Most Liked Instagram Posts: Gauging Success From Like Counts

“If it’s not on Facebook or Instagram, it didn’t happen!” You’d totally get the statement if you’re a huge fan of these social media platforms. You would also fully appreciate why the most liked Instagram posts are a big deal. Why does a post get hundreds of millions of likes? What’s all the hoopla about the most liked post on Instagram? How can you find your most liked post, and what does it say about you? Why does it matter whether or not people like your posts? Let’s answer these questions and more.

Most Liked Posts on Instagram: What Do They Have That Others Don’t?

What do the most liked posts on Instagram have that other posts don’t?

• A massive following. Needless to say, profiles with the highest number of followers on Instagram often have the most liked Instagram posts on any given day.
• High-quality photos. The photos are only sometimes taken by professional photographers or using professional equipment. But popular pictures on Instagram are high-resolution images that display clear details.
• Photography skills. Again, you don’t need to be a pro to be a “pro” in taking amazing pictures. Whether you’re a fitness influencer, a fashion influencer, or running a store on the platform, developing decent photography skills is a must to get tons of likes and become a successful content creator.
• Insta-worthy pictures. As the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The definition of “Insta-worthy” is fluid. The most liked Instagram posts are not always breathtaking photos, however. They’re often images that bring communities together.

Check these boxes off your list, and you’ll have a winning post! Don’t try to please everybody on Instagram. When creating your post, keep your followers in mind. What do they like? What types of posts do they engage with the most? Post content that appeals to them to get those double taps. With enough interest in your content, Instagram will show it to a broader audience, and the likes will keep coming.

What Is the Most Liked Instagram Post?

As of February 2023, the most liked Instagram post is footballer Lionel Messi’s carousel post showing himself and his teammates celebrating their 2022 FIFA World Cup win in December 2022.

The carousel post currently has 75.3 million likes. The series of photographs shows Messi lifting the World Cup trophy, the whole Argentinian team screaming in celebration, Messi kissing the trophy, and several more shots of the team’s winning moments.

The post was uploaded on December 18, 2022, and reached 10 million likes within the first hour of posting, or after 39 minutes, to be exact! Two days later, the post officially became the most liked post on Instagram when it reached over 56 million likes and surpassed the previous record held by the Photo of an Egg. Photo an Egg, posted by @world_record_egg in January 2019, has continued to get likes after Messi’s post knocked it down to the number 2 spot. It currently has 59.7 million likes.

Messi holds a total of seven spots on the top 20 list of most liked posts so far. He shares this record with Ronaldo. His number 1 post broke a number of other records. Here’s a complete list.

Most Liked Instagram Post in 24 Hours

A day after Messi posted photos of his team’s FIFA World Cup win, it became the most liked Instagram post in 24 hours with 50 million likes. The post also broke the record for most liked for a sportsperson, a title previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo with his photo of him and Messi playing chess for a Louis Vuitton ad. The picture was taken by @annieleibovitz for @louisvuitton and posted by Ronaldo in November 2022. The post currently has 42.8 million likes.

Post With the Highest Number of Likes Across All Social Media Platforms

Messi’s Instagram post got more than 64 likes within 48 hours and became the most liked post on all social media platforms. It beat the music video for Despacito, which was the most liked post on YouTube with over 50 million likes, and Bella Poarch’s lip-synching video on TikTok which had 60.3 million likes.

First Instagram Post To Hit 60 and 70 Million Likes

Messi kept scoring more goals after his team’s 2022 World Cup win over France. His carousel post also became an ultimate Instagram champion when it became the first ever post to reach 60 million and 70 million likes. He broke these records within only three days of sharing the post.

How Do I Find My Most Liked Instagram Post?

If all the ruckus has you wondering, “How do I find my most liked Instagram post?” just follow these steps!

If you have a professional account (creator or business), you can find your most liked Instagram posts via your Insights.

1. On the mobile app, tap your profile picture in the bottom right to go to your profile page.
2. Tap “Professional dashboard” under your DP.
3. Tap “See all” opposite “Account Insights.”
4. Under “Overview,” tap “Accounts engaged.”
5. The default period is “Last 30 days.” Tap this to change it to the “Last 7 days,” “Last 14 days,” “Previous month,” or “Last 90 days.” Tap “Update” when you’re done.
6. Scroll down to “Post interactions.” The following section will show you your “Top posts” “Based on likes.” You’ll see your top posts from highest to lowest number of likes.

In this section, you can also see similar account insights for your Reels, Stories, and Live videos.

If you have a personal account, keep reading to find out how to view your most liked Instagram posts.

How To See Someone’s Most Liked Instagram Post?

If you have a personal account and want to see how your posts have performed in terms of likes, or if you want to know how to see someone’s most liked Instagram post, you can use a third-party tool. Path Social’s free Profile Analyzer, for example, can give you any public profile’s most liked Instagram posts from the last 100 posts.

You don’t need to download the tool or sign up for an account to use it. Simply follow these steps:

1. On your browser, type Pathsocial.com.
2. If you’re using a desktop, hover over the “Resources” tab at the top, then click “Free Instagram Tools.”
3. If you’re using a smartphone, tap the menu in the upper right, tap “Resources,” then tap “Free Instagram Tools.”
4. Scroll down to find the Instagram “Profile Analyzer.”
5. You can opt to sign up for Path Social updates or click “Cancel.” Just input the Instagram handle and click/tap “Analyze.”
6. Scroll down until you find the “Top Most Liked Posts” section.

You can view the following publicly available data when you use the Profile Analyzer:

• Number of followers
• Engagement rate
• Average user activity
• Posting frequency — daily, weekly, and monthly
• Popular post times
• Number of uploads
• Top hashtags used
• Top keywords used in captions
• Posts with the highest likes
• Posts with the most comments
• Audience interest

Why Likes Matter

For brands, getting the most liked Instagram posts within their niche or industry equals success in more ways than one. Your like counts are among the key performance indicators you should be keeping an eye on to gauge the effectiveness of your content and marketing strategies. Likes on a post tell you whether or not you are reaching your target audience and are able to connect with them. Double taps indicate if your audience finds your post interesting or relatable.

Here are more reasons that you should aim for high like counts:

• Having a lot of likes on a post will increase your chances of getting on Instagram’s Explore page.
• Your most liked Instagram posts are your tickets to Insta-success and will help your business stand out on the platform.
• Instagram’s algorithm will consider your high like counts as a signal to show your post to a broader audience.
• If you’re an influencer or another type of creator on Instagram, consistently having high like counts can open up highly rewarding opportunities for collaboration.
• More likes on more posts tell people you’re credible and deliver value.

Go For More Than Likes To Grow Your Brand on Instagram

On Instagram, almost everything is a popularity contest. This is especially relevant to businesses and creators. Getting the most liked Instagram posts means they’re doing things right. They’re sharing engaging content and reaching the right audience. Users can relate well to the brand’s voice and identity. The brand is faring well against its fierce competition.

Getting tons of likes on a single post is already tricky. Consistently earning a lot of double taps is even more of a challenge. It bears repeating that you shouldn’t try to please everybody on Instagram. Don’t just aim for high like counts; you should aim to get as many likes as you can from the right people.

To get consistent engagement, you need to stay up-to-date on what your target audience wants. And then, you need to have the ability to reach them with your content.

Team up with an expert in Instagram growth strategy, a company like Path Social, to achieve consistent and lasting growth. Take advantage of Path Social’s precise audience targeting capabilities, made possible by their advanced, proprietary AI technology. Path Social will track down the most suitable audiences for your brand, whatever your niche is.

You will also benefit from the expertise of their in-house team of social media specialists. You’ll have a team of real people helping you promote your content to your target audience. You can rest assured that you’ll reach potential new followers whose interests align with the content you’re offering. Your brand will grow with followers who will deliver quality engagement time and time again.

Trusted by more than 20 thousand Instagram brands across all niches and industries, Path Social is your best bet for lasting and rewarding growth. Start growing and gaining Instagram followers today!