Creating Authentic Instagram Content

How to Create Authentic Instagram Content

People go to Instagram to be inspired by others, including brands, that they care about. As marketers, it’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of pushing your brand’s message with the same content that you’re using for other marketing channels, but that doesn’t always work on Instagram. So how do you create authentic Instagram content?

Creating Authentic Instagram Content

Creating Authentic Instagram Content

If you’re using Instagram for your brand—and you should be, because over an eighth of the 7.6 billion people on the planet are using it, ensure your content is optimized for the channel. Here are a few tips for success in creating content on this highly visual platform.

Plan Your Photo

When thinking about the perfect photo for Instagram, consider the following:

  • What are you trying to showcase?
    • Are you highlighting a product, capturing an idea, etc.?
  • What are you trying to say?
    • Is there a specific call-to-action?
  • How can you bring that theme to life?
    • What colors, props or backgrounds will help convey your message?
  • Does this align with your brand style and voice?

Make It Interactive

The key to effective, thumb-stopping content on Instagram is to capture your audience visually. Photos are great, but mix it up a bit with a variety of content formats like a gallery, a GIF, an Instagram Story or even a tutorial. Keep it simple, crisp & clean, while featuring eye-catching movement (where possible) that makes your content stand out in the feed.

Remember the Rule of Thirds

If you’re planning to shoot your own photos for Instagram, remember this classic photography rule: the rule of thirds. To execute this technique, imagine a 9-part grid overlaying your image. The key is to align your photo’s most interesting features along the intersections.

Define a Clear Focal Point

If one of your goals on Instagram is to get your followers to engage with your photos, make it easy for them to love what you post by having a clear focal point to your image. This photo from @konaction illustrates a clear focal point. Everything about this photo pinpoints the object (the girl). The bold contrast, clean setting, and sense of movement all help draw your eye to the image’s central focus.

Create Consistency

Color consistency = brand magic. Colors help define your visual strategy and create visual consistency that is instantly recognizable. Combine brand colors for a pretty, curated aesthetic. Color also plays a role in your editing process. Are your images light and saturated or more natural? Tossing in an image that’s radically different will disrupt your feed, which isn’t ideal on Instagram.

Need help with creating authentic Instagram content on your social channels? Contact us—we’re here to help.

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