Likes are some of the simplest engagements to receive, but comments have more meaning. They are a sign of trust and interest, and are the beginnings of a relationship.

Thoughtful comments on Instagram are a sign of people wanting to do more than aimlessly scroll. They also show who has an interest in your content and who isn’t just tapping the like button every once in a while. These are people that your niche and smaller accounts should focus on, because these are your loyal followers. Use your comments to find out what is important to your followers and what matters the most.

Often, if your posts have a ton of views and no comments, the answer to the problem is not more content. It is more of a reason to comment and better ways to respond. It is a comment section that isn’t empty. The following ideas will get you better responses and will keep the engagement of your posts going.

Set up your comment strategy before you post

Know who you want talking in your comments

Instead of worrying about how fast you can respond, figure out who you want in the room. A specific niche has comments with a common language.

People at the same level as you don’t always have the same level of knowledge, Beginners have questions that need to be answered in the simplest way. Hobbyists are people who trade tips, gear, and opinions. Buyers have objections, run comparisons, and think, “Will this work for me?” Knowing why someone is commenting helps you craft your captions for the people you want most.

If your audience is everyone, the conversation will likely be stagnant, because no one feels invited.

Choose post topics that invite real conversation

Some posts get likes, and some get comments. Think about why before you hit publish. When people notice every caption tries to sell something, there is nothing to engage with, and they keep scrolling.

Posts encourage and bring comments when there’s something for the audience to figure out, or when there’s a short, engaging story. Think about a mistake you made and how you learned from it. Break down some of your process. Or, what about a common issue your audience struggles with? And always include a question they can answer quickly because they’re likely wanting more from your posts, “What’s the biggest struggle for you?” or “What’s influencing your decision?”

Interactive posts do the best when they encourage and invite the audience to participate rather than being overly organized and transactional.

Use Instagram comments to grow real conversations

Reply like a person, not a script

A dry reply does not inspire further conversation. A warm reply makes a recipient want to reply back.

Use a name if you see it, reply to the point, and be personal. “Thanks, Maya, that part took me forever too” has a personality to it while “Thanks for engaging” does not.

A reply must be as long as it needs to be, but usually, two or more words are best. A “What part are you trying now?” can inspire greater interests in a casual reader.

Ask follow-up questions that keep the thread going

Let the other person know you are engaged and interested in the conversation. Responding to an answer with a question will carry the conversation forward an additional step. Responding to “I struggle with this,” with “what have you tried” or “where do you get stuck” will encourage the person to elaborate. Responding to someone who mentioned they liked a product with “how do you use it” will encourage additional detail.

Closed questions and answers will kill the conversation. Open questions are far better. “What happened next?,” “Which part was easiest?,” or “What do you think is the best advice for a beginner?,” are examples of questions that will encourage the other person to tell a story. When a story is told, the conversation and bond is strengthened. Responses are given to other people in the conversation as well.

Highlight your best commenters so people feel seen

People who comment often are clearly on the way to becoming your first established community member. When someone comments whether it be a helpful tip, a nice response, or s a funny comment, make sure you react to it, reply, and if it is especially good or helpful, pin it.

This shows everyone that that type of comment is welcome and appreciated. You can thank repeat commenters or mention them in your Stories. People are more inclined to return when they feel they are being appreciated. When familiar names keep coming up, Instagram comments are more relevant and appreciated.

Create a comment culture people return to

Set simple rules for a safe, respectful space

Spam comments and off-topic promotions drive away good-faith community members and ruin engagement on posts.

You can take action on posts with comments that attract spam. It’s okay to delete, mute and limit comments. Sneaky phrases and spam can be blocked with Instagram’s commenting filters. Removing spam encourages positive engagement and expresses how seriously you care about your community and your account.

There’s no need to post a lengthy comment policy. You can set the expectation for community engagement by expressing your tone and values in your captions explaining the community engagement policy and what thread rules you expect to be followed. This will help build a positive and clean community for your followers and make the environment feel safer for all of your incoming community members.

Use recurring prompts and themes to keep people involved

People are more likely to come back when they know what to do! A question like “what are you working on this week?” a weekly recap, or caption polls relating to your niche can help them join back in.

Participation can’t feel like homework. Ask followers to share a current win, struggle, their favorite tool of the week, or their take on a trending topic. When you ask for these over time, your followers will begin to recognize each other, and the common themes will become shared habits!

It will stop feeling like a feedback box, and start feeling like a room with the same people meeting to share what they’ve learned. Even Instagram comments can accomplish a goal like this!

Conclusion

Likes say a lot, but comments say more. If you know who you’re talking to, post something that can be answered, and answer as a person, then the comment section will not be dull.

In addition, don’t give fake comments, just say something worthwhile and make the comment section look good so people will come back.

Looking for likes doesn’t build strength, but one good comment at a time will build a strong community.