Social Speak Network
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Home
  • Work with Us
  • Our Team
  • Blog
  • Free Consultation
  • Menu
Blog
You are here: Home / Blog / Membership Only / Blog / Step up your Instagram Game – What makes a good image (or feed)?
Blog, Growth Prompts, Instagram, Membership Only, Social Media

Step up your Instagram Game – What makes a good image (or feed)?

Instagram images

We have the basics set for Instagram, but now it is time to step up your game and create a cohesive strategy for your images and your Instagram feed. I wish I could say do X for a beautiful Instagram photo every time, but unfortunately, it all depends on your brand and the sentiment or feeling you are trying to evoke with your images.

In this post I’ll be exploring some of the ways to create an Instagram feed that you can be proud of! And, guess what? It all comes down to the images you plan to post.

Step 1: Make a List of the 3-5 things you/your business brand LOVES.

Common themes may be nature, organization, people, community, animals, sketches, etc. Think about what sentiment or feeling you get from these or that your brand wants to communicate.

Then think about the visual elements you are drawn to as they also relate to the sentiment of your brand.

For example, if you are a business coach and you value bringing clarity into your client’s lives and one of the things you are passionate about is organization, what other ways can you visually display this? What about crisp shadows and light filtering through architecture, or clean and clutter free office spaces.

Maybe your office values authenticity and personality. Would behind the scenes photos of office dogs capture a sense of playfulness?

In this stage, just brainstorm all the different types of things that encapsulate your brand, your passions, and the sentiment your want to convey.

Step 2: Find your color theme

By now you should have your brand colors selected, but if you don’t, that’s okay. Your Instagram can take on a slightly different color theme than your other marketing, as long as you are consistent.

To create a cohesive look for your Instagram photos, you need to always be thinking about the colors you are capturing in your images.

Which 2-3 colors do you want to bring into your color palette? I often enjoy feeds that are either vibrant with greens and colors found in nature or feeds that are crisp with whites and pops of color here and there. As you create your own ideas around colors, take a look at what some other popular accounts are doing below.

Once you have these colors, make sure to space them throughout your Instagram feed so you don’t have multiple photos in a row with the same color present.

Step 3: Use the same filter

One of my business partners is a photographer who emphasizes the need to edit photos before applying any filter. Personally, I think that is too much work for the average Instagram user, but I do agree that you should always be applying the same 1-2 filters in your posts so they all work well together.

However, as you you are taking the photos, pay attention to the natural light and backgrounds of your photos. Just being aware of what else is around can help you find consistency.

color filter

Step 4: Zoom in!

Sometimes on Instagram we try to pull too much into our images. Let’s say you are taking a picture of your office space for Instagram. Rather than trying to capture everything in one photo, zoom in on a single element. Not only will this make it easier to post more images of your office space, but you also will have a more visually appealing photo.

Sometimes I find that taking multiple photos at once can help keep the lighting consistent. So, pick a morning before your day gets busy and spend 30 minutes just taking photographs of small details within your office.

You aren’t going to publishing these all at once, but the simple zoomed in elements can provide a nice break within your Instagram feed.

Step 5: Always crop the same

Rather than trying to include both square and rectangular photos in your feed, it often is easier just to always crop your photos to square. There are some beautiful feeds which combine different photo orientations for a very playful feed, but for most of us, square works best.

Step 6: Create templates for any image with text overlay

We love utilizing Canva to create templates for any of those images where we share a quote or are announcing a sale, etc. Canva makes it easy to create that square image, incorporate your colors, and utilize your brand fonts.

Take a moment to think about what types of images you may want to use that will need a font overlay and how you would like the image to be displayed. Then, jump into canva and make a  few variations of your designs that use different combinations of your brand colors. Below is an example for one of our clients.

Step 7: Don’t plan one image at a time, look at your entire Instagram feed

As you are compiling your posts for Instagram, I always recommend looking at how everything flows together. Apps like Later and the Preview App make it easy to visualize your entire Instagram feed rather than only one photo at a time.

Some common elements to consider are:

  • Tile Grid Layouts

  • Diagonal Grid Layouts

  • Row by row

  • Lines
  • Puzzles

As you can see, these take planning and sometimes if you are in a pinch, it is easier just to remember to rotate through your topics, your colors, and the various design elements of your photos 🙂

Step 8: Above all else, high quality photos win

As I’m sure you guessed, you always want to make sure you are using high quality photos for your Instagram feed. Some tips to remember as you are taking pictures:

  • If you use your phone for your images, the back camera is higher quality.
  • If you repost an image, use a reposting app rather than a screenshot. Better yet, reach out to the original photographer and ask if you can have the original photo to republish (and tag them in).
  • Quickly ‘enhance’ your photo on your phone with the built in photo editor.
  • Take multiple shots of the same item to ensure you use the one that is the most infocus with the best lighting.
  • The best times of day to take advantage of natural light are the mornings and the late afternoon. Here, the sun is still strong, but you won’t have such harsh shadows or bright spots in your images.

That’s it! Have fun with your Instagram photos and try to view your entire feed as an ever changing piece of art rather than each block as an individual element.

Please note, all images of Instagram Feeds are taken from The Preview App.

March 20, 2018/by Caitlin McDonald
Tags: Instagram Marketing, Instagram marketing for your business, Instagram photos, the best instagram photos, what makes a nice instagram feed, what makes a nice instagram photo
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Google+
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on Linkedin
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Instagram-images.png 315 560 Caitlin McDonald https://socialspeaknetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SocialSpeak-Logo.png Caitlin McDonald2018-03-20 17:36:182018-03-20 17:40:51Step up your Instagram Game - What makes a good image (or feed)?
You might also like
8 Reasons Businesses Should Use Instagram Stories 8 Reasons Businesses Should Use Instagram Stories
How to Use Instagram to Promote Your Medical Practice How to Use Instagram to Promote Your Medical Practice
How to Master Instagram for your Business How to Master Instagram for your Business
6 Instagram Mistakes That Keep Your Brand from Growing 6 Instagram Mistakes That Keep Your Brand from Growing
8 Ways to Grow Your Instagram Following Organically 8 Ways to Grow Your Instagram Following Organically
Instagram: An Introduction to Instagram for your Business (Plus Download)
5 Top Engaging Posts for Instagram 5 Top Engaging Posts for Instagram
New Webinar: Instagram for Business

VIP Login

Log In

Follow Us

   

Recent Posts

  • 5 Strategies to Revive Your Inactive Social Media Account
  • 5 Strategies to Transform Seasonal Buyers into Loyal Year-Round Buyers
  • How to Manage Negative Reviews and Comments on Social Media
  • 5 Proven Strategies to Get More Views and Engagement on TikTok
  • 4 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Having a Mobile App

Browse Categories

  • Advertising
  • Blogging
  • Branding
  • Business Management
  • Business Resource
  • Content Creation
  • Email Marketing
  • Entrepreneur Life
  • Facebook
  • Growth Prompts
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • SEO
  • Social Media
  • Tutorials
  • Twitter
  • Video

Tools & Apps

Tailwind for Pinterest

For Pinterest and Instagram – Discover Content, Schedule Posts, Monitor Conversations, Amplify Reach, and Analyze Results.  All with One Tool.

Get In Touch

  • Contact Us
  • Work with Us

Marketing Tips to your Inbox

Recent Posts

  • 5 Strategies to Revive Your Inactive Social Media Account
  • 5 Strategies to Transform Seasonal Buyers into Loyal Year-Round Buyers
  • How to Manage Negative Reviews and Comments on Social Media
  • 5 Proven Strategies to Get More Views and Engagement on TikTok
  • 4 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Having a Mobile App

Social Speak on Instagram

If you’ve been writing for several months now an If you’ve been writing for several months now and you still haven’t seen a significant increase on your leads and traffic, you’re probably getting frustrated. I understand that it can get frustrating, but you also have to keep in mind that building a successful blog takes time. It requires a lot of hard work, patience, and perseverance.

You’ve spent countless hours in front of your computer, trying to make boring stuff interesting. Unfortunately, after a few months of blogging, you’re still not seeing the results you want. At this point, you may feel like giving up. That’s understandable. However, please keep in mind that it may take quite a while before you generate positive results. Depending on the online competition and your industry, it may take about 3 to 6 months. Giving up too soon is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.

#blog #blogging #socialmedia #content #contentmarketing #socialmediamarketing
While it is true that social media has eclipsed bl While it is true that social media has eclipsed blogging in terms of popularity, it is still a powerful tool that can help you reach your goals.

If you’re thinking it might be time to start blogging, this article outlines how blogging can change your business forever.

https://socialspeaknetwork.com/blogging-benefits-change-business/

#blog #blogging #bloggingtips #socialmedia #socialmediatips #business #businesstips
Posting thought leadership content from your blogs Posting thought leadership content from your blogs, studies, videos, and research is valuable. But what really gets engagement are posts that start a conversation. So pose a question to your audience or comment on recent developments in the industry to get feedback. Use current events that are buzzing on social media to offer your unique take. 

If people comment on your posts, give meaningful responses to them. Comment on others’ posts, and if that person is looking for recommendations or advice on something you’re knowledgeable about, share your expertise.

#socialmediamarketing #digitalmarketing #socialmedia #marketing #branding #business #marketingdigital #seo #onlinemarketing #contentmarketing #socialmediatips
People enjoy learning ways to make their lives eas People enjoy learning ways to make their lives easier, both professionally or personally. Tailor your content with that in mind.
 
Not sure where to begin with content creation? Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What frustrates them? What is their daily work routine? What’s tedious and time-consuming that your product or service can help solve?
 
Use a mix of short, easily digestible posts with long-form content. The topic and channel will determine which to use. Experiment with both across various channels to see what performs best.

#socialmediamarketing #digitalmarketing #socialmedia #marketing #branding #business #marketingdigital #seo #onlinemarketing #contentmarketing #socialmediatips
Twitter makes use of hashtags that allows business Twitter makes use of hashtags that allows businesses to target people who are talking about and engaging with topics related to their business. This social media platform is ideal for sharing real time information, timely trends or live events, and will result in high levels of share and engagement.

Use this social networking platform if your target audience is young adults. 24% of internet users log in on their Twitter account on a daily basis. Younger, more educated crowds aged 18 to 29 use Twitter and lots of it.

#twitter #socialmedia  #business #businesstips #socialmediatips
Right now, Instagram is really prioritizing Reels. Right now, Instagram is really prioritizing Reels. So if you start uploading content there, they’ll essentially roll out the red carpet for you. So why not repurpose your TikToks?

The easiest way to do this is to remove the TikTok watermark. This allows you to only have to film the content once and freely share it on both TikTok and Instagram without facing any guideline trouble.

#tiktok #instagram #reels #content #contentmarketing #socialmedai #socialmediamarketing
What’s your favorite book? The one that you’ve What’s your favorite book? The one that you’ve read over and over again or that had a profound impact in your life. 

#socialmediamarketing #digitalmarketing #socialmedia #marketing #branding #business #marketingdigital #seo #onlinemarketing #contentmarketing #socialmediatips
You probably already know that social media posts You probably already know that social media posts with an eye-catching image get more views and engagements. It turns out, the same principle applies to LinkedIn. In fact, studies suggest that LinkedIn posts with images receive an average of 57,000 views; whereas, posts with no image only receive about 6,000 views. That’s a huge difference!

What does this tell us? Visuals play an important role in capturing the attention of readers. Using a visually attractive image with your content will make your posts standout in the LinkedIn feed.

For more tips on how to make your LinkedIn posts standout, read the blog here: https://socialspeaknetwork.com/6-easy-tips-to-make-your-linkedin-posts-standout/ 

#linkedin #socialmedia #socialmediatips #socialmediamarketing #digitalmarketing #contentmarketing
Podcasts have grown in popularity over the years. Podcasts have grown in popularity over the years. Studies suggest that 80 million Americans are listening to podcasts regularly.

Planning to start a podcast, but don’t know where to start? Read our blog for tips on how to start a podcast and build your audience: https://socialspeaknetwork.com/6-tips-for-starting-a-business-podcast/

#podcast #podcasting #podcastlife #contentmarketing #podcasttips #onlinemarketing #business
Load More... Follow on Instagram
© Copyright - Social Speak
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Instagram Content Calendar A day in the life of an Entrepreneur
Scroll to top