Your Instagram feed is the first thing people look at when visiting your profile, and as in life, you want to make a good impression. As Instagram matures, simply having amazing edited photos isn’t enough: now you have to have a cute feed too! And it’s not as easy as it looks.
I read this amazing blog post by Anna Guerrero and had to share some of the key points. Let's look at what Anna Guerrero listed;
1) Know exactly what your brand identity is. A great part of your aesthetic will derive from your brand identity. What’s your brand personality and tone? What are its values? Is your brand playful? Adventurous? Bold and daring?Having an Instagram feed that reflects the image and purpose of your brand is extremely important because it creates uniformity. Posting content that is random creates disconnect and confusion. When this happens, it’s hard to commit hitting that follow button. See how Taco Bell and fashion illustrator Megan Hess incorporate this into their Instagram feed. When you think Taco Bell, you think tacos and “LiVE MÀS!” This means that social media accounts will reflect a lot of tacos,d colors, and a lifestyle that includes living fast and “on the go” like their individual posts on Instagram. Since Taco Bell's main audience has been increasingly attributed to millennials, they have focused on inserting fun and authenticity into their aesthetic, which makes it easier for them to drum up engagement.
As an illustrator, Megan Hess big on personal brand recognition, so she frequently uses one of her most important brand assets in her posts: her logo. Simple, black, and uniquely hers, the logo perfectly matches her aesthetic and illustrations which makes it easy for her to include it with any Instagram post. Having a distinctive logo is critical to building your brand, so it’s important to create one that’s easily recognizable and matches your brand identity.
2) Determine your target market and cater to them without compromising your brand identity. Your Instagram feed is primarily meant to attract existing and future customers, so it’s important to create content that pulls them in and engages them. To do this, start by getting to know what’s important to your target market -- what they love about your brand, products, and services. Then, reflect that back to them in your Instagram feed.
3) Create a story with each photo displayed on the post. The more compelling your story, the less it would feel to your customers that you’re just selling them something. Narratives tied with your brand identity create the emotional connection your audience needs, giving meaning to your content and making it more relatable. The story you tell plays a great part in creating brand loyalty from your customers. Instagram is a great avenue for telling this story just as Nike and Red Bull have been doing.
With one of the largest followings on Instagram, Nike's feed goes beyond just great athletic sportswear and footwear. They have created a distinctive “Just Do It” mentality and systematically developed a social media presence to reflect that inspirational brand image. Nike has done an incredible job of featuring inspiring athletes to promote propel their vision. If you want to perform at the highest level like these athletes, you wear Nike. Nike has done an incredible job of featuring inspiring athletes to promote propel their vision. If you want to perform at the highest level like these athletes, you wear Nike.
When you think of Red Bull, you think high energy. That's why Red Bull’s Instagram feed includes so many “epic” videos and pictures -- each one more thrilling than the other. Red Bull associates their brand with a lifestyle that is exhilarating and pushes boundaries when it comes to extreme sports and weekend getaways. Another way they create a narrative is through the cohesive feel of their posts. Notice how majority of their posts are set in the outdoors. It helps create the image that when you drink Red Bull, you live on the edge.
4) Choose a color palette, “feel,” or filter and use it consistently. Using a color palette, filter, or even texture in your Instagram posts can give you that much sought-after level of consistency in your feeds. The easiest way to do this is to use the same filter on all your posts or edit your pictures all the same way. Try desaturating your photos or stick to bright white backgrounds with pops of color. Or, create your own brand color palette by playing around with three to four color combinations to repeat in your posts.
5) Post content that reflects your brand’s core value. Don’t be afraid to use Instagram marketing to show off your products or service at work -- just get creative. Take detailed shots and create eye-catching flat lays that show off your products in new and interesting ways. These shots can even encourage and inspire your followers to create their own posts featuring your products to share with their followers. Not only will you increase your brand’s interaction, but you’ll also have user-generated content that’s authentic and organic.
So are you ready to apply these concepts to your own brand? Comment below and share your thoughts and experiences. Thanks for reading!