How to create a visually appealing Instagram feed
Networks today are literally crammed with content and visual noise. So it's no surprise that simplicity and aesthetics are becoming key to engaging your followers. A simple but appealing feed can strengthen your brand and attract more clients.
Yes, it still does. We absolutely disagree with the idea that the appearance of the feed doesn't matter anymore. Because visual identity is still a great tool to differentiate your brand and make the customer journey easier. Especially if you don't have a strong brand.
In this article, I'll show you how you can create a visually clean and aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed that will also communicate effectively with your target audience.
1. Establish a visual style
Before you start planning specific posts, it's important to have a clearly defined visual style. This means choosing a consistent color palette, font types, and maybe even the filters you'll use.
The visual style should reflect your brand values and personality, while being simple enough not to distract from the content of your posts. You can tackle this yourself, or take the safe route and reach out to experts. If you're stuck, we're happy to visual identity we can help you.
2. Consistency is key!
One of the most effective ways to keep your Instagram feed visually unified is by using consistent templates, filters and effects. Choose styles that flatter your content and use them consistently. This way, you'll create a cohesive look that's easily recognizable.
3. Content planning
When planning your content, try to think about the overall look and feel of your feed. Use a feed planning tool (like we have a Preview App) to help you visualize what your feed will look like with new posts. This planning will help ensure that your feed looks harmonious and is visually pleasing.
We use this planning not only for our content, but also for our clients' content. In fact, the look of the feed is the first thing we plan! We put the photos together first, followed by the graphic posts to match the colors and text. We can then embed any content into these templates, rewrite the text in any way, etc.
4. Balance of content
When creating content, think about balance. Rotate different types of content, such as photos, graphics and videos, so your feed isn't monotonous.
Our tip: If you have a very informative profile theme, make sure there is no text in every square in your feed. Fill no more than 2 of the 3 squares in a given row with text. This approach will not only improve the aesthetic impression, but also keep your followers interested.
5. Visual hierarchy
When designing individual posts, think about visual hierarchy. Important elements should be immediately obvious and easy to understand. You can achieve this by using clean and simple layouts that don't leave the viewer confused about what they should be looking at in the image.
Our tip: Use a photo that fits your feed for the Reels cover. That way you can go wild in Reels and the feed stays nicely unified.
Extra tip: Make sure that the text users see in the feed graphic contains keywords. That way, they'll instantly recognize that there are topics of interest on your profile, and they're more likely to start following you. For us, words like "followers", "content", "strategy".
Conclusion
Creating a visually appealing and simple Instagram feed isn't just about pretty pictures, it's about creating a cohesive visual story that communicates your brand and engages your followers. With our tips, you can start transforming your Instagram into an effective visual communication tool that will set you apart from the competition.
Would you rather leave it to the professionals? Let us know about you.
