Social media platforms play a significant role in today’s business and marketing. Thus, you must keep up with daily social media trends and big updates. Instagram is only one of those social media platforms, but it certainly holds much popularity because it is one of the top platforms used in businesses worldwide. And while Instagram stories are starting to gain traction, it is still and will always be important to create the perfect Instagram feed. And in this blog, we will discuss how to plan your Instagram feed and be a good Instagram planner.
Instagram Feed Tips
There’s really no one way how to plan your Instagram feed. That’s why there is also not just one Instagram planner in existence. As they say, “To each his own.” But with all the different factors that go into creating the perfect Instagram feed, it’s only normal to seek help and to want to learn something that might help you plan your Instagram feed and bring the plan to reality. Here are eight simple yet helpful tips to help you build your dream Instagram feed.
1. Envision What You Want
Like other plans and endeavors, the first step on how to plan your Instagram feed is to brainstorm and imagine what you want your end goal to be. Now, while that complete image in your head might change slightly or entirely along the way, it helps for you to have some kind of concept established. A perfect Instagram feed means imagining and conceptualizing what kind of feed you want or what kind of posts you think would best suit your purpose. Indeed, you have some ideas so start writing them down or sketching them in a notebook somewhere. It doesn’t have to be concrete or complete. You just have to decide on the kind of content you dream of having because this will be your foundation in moving forward as you plan your Instagram feed.
2. Choose a Theme
A theme allows for a more coordinated aesthetic Instagram feed. Thus, deciding on a specific theme or themes would help you to narrow down the kind of content you want to be creating. This is a vital part of planning your Instagram feed because it may very well decide what you will be doing for your content and how you will do it. There are many different themes - it can be in terms of color (monochrome, black and white, bright colors, pastel, etc.), or it can be in terms of style (minimalist, special angles, vintage, etc.), or it can be in terms of content type (writing, quotes, photos, sketches, etc.). You can use transition themes if the perfect Instagram feed you envision is one with not just one ongoing theme.
3. Remember that Layout Matters
In choosing your theme, it is also essential to know and plan your Instagram feed with a layout in mind. While this is not a requirement, as you can just post good quality content and still get the responses you want, a specific layout helps you be more memorable to your followers and potential followers. You can opt for horizontal or grid layouts, row or column layouts, and even create a diagonal or a checkerboard pattern. Keep in mind that this would not be easy to maintain, but it will be so worth it when you see your perfect Instagram feed coming to life. This especially applies and helps when you have multiple pictures and events because you can change the layout for each one - just make sure you have some transitional photos so that it doesn’t look messy in the long run.
4. Have A Variety of Post Types and Styles
Along with these different layout designs you can explore while you plan your Instagram feed, you should also be aware of the different types and styles of posts on your perfect Instagram feed. Keep in mind that while it is common and encouraged to use photos of your products or your main subjects in your Instagram feed, there are other things that you can post as well. You can use a quote or pure-text images, drawings, sketches, or a mix of these with images. Knowing about these can widen your perspective and allow you to explore the types of content you can use for your business. You can also use this knowledge to improve your creations and come up with the perfect Instagram feed.
5. Create High-quality Content
Of course, with all the background preparations, comes the main star of the show - the actual content. With all the factors discussed above, you also have to think ahead about what kind of content you need to create and/or collect when you start to plan your Instagram feed. As you establish your concept, theme, and layout, you must level up your creativity and bring to the table all the content that matches your Instagram planner. With a perfect Instagram feed, your images must be of the highest quality and resolution since Instagram is mainly a photo and video social media platform. With that fact comes the reality that you must create unique enough content to stand out from other accounts. Your content is the main star of your Instagram feed, so apart from other factors, it has to be the best of the best.
6. Know How to Use Different Editing Software
Whether you are capturing your content or creating them yourself, having significant knowledge about different editing software is a big plus in filling up your Instagram planner and finalizing your Instagram feed. You not only equip yourself with tools to help you in creating but also in editing your content. Many kinds of free editing software online are easy to use, even for beginners without experience. Knowing even the basics of editing or using this software to create your own content will help you improve your Instagram feed- and other content you produce for your other social media platforms and your website.
7. Take Care of Your Consistency
The perfect Instagram feed not only consists of what you post but also in how you post them. Consistency ensures you gain enough interaction and responses for your Instagram feed. Consistency means that you have to keep a sense of uniformity while still maintaining a hint of uniqueness in your posts. This could mean having a specific design, font, mark, or brand logo on your Instagram posts so your followers and audience can more easily remember you. Consistency can also mean that you have a particular schedule of posting. This would help you fill your Instagram feed faster and also would help you stay on top of your followers’ feed and even on top of Instagram’s algorithm.
8. Be Exciting and Fun
But keep in mind that being consistent means you have to be static and boring. You have to keep things interesting. That is, you must always think creatively and think of ways to maintain consistency, stay true to your brand, and still appear unique and exciting. Knowing how to plan your Instagram feed includes learning how to balance when and how you execute some of these Instagram feed tips.
Adding Your Instagram Feed to Your Website
One of the many advantages of having your own website alongside your various social media accounts is that you can give your social media accounts a boost on your website and vice versa. Thus, when you plan your Instagram feed, it might be encouraging to remember that you are not only helping your Instagram account gain more followers, but you are also adding to the aesthetic of your website.
Here’s how to add your perfect Instagram feed to your Strikingly website:
- Log in with Strikingly and open your site editor.
- Click “Add Section” and Go to “Advanced”.
Image taken from Strikingly Product
- By clicking “Social Feed” on the Advanced Sections, a social media feed section will be added to your website. Click on the Section to add your Instagram account.
Image taken from Strikingly Product
- Strikingly allows you to not only add your Instagram feed but also your Facebook and Twitter feed. But for the purposes of this blog, click “Instagram” to add your account. This will allow you to log in to the Instagram account that you want to use on your website.
Image taken from Strikingly Product
- Once you have added your Instagram account, you will see something like this on your social media manager - displayed is your social media username and URL, and the site's feed type will show.
Image taken from Strikingly Product
- Et voila! Your website now contains your perfect Instagram feed.
In the age of social media and technology, having an Instagram account is vital - and having an Instagram feed that is amazing and beautiful is a must if you want to stand out from the crowd. With the help of these Instagram feed tips and some ideas on how to plan your Instagram feed, we hope that we were able to jumpstart your genius and creativity. We are rooting for you! And if you ever move on to building a website of your own - to display products, start an online store, post blogs, and add your Instagram feed, then Strikingly has got your back! Sign up now and have a reliable partner in website building and social media integration for life!
