I don't think you really need a lot of followers or likes. That stuff is overblown these days. I don't think you even need to spend much time crafting a profile. Three photos is enough. More important part is getting better pictures. IG is just another venue to make contact with, just that ratio isn't as bad so there is less of a "threshold" for looks in my opinion.
Fyi I hate IG too since it feels so meaningless scrolling through my feed, at one point I deactivated my profile but I reactivated it two years later, because I've gotten more attractive dates off there compared to tinder. although I have not messaged too many people on there and might've just gotten lucky. I don't really put much effort on my profile, I post like once per year nowadays compared to past.
Fyi I hate IG too since it feels so meaningless scrolling through my feed, at one point I deactivated my profile but I reactivated it two years later, because I've gotten more attractive dates off there compared to tinder. although I have not messaged too many people on there and might've just gotten lucky. I don't really put much effort on my profile, I post like once per year nowadays compared to past.