#217 - 5 Ways To Ensure Your Instagram Content Is Visually Appealing
High quality photos
The quality of photos on your feed is something users will subconsciously pick up on, and could be the difference between someone following, or moving on. For those on a budget, it’s worth noting that good-quality photos don’t always require expensive, professional equipment. With the right lighting (preferably outdoors), scenery, and someone you’re comfortable with behind the lens, you're sure to get some insta-worthy shots.
High quality videos
It’s a similar story for video content, although video can serve a slightly different function. While it’s key for the video quality to be good (avoid blurriness at all costs), video can be visually appealing in other ways too. Transitions, the music playing over the top, and the way you present yourself (video definitely lends itself to some humour!) all go into making the video appealing for users.
Stylistic consistency
This is key. If you’re unsure where to start, think about the style of music you play and how that might be visually represented. Folk music, for instance, is often represented by nature, grainy film photography and sepia hues, while poppier artists might opt for brighter colours. These are just stereotypes of course, and it can be interesting to play around with these, but it's worth noting that, if you want to see growth within a certain scene, it can pay to align yourself to the specific aesthetics. And crucially, once you’ve decided on a style, stick to it.
Colour consistency
When it comes to having consistency across your feed, colour plays a big part in this, so it’s worth deciding on a rough palette to work within. What environments do you most often find yourself in, or what kind of photos are most readily available to you? Gig photos with coloured lighting? Nature photos with muted tones? Use these as the basis and draw on the dominant colours these photos feature for the rest of the posts you share.
An overall view
Another trick for nailing a consistent feed is the humble carousel post. If, for instance, you really want to share a gig poster or photo - but the colours or the photo quality are just a bit off, why not consider making the first post of the carousel a promo shot or photo that you’re happy with. This is a smart way to still be able to share everything you’re up to with your audience, whilst still maintaining a visually appealing feed.
