I filmed a YouTube video ages ago which briefly talked about the different ways I use and plan my Instagram content, but I thought it would be useful to also write a blog post going into more detail. Planning content is one of my favourite parts of content creating and is the key to being consistent - especially whilst also having a full time job!
Instagram is one of my favourite platforms to use as it's so visual and creative, and I love how it's almost like a photo diary. There's always so much talk around photography, filters, editing, hashtags, consistency, engagement, reels, the dreaded algorithm... it's no longer as easy to snap a quick photo and upload it straight away!
As a society, we've developed more of an eye for photography and for high-quality content as social media has grown and become more prevalent in our society... like have you ever looked back at old, blurry, over-filtered Instagram photos and cringed? So with high-quality content, consistency and 'beating the algorithm' (whatever that means), comes the need to plan.
So, without further ado, here are my tips and tricks for planning your Instagram content:
Gather inspiration
The first thing I think you should do is the gather inspiration. Have a look at your favourite content creators/people to follow online. What is it that you like about their content? Is it that they share their personal lives? Is it a particular colour or filter they use? Is it their style of photography? As well as looking at people you already follow, have a look on Pinterest. Pinterest is a GREAT place to gather inspiration and see what kind of styles you like! Write down your favourite parts about each of your favourite creators - it'll help you create your own style based on what you like!
Decide on your aesthetic
Now that you've decided what kind of things you want to post, now it's time to decide what your aesthetic will be! Will you stick to a colour palette? Will you use the same filter on all of your photos? Will you post in a certain pattern? You don't have to have an aesthetic as such, but it's another way to show your creativity.
Come up with different styles of post
I try to share different types of content on my Instagram, just to keep my audience wondering what I'll do next and also to keep it interesting! I might share an outfit, a flatlay, a quote, a snapshot of my everyday life... the possibilities are endless.
Batch create your content
This has definitely been the only way for me to stay consistent on Instagram! I couldn't post regularly without batching my content. I set aside certain days at the weekends to take photographs and try to plan out what I take photos of beforehand - this means I'm not wasting time and can take lots of photos for my blog as well as Instagram! Knowing what you want to photograph and/or what shots you'd like to take helps too. Planning what you want to take photos of also helps that you don't waste time - especially in the winter months when daylight is scarce!
Edit your photos
Now that you have all of your photographs, it's time to edit! Going back to your aesthetic, it's time to select your filters and edit your photographs depending on your style - whether it's bright, dark, pink, black and white - it's up to you. Filters and presets are a great way of keeping all of your photos looking consistent and in the same style. It's also okay to change this up as your style/photography skills develop - you don't have to stick with a filter 'till death do you part'!
Use an app to plan your feed
Something else that has been vital for me has been planning out my grid before posting! It's such an easy way to check what your posts will look like together before actually posting them. I use the app Preview, but there are lots of different ones out there. Planning your grid also saves panicking about what to post every day and uploading something you're not 100% happy with just for the sake of it!
Research hashtags
Lastly, research the best hashtags to use. You can use 30 hashtags on each post, so use them! Find the best hashtags for your particular niche, such as #bloggerstribe or #smallbusinessowner. I tend to use about half about my particular 'niche' that the photo sort of relates to and half relating to the actual post itself. I might write a whole separate post about the best hashtags I've found to use for certain niches if that will help!
Do you plan your Instagram content? Do you have any tips and tricks? Also, if you're not already following me on Instagram, then this is a cheeky little bit of self-promo!