A few weeks ago, I shared a blog post about Instagram Marketing + how to improve your ideal client reach by using social media (read that post HERE!) Immediately following that post, I received multiple emails + messages asking me more about Instagram + how to use it as a tool for your business! One of the most frequently asked questions was “How do I keep my Instagram feed pretty + consistent with my brand?” I found that a lot of photographers + creatives struggle with keeping their Instagram feed looking clean + taking iPhone shots that are consistent with their brand + the ideal client that they want to attract. This is something that I struggled with at the beginning, too, and I am so excited to share a few of my favorite tips with you today!!

When someone looks at my Instagram feed for the first time, I want them to immediately get a good idea of who I am, what I do + my brand. Here are a few tips for how I achieve this:

1. Keep it SQUARE:

When I was just beginning as a photographer + an Instagram-lover, I “Insta-sized” all of my images so they the entire image would show instead of just cropping it into a square. Then, when followers clicked on my profile, there was a ton of extra, inconsistent white space that prevented my Instagram from “flowing” well and looking clean. While this may be hard for some, I always try to share photos on Instagram that look good when cropped into a square!

2. Pay attention to COLORS:

This one is HUGE! In my brand, Tiffany blue + grey are two of the largest identifying factors. So, when I am sharing on Instagram, I try to incorporate these colors as often as I can! This helps my feed to resemble my brand, simply by incorporating one color into my feed. When I am taking styled iPhone shots of things like notebooks at mentoring sessions, my laptop on work days, a favorite quote on a print, etc., I always look for things that represent my brand to include. If I am styling a notebook, I will put it on a blue surface for the photo. If I am taking a photo of my laptop, I will put an aqua mug in the frame, etc. The same goes with professional photos, too! Then sharing images from senior sessions + weddings, I always share images that are consistent with my styled + brand.

3. EDIT consistently:

Editing iPhone snapshots to consistently match your professional style + brand is no easy task! But, with apps like VSCO Cam and Afterlight, it gets much easier!! We all love the gorgeous filters that VSCO offers, but using more than one or combining different looks may be the reason that your Instagram feed is lacking a cohesive look. When editing with these applications, find ONE editing style (whether it be a filter or combination of setting changes) and stick with it!! Editing all of your iPhone shots with the same style will keep everything flowing together perfectly! Personally, I always brighten my iPhone images + sharpen them to make them look high quality. Here’s a before + after of an Instagram shot that I took with my cell phone:

Nothing major, right!? But the photo on the right is DEFINITELY more consistent with  my brand than the photo on the left!

I hope this helps!! To learn more about how I implement these tips in real life, you can follow my adventures on Instagram @hopetaylorphotography!