How to Create a Cohesive Instagram Feed
Before anyone experiences your personality, your interests, what your humor is like, who you are as a person or what you have to offer on Instagram, their first impression of you will be based on your Instagram feed and how it makes a person feel.
We are visual people and we like making connections…fast.
The moment a potential follower lays their eyes on your Instagram feed, they will begin answering these questions in their head:
Do I love their photos? Am I inspired? What is this persona all about? Do I like their vibe? How does their content make me feel?
People’s judgment and attention are lightning fast, so it’s important to make those couple of seconds count. Plus, if you’re an influencer, having a cohesive Instagram feed is really helpful for establishing your personal brand, partnering with your dream brands, and accurately expressing yourself in your media kit to a potential partner.
If your Instagram feed doesn’t look cohesive and you’d like it to be, it’s time for a little glow up. ;)
Keep on reading to learn five crucial steps for creating a cohesive Instagram feed.
Tip #1: What is your niche?
The first thing to think about is what your Instagram is all about and why.
Are you a fashion influencer? A travel blogger? A beauty guru? A food photographer? Maybe you own a business or you’re an artist? Are you super focused or are you multi-faceted? Maybe you don’t even want to be categorized and just want a pretty feed. That’s okay, too.
Whoever you are, hone in on what your Instagram is all about.
By knowing your niche, you can ensure that your photos and the topics you talk about on your Instagram feed are cohesive.
Having trouble finding your niche? I have a blog post all about discovering your niche on Instagram (when you have too many interests).
Tip #2: Establish your vibe.
What feelings, mood, or vibe do you want to evoke with your content?
Let’s be real — when it comes down to it, people want to feel something when they look at your creations. They want to be able to understand, relate or vibe with your content. Plus, if they can do that, they will feel more connected to you too, and most likely hit that follow button.
Not only that though, establishing an overall vibe can help keep your photos consistent. It can also offer insight to a potential follower as to who you are and what they can expect from you in the future.
Write down a couple of adjectives that describe what vibe you want for your content. Some example adjectives are neutral-toned, colorful, helpful, friendly, trustworthy, positive, bright, artistic, etc.
Try describing the vibe of the following Instagram feeds as an exercise too.
Tip #3: Pay attention to all the colors in your photos.
Before you take your photos or create your content, be aware of all the colors that are present in the photo you are about to take. Also, be aware of all the colors you anticipate using if you are creating some sort of social media graphic.
The colors you choose to be in your content are part of your personal brand identity, your aesthetic, and your vibe. For you, what colors align with your overall vibe and niche?
— My tip: Stick to 2-3 main colors.
Being mindful of the colors in your photos will also help you with your editing process. It will ensure your overall aesthetic is cohesive, on-brand, and it will make your editing process go by much smoother.
A common mistake: Say your feed includes lots of beach photos. Overall, your feed is probably pretty natural and earthy, with your main colors being blue, green, and tan. It’s unlikely that you would choose to capture an overall hot pink photo and post it to your feed, but you end up taking the photo anyway. You choose to ignore the fact that this color is so bright and out of place with the rest of your feed because you are relying on your editing apps/programs to "tone it down and make it more cohesive.”
If it’s one thing I’ve ever learned, it’s to be mindful and fix problem areas during production instead of relying on post-production.
If you’re aware something isn’t quite working while you’re taking the photo, take a minute to adjust it. Be patient with that. If you ignore this, your editing process may be elongated, put you in a position where you have to retake the photo, or worse, not even use it. And needless to say, the photo would stick out like a sore thumb in your feed.
Below are some examples of creators who are super mindful of the colors in their photos.
Tip #4: What kind of lighting are you using?
Lighting can play a big role in how your overall feed looks. (It’s not a deal-breaker but it’s something to consider.)
For example, if you shoot all your photos only during golden hour, your overall feed will look soft and glowy. It would feel out of place if you randomly posted a photo with cool-toned, artificial studio light.
However, this is not to say that mixing different kinds of light can’t be done in a cohesive way. It sure can! I use all kinds of light in my photos on the ‘gram. But it can require a more advanced understanding if you want to mix and match the light while also remaining cohesive.
All in all, try sticking to one kind of light at first to easily achieve a cohesive look on your Instagram feed. Once you feel comfortable, try introducing more kinds of light.
Tip #5: Edit your photos in the same way.
Editing is the final step for achieving a cohesive Instagram feed.
Editing your photos in the same way can help tie your aesthetic and personal brand together. It can give your photos that extra oomf, speed up your overall content creation process, and help establish your individuality in this ever-competitive industry. It can also help your audience and potential followers know what you’re all about.
So, the easiest method is to pick a preset/filter and stick to it.
As you gain more experience with photography and editing, it will become easier to use a variety of editing styles to achieve your overall look, too. This is a more advanced approach but it’s totally attainable!
If you don’t know where to start, I created desktop and mobile presets to help you achieve a cohesive Instagram feed. My preset packs have 5 presets that have been created to blend seamlessly with one another while also offering diversity. (I like the option to mix it up a little bit to keep things interesting.)
Presets can help establish your vibe, make your content appear more professional, speed up your editing time, and make your Instagram feed cohesive.
BONUS TIP:
I use the app UNUM to plan out my Instagram feed to ensure that everything is looking balanced, cohesive, and on-brand. It’s a lifesaver and it’s free.
Well, there you have it! 5 crucial steps for a cohesive Instagram feed. I can’t wait to see your Instaformation. :)