For the longest time, I knew I was missing the mark when it came to my Instagram feed. Whenever I came across someone else's feed that was on brand, I always wondered what effects or filters they used on their photos to make their feed cohesive. I even started taking notes to see what they all had in common.
Then I started noticing a pattern. It's not a filter or effect. It's the actual colors and mood of the photos! I know this is probably not a shocker for everyone, but after I came to the realization my mind was blown.
I used to take pictures anywhere, with whatever color shirt I was wearing that day, slap my preset on it, and post it on my feed.
But those days are long gone.
After a complete overhaul of getting rid of off-brand photos and graphics, I am excited to start creating a feed that is true to my personality and who I am as a designer.
I haven't had a chance to do any branding photoshoots lately but when I do I am going to wear an outfit that matches the colors of my brand--grays, blues, black, anything with cool tones-- and find a background that will also look cohesive with my brand, mainly white, or gray industrial walls, maybe some hints of blues, avoiding any kind of warm colors. These are just a couple of the things to keep in mind when building your Instagram feed.
Here are more ways to upgrade your feed:
Give Focus to your Profile Photo and Bio
You ever come across a cryptic, low res Instagram profile photo and an empty bio or a bio filled with emojis? It's a little creepy, huh? Avoid that. You want a clear photo and informative, brief bio so everyone visiting your page can know who you are immediately. Adding links to your website or blog in the bio is a great way to get customers to visit your website as well.
Showcase Beautiful Imagery
Instagram is a visual platform where people go to be inspired and follow beautiful brands and photos. Think your layouts through, you want your page to follow the theme of your brand, it's more visually appealing to have a cohesive page rather than the same images over and over or images that starkly contrast one another. In today's world, there's really no excuse not to have clear, high res photos. People trust clear, beautiful photos, not blurry, incoherent photos.
Use Stories
Engage and interact with your followers through stories. This is a great tool to stay on your followers' minds even when you're not posting on your feed. You can collaborate with other businesses and share things that wouldn't normally go on your feed. Take your followers on a journey through your stories, it will keep them coming back for more.
Post Often and Consistently
You want to aim to post at least 2-3 times a week. Some of the most successful Instagram pages post every single day! Always post at the same time every day. Generally, people browse through Instagram during lunch (11-1) and in the evening before bed (7-9pm). When you post during that time you'll get more traffic, clicks, and views. What if you're too busy to post everyday? I use an app called Later, I can create my posts for weeks at a time and schedule when they post automatically for me!
Stop Stuffing Your Hashtags
Only use hashtags relevant to your post and business. You can use as many hashtags as you want, but at least aim for 10-12. Shoot for hashtags that relate to your post but also generic to catch the demographic you're appealing to, something that you think your followers would browse.
Applies these simple strategies to your page and you'll see your Instagram steadily grow!
