Why Saves and Shares Matter More Than Likes

Why Engagement Quality Matters More Than Vanity Metrics

For years, Instagram success was measured by likes. But as the platform evolved, so did the algorithm. Today, saves and shares are far more valuable than likes because they signal deeper engagement and content value.

If you’ve been focusing on likes alone, it’s time to shift your strategy. Saves and shares can dramatically boost your reach, visibility, and long-term growth—even more than comments and likes.

By the end of this chapter, you’ll understand why saves and shares matter, how to increase them, and how they fuel long-term Instagram growth.

Step 1: Understand How Instagram’s Algorithm Ranks Content

Instagram prioritizes meaningful interactions. Here’s how different engagement types impact your post’s reach: 

✔ Saves & Shares → Tell Instagram your content is valuable and worth resurfacing. 

✔ Comments & DMs → Indicate strong conversations and audience interest. 

✔ Likes → Show initial engagement but don’t hold as much long-term weight.

🚀 Pro Tip: The more saves and shares a post receives, the more likely Instagram is to push it to the Explore page, Reels tab, and suggested content sections.

Step 2: Why Saves Are Instagram’s Hidden Growth Hack

A “save” means someone wants to return to your content later—a strong indicator that your post is valuable.

How to Create Save-Worthy Content:

✔ Educational posts – Step-by-step guides, tips, and checklists. 

✔ Infographics & carousels – Easy-to-reference visuals. 

✔ Inspiration & motivation – Quotes, affirmations, or ideas people want to revisit. 

✔ Trendy insights & industry news – Updates that followers may need later. 

✔ Personal development & productivity tips – Content that improves followers' lives.

🚀 Pro Tip: Add a clear CTA in your caption: “Save this post so you can come back to it later!”

Step 3: Why Shares Expand Your Reach Faster Than Anything Else

When someone shares your post, they expose it to their audience, increasing visibility beyond your followers.

How to Create Shareable Content:

✔ Relatable memes & humor – People love sharing funny content. 

✔ Inspiring quotes & life lessons – Motivational content is highly shareable. 

✔ Controversial or thought-provoking takes – Encourages discussion and sharing. 

✔ Eye-catching infographics – Simple, useful, and informative. 

✔ Reels with trending audio & captions – Videos get shared widely.

🚀 Pro Tip: Use a CTA like: “Tag a friend who needs to see this!” or “Share this to your Stories if this resonates with you.”

Step 4: How to Track Saves & Shares in Instagram Insights

You can track how well your content is performing by checking Instagram Insights.

Where to Find Saves & Shares Data:

✔ Go to your post and tap ‘View Insights’. 

✔ Look for “Saves” – This tells you how many people saved your post. 

✔ Check “Shares” – This shows how many times your post was shared. 

✔ Compare saves & shares vs. likes & comments – High saves mean your content is valuable over time.

🚀 Pro Tip: If a post gets high saves and shares, repurpose that content into a new post, carousel, or Reel.

Step 5: Increase Saves & Shares With Engaging Captions

Captions play a huge role in encouraging people to save and share your content.

Examples of High-Engagement CTAs:

✔ “Save this post for later so you don’t forget!” 

✔ “Tag a friend who needs to see this!” 

✔ “Share this to your Stories if this inspired you!” 

✔ “Double-tap if you agree, and save this for when you need it!” 

✔ “Comment ‘SAVED’ if you’re coming back to this later!”

🚀 Pro Tip: The more engaging your captions, the more likely people will take action!

Final Thoughts: Prioritize Saves & Shares for Long-Term Growth

Likes may give you an instant dopamine boost, but saves and shares are the real growth engines. When people save or share your content, they’re telling Instagram it’s valuable, useful, and worth resurfacing.

Key Takeaways:

✨ Saves = Future Value – People want to revisit your content later. 

✨ Shares = Exposure – Shared posts reach new audiences instantly. 

✨ Create Save-Worthy Content – Educational, motivational, and visually engaging posts. 

✨ Encourage Shares – Use CTAs that invite people to spread your content. 

✨ Track Insights & Adjust Strategy – Learn from your best-performing posts.

Action Step: 

Go to Instagram Insights and review the saves and shares on your last five posts. Identify which post had the highest number of saves or shares and analyze why it performed well—was it a guide, a relatable post, or an inspiring quote?

Then, repurpose that content into a new format (e.g., turn a high-performing carousel into a Reel, or a text post into an infographic) and add a CTA encouraging even more saves and shares. 🚀 Track the results and see if your engagement improves!