Have you ever wondered how some Instagram feeds end up looking so fabulous? Instagram has definitely shifted from an app where people can post their personal photos into people’s well-curated digital portfolios—and it is not without effort nor thought.
Businesses, influencers, bloggers and other online personalities put careful thought into what they post and how that fits in with the overall vibe of the feed. After all, Instagram has become a popular platform where people can promote products and influence consumers.
But how does one curate a cohesive Instagram feed that both captures the audience, and best portrays your personal branding? Here are four ways you can improve your Instagram feed for a more professional and visually appealing look.
PICK AN AESTHETIC
Sticking to a theme or aesthetic can help create a more cohesive Instagram feed. The consistency in the posts can help you establish your personal branding that people can associate you with.
Picking an aesthetic for your Instagram feed doesn’t mean you have to post the same type of content every time. Rather, it helps subtly connect different posts so the separate parts can still look great even when viewed as a whole. This way, you prevent your feed from looking cluttered and disconnected. It doesn’t jump from one style to the next but rather stitches each post to form a beautiful digital quilt.
Mind mapping can be a great exercise to help you figure out your aesthetic. Take inspiration from accounts you like and formulate your own aesthetic.
PLAN A GRID LAYOUT
When you look at an account’s Instagram feed, you may notice that it looks like a grid. A grid layout essentially follows a particular style of pattern to create a more cohesive look. When you plan a grid layout, you are not looking at each post as an individual photo but as an element to a whole picture.
When incorporating a grid layout, people often post in threes to maintain the flow of the grid. A grid layout could be as simple as posting your photos in a specific dimension for a border effect when viewed as a grid. It could also be as complicated as bunching similar colours to have a rainbow effect when scrolling down the feed.
You can find many templates for grid layouts online and even create your own. But be warned as using a grid layout takes careful planning and effort to execute.
STICK TO A COLOR PALETTE
One way to unify your feed is by sticking to a colour palette. Base your colour palette on the aesthetic you’ve chosen.
For example, if you have a travel blog, you should go with a light and airy aesthetic. Since your photos will be of your travels, your colour palette should be centred around colours you see in nature, like blues and green.
And even when you’re not posting a photo of your travels, you should still incorporate some colours from your palette. For example, if you’re just taking a picture of yourself at home, make sure you include a plant in the background.
Stick to only a few colours in your palette so it won’t seem that cluttered. Also, make sure at least one of these hues are present in every photo you pose, even if it’s not dominating the shot.
CREATE PRESETS
No Instagram post is without an edit. But individually editing posts can be exhausting. Instead, create presets that can work well with any photo. This way, you stick to an aesthetic and form a more cohesive look without much effort each time. You can still make minor adjustments before posting a photo, but make sure it’s not too far off your vibe.
CONCLUSION
A stunning and cohesive Instagram feed isn’t impossible, but it will need careful planning. Stick to an aesthetic for a more unified vibe and incorporate familiar colours from your palette in every photo. You can also try planning a grid layout to ensure that your posts work well individually and as a whole. And lastly, presets can help you stick to your aesthetic without the hassle of individually editing each photo.
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