How to Create a Great Insta Feed
How'd you like to know ALL the best Instagram feed tips out there?
How'd you like to know ALL the best Instagram feed tips out there?
With 1 billion active users (that'sper day!), Instagram continues to be the leading visual platform and a reliable source of new friends, followers and exposure.
So you really need to put in some extra effort to stand out.
No pressure, right?
*Eye twitches.*
You probably already know that having a cohesive feed is half the battle on the road to turning you into an Instagram content master.
A few of you have been asking how I plan my feed , how I put together my content and even what filters I'm using on my photos
So I thought I'd share EVERYTHING here.
Below you'll find the INs and OUTs of content planning.
Oh, and my top Instagram feed tips and apps that'll help you stay on track.
Let's get going!
Start Your Feed Right With These Instagram Themes Ideas
Now that you've decided to make Instagram your no. 1 priority, t here's just one dilemma holding you back…
Which theme should you pick for your feed?
Well, it depends!
I know, I know.
But really.
Here are the questions you should ask yourself when picking a theme:
- Which 5 types of content am I most likely to be able to create on a daily basis?
- What is my aesthetic? Am I leaning towards white, clean & minimalistic feeds or am I more of a maximalist?
- Which are the top 3 colors that I want to feature in my feed?
Answer all of these questions in a truthful and practical way before reading the Instagram feed tips below, or else all your hard work will be in vain!
For example, you may *really* be into tropical hues , but you may not have the surroundings or the props to shoot such photos on a regular basis.
Instagram Archive Feature
The first step to a curated, themed feed is to get rid of all the photos that don't feel *good* enough.
You know, the heavily filtered ones that you might still having around since ~2013.
Make full use of the Archive option.
(You'll find it in the top right top of your profile page.)
You have a brand new account?
Congrats – you already have a clean slate to work on and you're straight-off ready to implement other Instagram feed tips.
So let's get down to business and nail your theme.
Instagram Aesthetic Ideas
Before we fully dive into the best Instagram feed tips, we need some inspo.
That's right:
Time to roll up our sleeves and get INSPIRED!
Here are a few Instagram aesthetic ideas from real accounts that are kicking ass:
@andicsinger
@emily_luciano
@kristinabazan
@sincerelyjules
@majawyh
@marianna_hewitt
@negin_mirsalehi
@tezza
Instagram Theme Apps That'll Change Your Life
Do you use a secret, throwaway Instagram account to plan your feed and make sure your posts look good next to each another?
It's time you deleted that sucker , because there's a far better way to plan your Instagram feed.
There are a handful of AMAZING Instagram feed planning apps out there and they'll blow your mind!
Want to know the best part?
You'll be able to plan your content well ahead of time, add captions and, when it's time to post, do so with confidence and excitement.
Here are my TOP 3 FAVOURITE Instagram theme planning apps that'll help you save time, energy and ensure you always have the perfect feed:
Instagram Theme App: Planoly
Not gonna lie, this is legit my go-to app for Instagram feed planning.
Its drag & drop feature makes it super-easy to swap out photos for one another and to tinker around until your feed looks perfect.
And there's more:
When adding your captions, it will auto-populate hashtags and @username handles, saving you tones of time you would've spent searching and guessing.
Of course, you can schedule content days or even weeks in advance.
Pro Instagram Feed Tips With Planoly: Use itsStories feature to plan ahead for the stories portion of your Instagram. So. Good. Also, use the hashtag groups to streamline & organize your caption writing process.
And finally, it is available both from the web dashboard and from the phone app.
Instagram Theme App: UNUM
UNUM is the coolest kid in the bunch (of Instagram theme app planners).
Sleek, powerful and intuitive, UNUM lets you drag & drop your photo or swap them out for one another using the rearrange tool.
You can also add captions and hashtags, as well as schedule your posts.
Other than these, it also comes with a super helpful edit & filter tool that allows you to fine tune your pics to perfection.
Pro Instagram Feed Tips With UNUM: TheLive Grid will make your grid interactive, thePhantom Mode can hide your posted Instagram photos to see what your feed would look like without them and theDraft Feature lets you plan an alternative feed to swap with your current one.
PS: Their app update notes are absolutely HILARIOUS. I'd be hard pressed to find another app that does these as cleverly and whimsically – you know it's going to be a good day if UNUM has an update!
Instagram Theme App: Preview
If you're just getting started with planning & curating your Instagram feed and don't want to jump straight away into a paid app or plan, your best bet would be Preview.
This app will let you plan your future content without even connecting your Instagram – you can, if you want to, of course!
Among Preview's features are: drag & drop, unlimited grid space, a fantastic selection of filters, hashtag grouping and the ability to add captions and schedule future posts.
Pro Instagram Feed Tips With Preview:
You don't even need Internet to use this app and you don't need to log into your Instagram account to start planning.
Simply start adding in photos from your camera roll and watch your future feed take shape.
Boom!
Instagram Theme App: Plann
Plann is a versatile app for your Instagram feed that has a lot of useful features.
You can of course, connect your Instagram profile and start adding content just like in other apps. It also has a Stories tap which you can use to plan & schedule your next Stories.
However, unlike other apps, it has a nifty little tab called Strategy, which helps you plan your content around themes! (Read more about themes, or content pillars as I call them, below.)
Also important: the Performance tab, which gives you granular stats & advanced analytics including your Instagram account's color palette! Haven't seen this in any other Instagram feed planning apps, so this is very impressive.
Pro Instagram Feed Tips With Plann: My top tip with Plann would be for you to go ahead and make full use of the Performance tab, it has lots of important info.
Plann also lets your add and edit your own hashtag groups, so you can copy & paste them as you go along planning your posts. Very useful!
Instagram Feed Tips
Now that you have the main Instagram planning tools all sorted out, it's time to take a closer look at how to achieve feed perfection.
My best tip to do that is to pick your content pillars.
Remember I was asking you above which 5 types of content you are most likely to be able to produce on a daily basis?
Those will be the foundation of your feed.
All you have to do after you've figured them out is to cycle through them.
You'll never have to wonder "what the hell should I post today?" because you'll have everything figured out well ahead of time.
Like. A. Boss.
So, which *are* your content pillars?
For me, it's easy: I cycle through lettering, selfies, urban shots, flowers and flatlays.
Other people may cycle through full outfit shots, outfit details, flatlays, inspo pics, quotes.
And others might cycle through drone photography, people photography, quotes, close-up shots and office life.
Once you figure out your own pattern, every piece of your Instagram story will fall into place.
Instagram Feed Tip:
Start keeping an eye on your favourite Instagrammers' feed and see how they cycle through different types of content.
At one point, you'll start seeing a pattern.
Be inspired and take it all in, but remember not to copy – you do you.It's best in the long run both for your brand and for your mind.
How To Plan Your Instagram Feed
We've all been there: it's been a day or two since you last posted on Insta and you're literally FREAKING OUT because you don't know what to post next.
So you go down the rabbit hole that is your camera roll hoping you'll maybe, maaaybe find a pic you haven't posted before. Oh, and it also has to somehow fit in with the feed.
The struggle, right?
Here's the real question:
How do you make sure you never find yourself in that situation again?
The answer is simple: plan ahead, using CONTENT PILLARS.
If you've scrolled past this particular Instagram feed tips chapter, back up and read from the start.
Here are a few extra tips I personally stick to:
#1: Shoot or create content in bulk ahead of time.
And by this I don't mean just several different shots from a single session.
I mean literally plan out two or three mini shoots throughout a day.
For example, for me it would be flatlays, outfits and urban shots (often times the latter will get done in the same session).
Same goes for my lettering and illustrations.
Most of them are done once per month and then spaced out to go live when the time is right.
#2: Train your eye to look for your favourite colors, vibes, textures etc while out & about.
Sure, it takes a bit of time to get it right, but being able to snap photos on-the-go that also fit in with your feed will prove to be a life saver.
The easiest way to achieve this?
Read up!
Get your hands on art albums or coffee table books and browse through them. Pay attention to all the little details like font placements and sizes, crops, cuts and colors.
#3: Inject some inspo pics into your feed.
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, plan or arrange, things don't really fall into place and you're left with a blank pesky square that you just can't fill.
When that happens, I usually reach for external content.
Pressed for time? Regram a photo from your favourite Instagram influencer and give them a small shoutout – it'll help others discover their profile, too.
Just remember to always give credit both in the caption and by tagging them in the photo (or, even better, ask for permission before posting).
Pro Tip:
When in doubt, snap a picture anyway!
(Even if you cringe when you look at it – there's a delete button for a reason… ) The camera never lies and it will sometimes show you little details that you would never have noticed otherwise.
When all else fails, you can turn to sites which host CC0 photos. Images published under this license can be used however you like, free of charge, for both commercial and non-commercial purposes.
This is one of the best guarded Instagram feed tips for a reason: you'll have amazing pictures at your fingertips in a matter of seconds!
Just don't rely on them *too* often so you won't dilute your brand.
You're a content creator first and a curator second.
Enter Unsplash and Pixabay . On both of them you'll find professional images of anything your heart desires.
What a time to be alive, right?
Instagram Feed Tips Using VSCO
Fact:
VSCO is one of the most popular editing apps on mobile.(If not THE MOST popular.)
And it's pretty clear why: an insanely gorgeous selection of filters, a generous array of editing tools and a straight-forward interface.
So what are you waiting for?
Jump on the bandwagon.
If you're a newbie, here are the best Instagram feed tips using VSCO filters to help you achieve a fantastic feed:
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: A6
Use VSCO's A6 filter when you want your images to have a subtle, moody vibe without going overboard.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: HB1
VSCO's HB1 brightens your image, while also turning it slightly blue.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: HB2
The HB2 is the perfect cross between the A6 and the HB1 filters: not as moody as A2, yet not as cool as HB1. HB2 is my go-to when I edit flower photos, because it creates that saturated, rich green for the leaves.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C1
VSCO's C1 is the best if you're going for vibrant colors. Even when the colors in the photo are pretty bright to begin with, this filter can bring them up a notch without them appearing unrealistic. *Winning*
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: A6
Use VSCO's A6 filter when you want your images to have a subtle, moody vibe without going overboard.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: HB1
VSCO's HB1 brightens your image, while also turning it slightly blue.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: HB2
The HB2 is the perfect cross between the A6 and the HB1 filters: not as moody as A2, yet not as cool as HB1. HB2 is my go-to when I edit flower photos, because it creates that saturated, rich green for the leaves.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C1
VSCO's C1 is the best if you're going for vibrant colors. Even when the colors in the photo are pretty bright to begin with, this filter can bring them up a notch without them appearing unrealistic. *Winning*
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C2
C2 is the tamest filter in the C series. I mainly use this one for selfies to subtly add some boost.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C3
C3 is the warmest and most intense of the C filters. I use this one when my base image already has a good balance of cool and warm colors in it.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: S2
The S2 filter subtly brightens the image, while also giving it a cleaner look. I love using this one for fine tweaks on punchy images.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: S3
S3 is very similar to the C series filters, except that it's a lot brighter. I love using this one on photos where the C filters are just not bright enough – yes, sometimes that can be the case!
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C2
C2 is the tamest filter in the C series. I mainly use this one for selfies to subtly add some boost.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: C3
C3 is the warmest and most intense of the C filters. I use this one when my base image already has a good balance of cool and warm colors in it.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: S2
The S2 filter subtly brightens the image, while also giving it a cleaner look. I love using this one for fine tweaks on punchy images.
Best VSCO filters for Instagram feed: S3
S3 is very similar to the C series filters, except that it's a lot brighter. I love using this one on photos where the C filters are just not bright enough – yes, sometimes that can be the case!
Instagram Feed Tips Using The Tezza App
As I'm writing this in 2020, there is another editing app that is becoming super popular for Instagrammers – the Tezza App!
In case you are not familiar, it is a photo & video editing app created by influencer Tezza Barton and her husband, Cole Herrmann.
The app has lots of fantastic filters, along with classic editing options like brightness, saturation, HSL and all that jazz.
Aaaand it also has some really nice dust effect you can apply to your photos. My favorite feature though?
The options to add vintage subtitles to your photos or videos. It is something that is so simple to do, yet so effective!
Here are the best Instagram feed tips using the gorgeous filters in the Tezza App to help you achieve an amazing feed:
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: INSPR
The INSPR filter is one of my go-tos when it comes to editing in the Tezza App. It gives an easy, effortless vibe to pretty much any photo.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: FILM
FILM is one of my favorite new Tezza App filters, right after INSPR. It gives photos an old-school, moody look like the name suggests.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: VINTAGE
VINTAGE is the perfect filter to use if you want that unapologetic throwback vibe. I only use this sparingly or turn the intensity lower for best results.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: MOOD 2
MOOD 2 is a fantastic filter to use if you have bright & loud photos that you want to tone down. So good!
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: INSPR
The INSPR filter is one of my go-tos when it comes to editing in the Tezza App. It gives an easy, effortless vibe to pretty much any photo.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: FILM
FILM is one of my favorite new Tezza App filters, right after INSPR. It gives photos an old-school, moody look like the name suggests.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: VINTAGE
VINTAGE is the perfect filter to use if you want that unapologetic throwback vibe. I only use this sparingly or turn the intensity lower for best results.
Best Tezza App filters for Instagram feed: MOOD 2
MOOD 2 is a fantastic filter to use if you have bright & loud photos that you want to tone down. So good!
Instagram Feed Tips For Success
And finally, a few tips to keep in mind as you go about crafting your own perfect feed:
1. Be Consistent
Remember you're in it for the long haul and don't give up if your photos are not what you want right from the start.
Keep tweaking your filters, refining your process and, most importantly, do it on a recurring basis.
You know what they say… practice makes perfect, so keep at it.
2. Always Shoot In Natural Light
Shoot all your photos in natural light, regardless if you're using a phone or a DSLR.
This way, you'll get nice, crisp pictures that only need minimal editing.
If not, you'll have grainy pics that'll take FOR-EVAH to edit – no good!
3. Look At The Bigger Picture
What purpose does your content serve?
Do you want to establish yourself as an influencer? Get more business from Instagram? Connect with fellow creators?
Your greater purpose should influence the type of conte nt you make, so be strategic about it.
Your turn!
Tell me which Instagram feed tip you found most helpful! What else would you like to know? What tips do you want to share? Do you have any go-to accounts that you checkout for inspiration? Which are they? What other questions do you need answers to? (Besides the meaning of life, haha.)
Please share your tips, ideas or main inspo sources in the comment section – talk soon!
PS: Photos look good, but no idea what to write? Here are 50 short Instagram captions you can start using right away.
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Source: https://everythingherenow.com/instagram-feed-tips/
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