Planner to automatically recycle your post into your calendar for the future
• Use Post Planner’s hashtags tool to optimize your hashtags for your new posts

Repeating the 2 steps listed here can help you save a TON of time on your Instagram strategy! I highly recommend signing up for a completely FREE Post Planner account to see how much you can benefit from this tool.

Frequently asked questions about Instagram posting

Should I add hashtags to my Instagram posts?

Absolutely!

Using hashtags is one of the BEST organic methods to spread your content to MORE people.

According to Instagram’s guidance, 3-5 hashtags is the ideal number for your post. More hashtags than that, and you'll actually see a DECREASE in engagement because your post looks bloated and spammy.

Also, don’t use too many broad or over-popular hashtags because your post will be drowned out by all the other users!

Want more Instagram hashtag gold nuggets?

Check out our article about Instagram hashtags for businesses for a deeper inside scoop on how to use them.

What should I post on my Instagram highlights?

If you don't know already, Instagram highlights are a series of stories you can group into a category on your Instagram page.

They look like this:

Customize your categories to feature the most popular types of content on your page.

Then, post your best Stories in those categories so that it's easy for users to search through your content. This makes those stories available permanently instead of disappearing after 24 hours!

What are good times to post on Instagram?

There’s a button that says "insights" on your profile.

Instagram Insights lets you look at when your followers are most active.
Take note of peak hours when your followers are online, and post content at those active timeframes.

But are there universally "best" posting times?

Not really! The best strategy is just to find out when YOUR audience is most active and post around that time - then use trial and error to optimize your posting schedule even further.

What content is the most popular on Instagram?

The real answer is dependent on YOUR specific audience.

So, test different types of content to see what gets you the most engagement, followers, and sales.

However, according to Statista, these are the top 5 preferred content types by users:

• Funny
• Creative
• Informative
• Relaxing
• Inspiring

Ready to never run out of Instagram post ideas again?

These 33 Instgram post ideas should help get your creative juices flowing so you can post your most engaging Instagram content EVER!

Don’t forget to try out a free Post Planner account to see how much more time you can save by automating your content discovery and social media posting.

Good luck!