The Only Instagram Image Size Guide You Need in 2023

Let’s face it: we’re living for all the fantastic new ways you can post your best photos and videos on Instagram. From portrait, landscape, and square photo options, Instagram Stories, Reels, IGTV videos, and videos in your feed…

There are so many incredible ways to engage with your followers and deliver eye-catching content.

However amazing these new options are, it can be a little tricky to figure out the ideal Instagram image size for your content, right?

Contents: Instagram Image Sizes

That’s why we’ve put together a quick guide for you to decode all the different Instagram post dimensions for each piece of content, and the best photo resolution to upload to Instagram for optimal clarity. (Yes, posting pictures on Instagram can lower image quality!) And just in case you need a cheat sheet to keep track of all these Instagram image sizes (because let’s face it, there are a lot!), we’ve included a handy cheat sheet and a Pinnable infographic. Major score! Before we dig in, we wanted to let you know about a feature that might come it very handy (and make scheduling a lot faster!) Tailwind can plan, schedule and post Reels on Instagram – so be sure to check it out!

What are the Ideal Instagram Ratios?

Instagram video and photo sizes have varying dimensions depending on the orientation of the photo and tool it’s being posted with. Here’s a quick list of the most common Instagram photo and video dimensions:

Instagram Photo Post Sizes

When Instagram first launched in 2012 (it seems so long ago now!), users could only upload photos in a 1:1 aspect ratio. Users who wanted to display their beautiful landscape and portrait photos were forced to crop their photos into a square or use other apps to create workarounds. Talk about time-consuming! Thankfully, Instagram listened to user feedback and introduced horizontal and vertical photo capabilities in 2015. With that in mind, let’s talk about the best image size for Instagram photo posts, including the traditional square, portrait, and landscape!

Instagram Square Photo Size

Ideal Size: 1080px by 1080px The aspect ratio of a traditional photo post is 1:1 square. This is usually the easiest photo size to get right on the first try because of the auto-cropping function on most photo editing apps and Instagram itself. Not to mention, you can shoot a square picture directly in the iOS or Android camera! For best results, your photo should be between 320px by 320px and 1080px by 1080px.

Instagram Portrait Size

Ideal Photo Size: 1080px by 1350px Wondering how to fit a full picture on Instagram without cropping? You can do that with portrait and landscape photos! Portrait photos are also fairly easy to get right on the first try, although you will have to crop oversize vertical photos to fit within the Instagram dimensions. What size is an Instagram portrait? The ideal Instagram portrait aspect ratio is 4:5, and the ideal photo size is 1080px by 1350px. If you upload a larger portrait, say 4:6 or 9:16 (the size of a Snapchat photo), you’ll be prompted to crop a portion of the photo out to fit.

Instagram Horizontal Photo Size

Ideal Photo Size: 1080px by 1350px  We’ll be honest: getting the right Instagram horizontal photo dimensions can be tricky! That’s because the perfect Instagram landscape photo aspect ratio is 1.91:1. With these dimensions, your horizontal photo will display beautifully on Instagram without a border. However, you can actually upload landscape photos up to an aspect ratio of 16:9, and the app will automatically add a border around the photo.

How do you get landscape on Instagram?

Instagram has made adding landscape photos to your feed easier than ever. Here’s how to do it:
  1. Open Instagram
  2. Tap the Add Post button (a square with a plus sign)
  3. Choose your photo or video to upload
  4. Tap the full-size button in at the bottom left of the photo display (it looks like two corners). This will automatically adjust your photo into the landscape ratio (or portrait if the photo orientation is vertical)
  5. You can further adjust the cropping of the photo by pinching to zoom in and out.
  6. Tap Next to continue with your upload!
If you frequently use landscape photos in your feed, it’s best to stick to the same aspect ratio for each. Otherwise, your followers may be unnecessarily distracted from your show-stopping photos as they scroll! To nab the best horizontal photo size for Instagram on the first try, make sure the height of your photo is at least 1080px (we’re sensing a theme here! ). This will keep your photo quality high on mobile and desktop! Before we move on to Instagram video post dimensions, let’s do a quick recap!

Key Takeaways with Instagram Photo Dimensions

What is the best Instagram aspect ratio?

Instagram has three available aspect ratios for your photos and videos.

Previously, the 1:1 aspect ratio (square) was the only available option, but Instagram now allows portrait and landscape photos!

The aspect ratio for portrait photos is 4:5, while the aspect ratio for landscape photos is 1.91:1.

The best Instagram image size for posts are:

1080px by 1080px (Square)
  • 1080px by 1350px (Portrait) and
  • 1080px by 608px (Landscape).
Whew, that’s a lot of different aspect ratios to keep track of! Thankfully, Tailwind for Instagram has a handy cropping function that automatically trims your uploaded post image to the closest acceptable ratio. If you want to crop your photo to a square, portrait, or landscape, you can just click on our Crop button and choose your desired ratio!

Instagram Stories and Reels Dimensions

Ideal Instagram Stories Size: 1080px x 1920px

Instagram Stories are another amazing tool for connecting with your followers and posting everything from text posts, hosting Instagram Lives, and uploading photos and videos!

Instagram Stories content is meant to be viewed in portrait mode, so even though you can post landscape photos and videos, they won’t show up as well on Stories.

That’s also another reason that the aspect ratios for Instagram Stories are different from the other post sizes we went over before!

You can upload photos and videos to Instagram Stories in any aspect ratio from 1:9:1 to 9:16.

However, you’re more likely to capture attention (and make your posts easier to see and understand) if you fill up the entire Stories screen with no borders.

The photo dimension you need to fill the entire Instagram Stories screen perfectly is a 9:16 aspect ratio, and a 1080px by 1920px size.

Instagram Reels use the same dimensions as Instagram Stories – 1080 x 1920 px and an aspect ratio of 9:16.

However, there are some things you should know!

-Instagram Reels preview in the feed at a 4:5 Portrait size (cropped from the top and bottom and centered). -The caption of your Reel displays in an overlay in the bottom corner of the video.

-Reels can be any length up to 90 seconds.

Bonus: Instagram Reels thumbnail dimensions

You can upload any image from your phone to make the Reels thumbnails. Instagram Reels thumbnails are a secret view magnet if you do them right! Using images with captions or a screenshot of an important moment in the Reel are some handy tips for your next Reel thumbnail. But don’t forget the dimensions and aspect ratio for the perfect thumbnail.
  • Instagram Reels thumbnail dimensions: 1080 pixels x 1080 pixels for the profile main feed grid and 1080 pixels x 1920 pixels for the profile Reels feed.
  • Instagram Reels cover aspect ratio: 1:1 for the profile main feed grid and 9:16 for the profile Reels feed.
Wait, there’s more about getting the perfect size for your Reel thumbnail. While Reel thumbnails have two aspect ratios, you can only edit one version–the 9:16–for display on the profile Reel feed.  The 1:1 aspect ratio will crop out your original thumbnail so that it blends in with other Instagram posts. So keep it in your mind when deciding on the thumbnail for your next Reels. Here are the steps below to upload a cover for an Instagram Reel:  Step 1: Head to the profile page, then your Reels feed, and choose the Reel you want to edit.  Step 2: Open the settings menu in the triple dot icon and choose ‘Manage.’  Step 3: Choose ‘Edit’ and then ‘Cover’ at the bottom of the Reel preview.  Step 4: Choose a frame cut from your video or choose ‘Add from camera roll’ to upload a custom Reel cover.  Step 5: Tap ‘Done’ to save! 

Instagram Reels and TikTok Multi-posting: The Best of Both Worlds?

TikTok videos and IG Reels have many things in common, but they are two distinct types of social media content. By utilizing both platforms in your marketing strategy, you can increase your brand awareness, drive engagement, and build relationships with potential customers.  TikTok is a popular social media app amongst younger users, with nearly 70% of US teenagers using it regularly and 90% of its users logging in daily. TikTok videos are often characterized by witty, lighthearted content that often goes viral quickly, thanks to its music and editing tools. As TikTok is one of the most popular video-sharing platforms, it’s a great way to reach a larger, younger audience. IG Reels—Instagram’s answer to TikTok—allows content creators to showcase longer-form, more refined videos. It provides a more sophisticated platform for creating and sharing content, which appeals to a more mature audience. Both platforms use vertical, short-form videos with the dimension of 1080×1920 for mobile users. It’s a great idea to publish your new content on Instagram and TikTok at the same time. Because dimension-wise, there’s no difference between TikTok and Instagram, but the combined user base offers a huge opportunity for broadening your reach. Just make sure your videos are not too long and don’t have any platform’s watermark on, and you’re good to go!

Instagram Video Post Dimensions

Ideal Video Resolution:
  • Square and Carousel – 1080px x 1080px
  • Portrait – 1080px x 1350px
  • Landscape – 1080px x 608px 
If video is your favorite medium to connect with your followers, it’s important to get the right dimensions to make uploading and posting your content a breeze. That way, you can upload on-the-go footage! If you’re looking to dive deeper into video, we penned a complete guide to Instagram video sizes and dimensions that is jam-packed with tips and tools to edit your Instagram videos. It also contains all the video requirements you ever wanted to know about when it comes to Instagram. But don’t worry, we’ll still cover some of those requirements below, including aspect ratios, length, and required dimensions! Instagram video Sizes What are the dimensions for Instagram video? Just like photo posts, you have the option of using square, horizontal or landscape videos in your feed. The ideal dimensions for each are:
  • Square and Carousel – 1080px x 1080px
  • Portrait – 1080px x 1350px
  • Landscape – 1080px x 608px
The aspect ratio of each is the same as photo posts, except our recommendation for landscape videos:
  • 1:1 aspect ratio for square and carousel videos
  • 4:5 aspect ratio for portrait videos
  • 16:9 aspect ratio for landscape videos
The reason that we recommend a 16:9 aspect ratio for landscape videos is that it will take a lot of time and effort to edit your video into the 1.9:1 aspect ratio used in photo posts. Instagram users are accustomed to viewing videos in 16:9 ratio, so the time and effort to crop and edit your video to change it from 16:9 probably isn’t worth it. There are also some minimum and maximum requirements to know when it comes to uploading your Instagram videos to your feed. Your Instagram video post must have a maximum of the following:
  • 30 frames per second
  • 60 seconds in length
  • File size of 4 GB
If your video exceeds any of these requirements, you won’t be able to upload, so keep these important numbers in mind when planning your video content! Like Instagram photo posts, the orientation you shoot your video in (square, landscape, or portrait) will determine what the minimum and maximum resolutions are for each. The minimum resolutions are:
  • Square and Carousel Instagram Video Minimum Resolution is 600 x 600
  • Portrait Instagram Video Minimum Resolution is 600 x 750
  • Landscape Instagram Video Minimum Resolution is 600 x 315
Because your video file will be compressed when you upload, we suggest using the maximum resolution allowed. The maximum resolutions are:
  • Square Instagram Video Maximum Resolution is 1080 x 1080
  • Portrait Instagram Video Maximum Resolution is 1080 x 1350
  • Landscape Instagram Video Maximum Resolution is 1080 x 608
  • Carousel Instagram Video Maximum Resolution is 1080 x 1080.
Tip: By using the max resolution in your videos you can preserve crystal clarity.

Instagram Dimensions FAQ

Do Instagram photos have to be square? Your Instagram photos don’t have to be square – you can also upload rectangular portraits and landscape photos to your grid without cropping! The trick is to make sure that your photo is up to 1080px on the shortest side. Keep in mind there are limits – If you upload a photo that exceeds the aspect ratios (the width-to-height ratio of a photo), you’ll have to crop your photo. Does Instagram lower image quality? Noticing that your photos are uploading fuzzy? Uploading files that are larger than 1080px may be the culprit. If you upload an image that’s larger than these measurements, Instagram will automatically compress the image for display. Extreme photo compression can distort image details, majorly impacting quality. The same is true when you upload an image that’s smaller than 320px by 320px. Instagram will expand the image, causing pixelation and fuzziness. To get the best possible photo in your feed, aim for square photo sizes of 1080px by 1080px. The compressed version that displays on Instagram will be around 600px by 600px, which will appear flawless on the Instagram mobile and desktop without affecting resolution! If nothing seems to solve your compression woes, try uploading from your desktop. Instagram’s web application preserves photo quality much more effectively than the mobile app! How do you fit a full picture on Instagram? If you want to upload your full portrait creation to Instagram without cropping to a square, you can use the handy full-size button when uploading your photo to automatically adjust your portrait (or landscape photo) to the maximum aspect ratio available. Just tap the expand arrows in the bottom left corner of your photo to fit the whole picture on Instagram! Speaking of detail, the same rules about photo compression and enlarging apply here. To get the best resolution for Instagram, size your portrait photo around 1080px by 1350px. That way, automatic compression won’t affect the quality of your vertical shot!

So, What’s the Best Instagram Image Size?

Whew! All the exciting new features on Instagram have opened up a world of new content opportunities and amazing ways to engage with your followers. They’ve also created a few new aspect ratios and dimensions to keep in mind when creating that content! what size should photos be for Instagram?
  • Instagram Photo Square: 1080px x 1080px
  • Instagram Photo Portrait: 1080px x 1350px
  • Instagram Photo Landscape: 1080px x 608px
  • Instagram Video Square: 600px x 600px
  • Instagram Video Portrait: 600px x 750px
  • Instagram Video Landscape: 600px x 315px
  • Instagram Video Carousel: 600px x 600px
  • Instagram Stories Photo: 1080px x 1920px
  • Reels Cover Photo: 1080px x 1920px
Type of Instagram Post Aspect Ratio Instagram Post Size
Square Photo 1:1 1080 x 1080px
Landscape Photo 1.91:1 1080 x 608px
Portrait Photo 4:5 1080 x 1350px
Instagram Stories 9:16 1080 x 1920px
Instagram Reels 9:16 1080 x 1920px
Reels Cover Photo 9:16 1080px x 1920px
Instagram Square Video 1:1 1080x1080px
Instagram Landscape Video 1.91:1 1080x608px
Instagram Portrait Video 4:5 1080x1350px
If you’re stressing about which type of image size makes the most sense for your content, and whether using a mix of portrait, landscape, and square photos will affect the look and feel of your 9-grid… don’t worry! Your content will appear in a landscape, portrait or square aspect in your users’ feeds, but will be cropped to a 1:1 square preview in your actual 9-grid. Your users will have to select your photo (or stumble across it while scrolling!) to see the full picture. Plus, you can always plan out your feed and double-check how all of your photos work together with an Instagram planning tool, like Tailwind’s 9-Grid Preview! [sc name=”autopost-reels-cta-fullsize”]

Before You Go, Pin It For Later :

How to Take Good Pictures of Yourself for Instagram [Before vs. Afters!]

Raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to take an Instagram-worthy pic of yourself, only to wind up shooting, deleting, reshooting, deleting, reshooting… you get my drift here. ‍♀️

After a while, you just want to give up and post a pic of your puppy instead.

(Note: There’s nothing wrong with that. Instagram could use more puppies! )

But here’s the thing: your Instagram feed could use more photos of you, too!

Why? It’s simple. People connect with your face. Posting pictures of yourself helps your audience see that you’re real and connect on a deeper level.

So how to take pictures of yourself for Instagram?

That’s what we’re covering in detail today, so buckle up!

how to take pictures of yourself- girls standing on rooftop taking selfies
Our Tailwind selfie party

Plus, we wouldn’t be Tailwind if we didn’t go the extra mile for you and demonstrate our own before and after photos of these selfie-snapping tips!

That’s right – to help you learn how to take good pictures of yourself, our brave team willingly took questionable selfies to be posted on the internet…

Forever. #CustomerService

So what are you waiting for? Let’s have a selfie party!

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1. Use the Proper Device

First things first – High-quality photos in social media reflect the brand’s quality and identity, even if it is your personal brand. But, to achieve it, you need to find a device that allows you to showcase all the ideas you have envisioned.

A high-quality image will capture your audience’s attention, communicate your message better, and show professionalism; some even believe it relates directly to increased engagement.

The good news is that nowadays, there are many available DSLR cameras and smartphones that make this task a bit simpler. So now, in the moment of truth, which of these two is better? 

We asked our social media strategist friends Marek and David and this is what they had to say:

Image size is another factor to consider because a low-quality camera might not provide the proper sizes to adhere to Instagram’s guidelines for photos and reels. To better understand Instagram image size, check out our article.

2. Find Your Lighting

Arguably the most important factor of a good selfie – LIGHTING.

If you’re puzzling over how to take pictures of yourself, the answer is definitely NOT doing it in dim rooms or super-bright artificial lighting.

Our world-class Community Manager Melissa bravely volunteered to demonstrate the difference for you.

First, she snapped a pic under the fluorescent lighting in her workspace.

This harsh lighting tends to wash out your skin tones and throw shadows into sharp focus.

Takeaway: Bright light does not equal good light.

However, when Melissa moved over to a large window and snapped her selfie, it made all the difference!

The natural light from the window illuminated Melissa’s features without washing them out! Her skin glows and her lips have color again!

Now it’s your turn! Here’s how to find your best light:

How to Take Pictures of Yourself in Great Lighting:

  • Shoot by a window or in a shady spot
  • If outside, avoid pictures in harsh mid-day lighting.
  • Experiment with taking your pictures mid-morning or mid-evening for soft, flattering light
  • Avoid light sources like house lamps (creates yellow light) or harsh bright lighting.
  • Don’t use flash if you can help it!

3. Practice Natural Poses

Let’s be real: it feels really awkward to pose for photos in a way that doesn’t look, well… posed.

If you’re anything like me when a camera is pointing your way you hit a variation of the same stance without even thinking about it!

(Mine is hand on the hip turned slightly to the side. Pageant style. )

There’s nothing wrong with a go-to pose, but it can quickly get repetitive in your feed. To amp up your Instagram profile and keep things fun, fresh, and interesting, you need to find natural-feeling poses that showcase you in the best way possible!

I know, I know. Easier said than done. That’s why our Chief of Staff Ellana offered to demonstrate!

In the before photo, Ellana strikes a basic pose for her portrait.

It’s definitely not a bad picture but doesn’t showcase Ellana’s fun, can-do personality.

In fact, by creating this enclosed shape with her arms, she’s unconsciously submitting a closed-off and uncertain look to the viewer.

In the after shot, Ellana relaxes back into her seat, leans on the armrest, and cocks her head slightly towards the camera. She’s adjusted to catch the lighting, and the uncertain posture is gone.

Now she’s just effortlessly cool!

Here’s how to take your own aesthetic selfies:

  • Use a mirror to check your poses. This might feel weird at first, but you’ll get a feel for which poses feel natural and expressive of your personality!
  • Use Time Lapse, an intervalometer, or photo bursts to try a few different poses in front of your camera to give yourself tons of options to choose from!
  • Take a million test selfies striking all kinds of poses. Find 3-5 signatures that you love, and practice until they are second nature!

Test All of Your Angles

Do you know your best angles? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. According to many group photos, I still haven’t found mine!

The good news is, they’re pretty easy to find with some dedicated practice! Ever heard someone stop a picture snap right to switch to their “good side”?

That means they know their best angle, or the most flattering angle to position their face or the camera in.

Our Pinterest Product Specialist Alisa volunteered to demonstrate a before-and-after of camera angles.

In her before selfie, Alisa has the camera angled down towards her face.

At the same time, she’s angling her face toward the camera 3/4ths of the way.

This changes the way the light hits her face in the shot, and accentuates away from one of her most gorgeous features: her eyes!

Boom! In her after selfie, Alisa is serving us a major smolder with two slight angle changes. She’s positioned the camera level with her eyes and tilted her chin at a slight angle.

Completely different look, right? Now you can see her eyes and the planes of her face are highlighted in all the right ways.

Here’s how to test all of your angles for perfect Instagram pictures:

  • Set up your shot with your desired settings, exposure, and focus.
  • Use the TimeLapse, Photo Burst, or intervalometer (on most DSLRs) to quickly take variations of the same photo from the same camera angle.
  • Focus on angling your chin, forehead, head, and body in different positions and angles. Keep full, 1/2 (profile), and 3/4 (turned slightly away) in your mind for all of these.
  • Reposition your camera higher or lower and repeat!

You will absolutely have a million photos to look at, but you’ll quickly get a feel for where the camera needs to be and where your face and body should be angled to get the most flattering looks!

5. Grab a Tripod

Unless you have the cash to burn on a live-in photographer, chances are you’ll be taking photos by yourself most of the time.

Knowing how to take pictures of yourself alone will change your selfie game.

One of the best ways to do it? Grabbing a tripod! You can find extremely affordable phones and camera tripods on Amazon.

Many of them are even equipped with a handy Bluetooth remote that allows you to snap an Instagram picture without touching your phone!

Our ace Customer Success Associate Sarah was more than happy to demonstrate for us!

how to take pictures of yourself alone - woman posing in front of tripod

Here’s Sarah’s before selfie.

It’s super cute!

Buuut you can see Sarah’s “selfie arm” that makes a self-portrait look a little less polished than we’d like.

Plus, when you hold your camera yourself, you can’t catch all the details of your great outfit. Boo!

It’s also tough to capture full lifestyle shots that tell a story this way.

In Sarah’s “after” selfie, she’s able to back up and strike a flattering pose using a simple stand and her iPhone’s self-timer.

Adorable, right?

Here’s how to take good pictures of yourself alone with a tripod:

  • Attach your device to your tripod and check for potential slipping and stability.
  • Adjust your exposure and focus to your desired settings.
  • Mark where you need to stand for your best shots.
  • Snap away!

6. Perfect Your Composition

Composition is a key part of a good photo, whether you’re taking product photos with your iPhone or a selfie!

Our Customer Success star Doricia was on hand to show you the difference composition makes. Let’s take a look!

In her “Before” photo, Doricia serves us a major look from a couch.

This photo is great, but the balance and composition are a little off.

If you imagined a grid over this photo, dividing it into 9 squares, you’d notice that it’s off-balance.

There’s more white space at the top of the photo, and the subject skews to the left.

In her after selfie, the composition of this shot is way more balanced. Doricia is centered in the photo, and it’s balanced on either side.

Here’s how to perfect your photo composition:

  • Enable the Grid on your camera (under Settings > Camera)
  • Practice lining yourself up with a vertical line on the Grid, or at the intersection of two lines
  • Balance your photo as much as possible with symmetry (if you fold the photo down the center, there should be an almost equal amount of detail on either side)
  • Scan your surroundings for unsightly clutter, details, or items that might distract the eye.

7. Put Finishing Edits on Your Photos

While we’d love to nab the perfect selfie on our first try, most photos could benefit from a few finishing touches in an editing app.

From lighting tweaks to blemish removal and softening, you can make your self-portrait shine with just a few taps!

Our Inbound Marketer Jordan demonstrates the subtle effects of a few edits using a selfie, and Adobe Lightroom.

Jordan’s “before” selfie is great!

However, it’s just a smidge too dark, which can make detail hard to see.

Plus, she’s taking her picture against a greenery wall, which looks a tad faded.

A punch of extra vibrance will make that colorful backdrop stand out!

A few lighting and color tweaks and voila!

Jordan’s face is illuminated with a gentle nudge of exposure, and the shadows on her face now aren’t as harsh.

You can also tweak selective colors in most editing apps.

That made it a breeze to increase the saturation and luminance of the green backdrop!

To put the final touches on your selfies, download an Instagram photo editor (we discuss the pros of our five top favorites!) and experiment with edits until your selfie is just right.

8. Play with the Settings on Your Camera

Before you go through the process of uploading your selfie to an app and making tweaks, poke around and see if your camera settings can’t manage some of those edits already!

For example, the settings in my iPhone 11 Pro often remove the step of editing my Instagram photos!

Here’s my own example selfie!

In this shot, I used the Portrait setting on the iPhone. This softens the background of your photo and makes the photo subject clearer!

The lighting is pretty good as is, right? #ThatNaturalLightTho

However, I often add the Studio Light setting to get a little extra brightness and crisp focus to my photos.

I’ve added that Studio Lighting to my after photo. Overall, my face, eyes, and hair are a pinch brighter and stand out more!

And the best part, I didn’t even have to open this selfie in one of my apps for editing.

How to Take Good Instagram Pictures of Yourself with Your Camera Settings:

  • Take yourself on a tour of each camera setting to understand what they do, and their best uses!
  • Set and lock the focus of your selfie (you!) to make sure that you don’t lose sharpness or clarity.
  • Pre-adjust your exposure and lighting on your camera before snapping your shot – this removes a common finishing touch!

Check Out Our Photography Webinar for More Tips!

Whew! That was a lot of tips and tricks for taking good photos of yourself for Instagram! And guess what? There’s more where that came from!

Sign up for our FREE Smartphone Photography webinar to go even-more in-depth on:

  • Different types of lighting and how to work with each
  • The art of photo composition and interesting tricks to try
  • Perspectives and angles (with examples)
  • Step-by-step editing tutorials in Lightroom (you can apply these to any of your favorite apps!)

Did we mention it’s absolutely free? Don’t hesitate- view our webinar right now!

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9. Start Scheduling Your Selfies to Instagram

Now that you’ve learned how to take good photos of yourself for Instagram… it’s time to get those beauties onto your feed! You can easily and quickly schedule all of your beautiful posts with Tailwind’s publishing tool.

Just upload your photos into your drafts and arrange them with our visual Instagram planning tool – the 9- Grid Preview.

Our Smart Schedule tool will analyze your best times for engagement and create calendar slots for each. Tada! ✨

And if you prefer to set it and forget it, just enable Auto Posting for Instagram Business accounts! Tailwind for Instagram will do the heavy lifting for you and post your amazing selfies on your behalf at the best times. ⏱

Can’t wait to try it out? Sign up for the forever free plan of Tailwind for Instagram – no credit card required!

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Pin It For Later :

Required Instagram Video Sizes and Dimensions

Are you using video on Instagram to communicate, connect, and engage with your audience? Wondering what are the best video sizes and Instagram video formats are for everything from Instagram Stories to IGTV?

As video continues to increase in popularity, adding it to your core marketing strategy is critical. And with so many video options, it’s easy to do!

But keeping track of all the right Instagram video aspect ratios and dimensions can leave you scratching your head.

That’s why we’ve put together this complete guide, including an Infographic that you can pin and save for later!

Plus, we’ve included handy tips on how to put each and every Instagram video dimension to their best uses with handy marketing tips, ideas, and examples!

Let’s take a look!

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Let’s Talk Instagram Video Specs

Before drilling down to the specific types of Instagram video and the purpose behind them, here are the overall sizes for any Instagram video:

  • Maximum 30 frames per second.
  • Maximum length of 60 seconds.
  • Maximum file size of 4 GB.

What is the Instagram video max/min resolution?

There are five main min/max resolution requirements for your Instagram video, depending on where and how you’ll post it. These size options cover square, landscape, portrait, stories, and carousel videos!

  • Square video minimum resolution is 600 x 600. Max is 1080 x 1080.
  • Portrait video minimum resolution is 600 x 750. Max is 1080 x 1350.
  • Landscape video minimum resolution is 600 x 315. Max is 1080 x 608.
  • Stories/reels/live video minimum resolution is 600 x 1067. Max is 1080 x 1920.
  • Carousel video minimum resolution is 600 x 700. Max is 1080 x 1080.

Let’s dive into the specifics of each below, as well as some tips on how to use each Instagram video dimension for your marketing goals!

Instagram Video Aspect Ratios

Here are the aspect ratios for each IG video format to keep in mind:

  • Square Video – 1:1 Aspect Ratio
  • Portrait Video – 4:5 Aspect Ratio
  • Landscape Video – 1.91:1 to 16:9 (we recommend sticking to a 16:9 aspect ratio. Trust us, it’s easier to manage!)
  • Stories/Reels/Live Video – 9:16 Aspect Ratio
  • Carousel Video – You have some wiggle room with this aspect ratio. You can upload carousel videos in square, portrait or landscape (1:1, 4:5, 16:9). However, keep in mind that once you upload and choose one aspect ratio for your first carousel video, all others in the series will be cropped the same way!

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Instagram Square Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1800px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 1:1
  • Video Length: up to 60 seconds

For many years, the square was the only video ratio you could share on Instagram. But times they are a-changin’ and now you don’t have to make all your IG videos square. You can shoot and upload them in square, vertical or horizontal aspect ratios. Thank goodness!

Still, square IG videos are still preferred by many, and you can use them when:

  • you want to take up more space
  • quickly capture audience attention
  • share an impactful moment,

or set the stage as Adidas did here! ⬇

https://www.instagram.com/p/BueFkF_gd10/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Instagram Portrait Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1350px 
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 4:5
  • Video Length: up to 60 seconds

Instagram portrait video minimum resolution is 600 x 750. The max size for upload is 1080 x 1350.

As you might imagine, there’s a slight difference in the presentation of a portrait video compared to a square video; it stretches a bit longer.

You can use it in the same way you use square, but this version gives room for:

  • more text
  • call outs
  • calls to action
  • transcription of the content,

or a dog balancing water on its nose, because… who doesn’t want to see that?!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvM37AEADls/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Instagram Landscape Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 608px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 1.91:1
  • Video Length: up to 60 seconds

This is where many people get tripped up when uploading their videos to Instagram. Landscape video minimum resolution is 600 x 315. The max is 1080 x 608.

To be honest, landscape video is the least likely of all video dimensions to get used on Instagram, but as Wedding Dresses proves, it can be useful in certain situations.

Use landscape video to:

  • maintain the look and feel of a previously recorded video
  • share a more stylistic and creative presentation
  • or take your audience on a visual journey.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvY3u_KFtdb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Instagram Stories Video

IG Stories video minimum resolution is 600 x 1067. Max is 1080 x 1920.

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 9:16
  • Video Length: each story up to 15 seconds

IG Stories video minimum resolution is 600 x 1067. Max is 1080 x 1920. The maximum length of a video is also 15 seconds. If you upload longer videos, Instagram will cut the video up into Story clips automatically up to one minute long.

Videos must be in MP4 or MOV file format and have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second) and a minimum resolution of 720 pixels. The maximum file size is 4 GB.

Instagram Stories was launched in 2016 and quickly dubbed a clone of Snapchat that would kill off the platform entirely!

While that hasn’t happened, Instagram Stories has definitely emerged the winner in ephemeral content.

IG Stories has a ton of value for brands and businesses when delivering:

  • Content you don’t feel “worthy” of your feed
  • Content that provides a better look into the personality of your brand
  • In-the-moment updates and just-for-fun peeks behind the scenes
  • Highlight seasonal offers like Target does on a regular basis.

As I mentioned above, Stories are a great way to engage your audience in a whole new way.

Instead of feed or Instagram live video that feels more structured, planned for and scheduled, Stories can be shared throughout the day, at any time, and in a variety of ways.

Instagram Story Video Ideas:

  • Behind-the-scenes
  • Product launch
  • How-to
  • Team highlight
  • New location
  • Announcement
  • Teaser
  • Press release
  • Podcast episode
  • New blog post

Instagram Carousel Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1080px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 1:1, 4:5, 16:9

The minimum size requirement for carousel videos is 600 x 700. The max size allowed is 1080 x 1080.

You might be familiar with carousel images, but did you know you can use video in the same way? In the click of a button, you can choose multiple videos and add them to one post.

Use carousel video to:

  • Tell a bigger story
  • Turn one video into multiple (shorter) video clips,
  • or create an experience around your brand, team, product, or service like Buzzfeed Tasty does with every video they share.

*Important Note: Carousel videos do not show the video icon like typical videos on Instagram. Instead, they show the carousel icon in the upper right hand corner.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvSC-WSFP9l/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Now that you have a general idea of Instagram video options, let’s take a look at required video specs across each Instagram feature.

Plus, see how more tips on how to strategically use that feature in your business!

Instagram Reels Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 9:16
  • Video Length: up to 60 seconds

Instagram TV (IGTV ) Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 9:16
  • Video Length: 15 seconds to 10 minutes

Videos on your Instagram feed must be between 3 – 60 seconds long, but if you have a longer video to share, consider uploading it to IGTV instead – you can add a preview of the video to your Instagram feed! On a normal account, IGTV videos can be up to 10 minutees long. Larger accounts with over 10,000 followers and verified brand accounts can upload videos up to 60 minutes long, but they must be uploaded via desktop. (As always, videos must be in MP4 or MOV file format.)

Good news! You can now upload your IGTV videos in 9:16 portrait aspect ratio, or in landscape (16:9). Videos should have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second) and minimum resolution of 720 pixels. The maximum file size for videos that are 10 minutes or less is 650MB. The maximum file size for videos up to 60 minutes is 3.6GB.

Your use of IGTV could include anything from showcasing your team to sneak peeks, product launches, demonstrations, and any other binge-worthy content your audience will eat up.

As a brand, Netflix uses IGTV to connect you one-on-one with series regulars as well as take you behind-the-scenes on some of your favorite shows.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/BvcNfPLH7tr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Cover Photo Size

You can upload a custom cover photo for your IGTV video to keep things on-brand. The recommended size for cover photos is 420px by 654px (or 1:1.55 ratio). Choose your cover carefully though! Right now, you can’t edit your cover photo after you’ve uploaded it.

Instagram Stories Video Example

Instagram Live Video

  • Ideal Dimensions: 1080 x 1920px
  • Ideal Aspect Ratio: 9:16
  • Video Length: up to 60 minutes

Video Length

Instagram Live videos must be a maximum of 60 minutes long. That’s right, you can broadcast to your followers for up to a full hour!

Video File Type

  • Videos must be in MP4 or MOV file format.

IG Live Video Resolution and Size

Instagram Live videos have the same specs as Story videos, meaning:

  • Videos should be vertical (not landscape) with an aspect ratio of 9:16.
  • Videos should have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second) and a minimum resolution of 720 pixels.
  • The maximum file size is 4 GB.

Instagram Live Content

Instagram Live is exactly what you’re accustomed to with Facebook Live. With the click of a button, you can go live and interact in real-time with your audience.

Use Instagram Live to walk your audience through a specific process, share your favorite tips, answer community frequently asked questions, or simply motivate and encourage your audience like Chalene Johnson does.

To go Live on Instagram:

  • Tap in the top left of the screen or swipe right from anywhere in Feed.
  • Tap Live at the bottom of the screen, then tap Go Live.
  • If you’re on an iOS device, you can tap in the bottom right to add photos and videos from your camera roll to your live video. To stop displaying your photo or video, swipe right and tap. Keep in mind that only you can see the photos and videos in your camera roll while you’re sharing a live video.
  • When you’re done, tap End in the top right then tap to confirm. From there, you can tap Save in the top right to save it to your camera roll, or share it to your story.

Now that you have a general idea of Instagram video options, let’s take a look at required video specs across each Instagram feature.

Plus, see how more tips on how to strategically use that feature in your business!

Video File Type

Instagram accepts either MP4 or MOV file formats in Instagram videos. H.264 MP4 is the best file format for Instagram video uploads and will help you preserve the quality of your video after upload!

What to Know About Instagram Compression

It’s true – Instagram automatically compresses videos (and photos) upon upload, and there’s no way to avoid it. The platform does this to save room on it’s servers with billions of pieces of content being uploaded a day. However, all is not lost!

If you find that your Instagram videos are being compressed, or showing poor quality after upload, consider pre-formatting your video before upload. You should change the file format to MP4, adjust the frame rate, and/ or use a video conversion program to preserve your video and prepare it for upload.

Instagram Feed Content

Using video in your feed should be second nature for most at this point. But, if you haven’t begun yet, here are a few ways to create it without adding a bunch of extra hours to your day.

Best Tools To Create Instagram Video

Tools like the ones below make it easy to record, edit, and share your videos.

Once your video is complete, add it to Tailwind, schedule for your best time to post to Instagram, write your description, and then watch the hashtag magic happen!

As you type your description, Tailwind will begin to suggest the best hashtags for your content.

No more searching, saving, and fumbling for the right hashtags, let Tailwind do the heavy lifting for you!

Why You Should Be Using Instagram Video

Instagram video hasn’t been around since day one, but it has received an overwhelming amount of adoption and feature support from the platform. From Boomerang, Instagram Stories, Instagram Live, and IGTV, the options for reaching new audiences and connecting are endless.

Just take a look at Mention’s Instagram Engagement Report and you’ll see the incredible impact of video on Instagram.

95 million photos and videos are shared on Instagram every day, but those video stats!

  • Video performs better—on average—than other types of content on Instagram when it comes to generating engagement.
  • Video posts receive more than 2x more comments than other types of posts.
  • Video posts generated an average of 150 comments.
  • Video posts received on average the highest number of likes.
instagram_engagement_report_posts_average_comments

via Mention.com

Basically, if you aren’t using Instagram video yet, you need to be.

Final Thoughts

The key for your use of Instagram video is to identify the topics most appealing to your audience, flesh out those topics into short, bite-sized videos, and then choose a day that you’ll consistently share your video content.

As with anything else, showing up on a regular basis is half the battle, but worth the fight when it leads to increased engagement.

*Hint hint: Doing this doesn’t have to be difficult when you use Tailwind to schedule your Instagram content!

What type of video will you start using on Instagram for your business? Share with us in the comments below!

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Instagram Video Sizes & Dimensions - Landscape, Square, Portrait, Story video aspect ratios and specs. Landscape 1080 x 5566 Pixels 1.91:1 Ratio Square 1080 x 1080 Pixels 1:1 ratio Portrait 1080 x 1350 Pixels 4:5 Ratio


7 Instagram Marketing “No-Nos” (Backed by Science!)

a sponsored instagram ad from Brookhaven Boutique featuring a woman in a blue leather jacket and blue pants on a blue background.

Whether you’re trying to grow your own influencer account on Instagram or using it as a marketing tool to drive sales, Instagram is one of the most powerful social media tools at your disposal.

That may be because, according to Instagram, 90% of users on the platform follow at least one brand or business. Not only that, but one study estimates over 35% of decision-makers use Instagram to inform their B2B purchasing decisions too—even more than Linkedin.

That makes a powerful argument for selling on Instagram! But if you don’t know what you’re doing, Instagram marketing can also be frustrating, discouraging, and overwhelming.

Many social media marketers spend hours each week planning a perfect Instagram, only to see discouragingly small growth and engagement numbers.

To remedy this all-too-common issue marketers face, we’ll use well-known psychological studies and more recent Instagram marketing science to reveal 7 “No-No”s when it comes to your Instagram marketing.

If you’re routinely committing any of the Instagram “sins” we mention below, dive deeper into your own engagement and follower data and consider dropping these bad habits.

No-No #1: You’re a Little Too Polished

The reason people love Instagram is because it provides a visual window into the life of a person or brand they’re interested in.

And while it’s pretty clear that no one is 100% honest or transparent on social media all the time, studies show that keeping things genuine will boost consumer trust and even sales or engagement.

Cialdini’s principle of social proof reminds us that we are more inclined to take an action if people who seem similar to us have taken that same action.

One study found users were more likely to follow an Instagram account that posted images of featured customers to their account.

What does this mean for your Instagram account? Here are a few things to consider:

  • Avoid highly photoshopped images, opting instead for real-life images of people
  • Avoid too many images with text or graphic design elements; users come to Instagram for images
  • Include images of people who resemble your target audience. The more your followers “see themselves” using your product, the better.

No-No #2: You’re Unpredictable & Infrequent

Few companies have the luxury of hiring a full-time Instagram marketer. And few influencers have the luxury of working on their account full-time!

All of this leads to one simple truth: none of us have as much time to post on Instagram as we want to.

Unfortunately, for many of us, this can lead to unpredictable posting schedules and large gaps in our posting calendar.

But beware: science shows that the most successful Instagram accounts post frequently and consistently.

In our own study of over 100,000 Instagram users, we found the more often you post on Instagram, the more likes and followers you gain.

Our findings suggest that accounts who post at least once per day, seven days per week, grow their following significantly faster than accounts who post less than seven times in a week.

Frequency leads to high engagement, which the Instagram algorithm loves, rewarding your account with even more engagement and followers.

Consider scheduling out your Instagram posts in order to get ahead of your own schedule and keep up the consistency!

And if you can’t quite manage to post on a daily basis yet, don’t worry: there’s also a strong positive correlation between consistent posting and account growth.

One study found that accounts who were more consistent and predictable in their posting saw an increase in followers and engagement.

And Tailwind can help! Create unique Instagram posts, visually plan a scroll-stopping feed, and set a schedule to keep you rhythmic and consistent while posting at peak times of engagement!

No-No #3: You’ve Got a Static Bio

When one of your hard-earned followers actually wants to learn more about you or even purchase something you have for sale, can they do it easily?

The default behavior for Instagrammers is to put a “link in bio” (a long-used work-around for Instagrams “no links in captions” rule).

But many big accounts don’t utilize their Instagram bio to convert followers into customers!

And while research shows no correlation between your bio’s length and the number of followers you have, if your bio never changes and your bio link is never updated you’re missing out on some big opportunities. 

We recommend implementing Smart.bio to house one link that auto-updates with all your content as it goes live!

No-No #4: You’re Not Leveraging Instagram Stories

You may not include Instagram Stories in your Instagram marketing strategy. According to the most recent data, that’s a big mistake.

According to a Facebook-commissions survey, 58% of users who watch stories at least once per week say they have become more interested in a company or product after seeing something about it in Stories. 

Not only that, but the same report claims 50% of people surveyed admitted to having made a website purchase after seeing a product or service in Stories.

Instagram Stories are a huge opportunity for social marketers. Instead of turning a blind eye to this growing trend, we suggest you dive in with both feet.

If you’re short on time, consider using an Instagram Stories background template in Tailwind Create to get started. You can then seamlessly schedule your Story creation and post with a push notification!

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No-No #5: You’re Asking Too Much; and Giving too Little

Years ago, a university professor was featured on NPR for his experimentation with the Rule of Reciprocity.

In essence, here’s what happened:

The professor sent out 600 holiday cards to complete strangers at Christmastime. As a result, he got 200 holiday cards back from these same strangers. That’s a 33% reciprocity rate.

So what does this humorous study mean for your Instagram account?

If you’re asking for a sale, a like, or a follow too often without giving back to your community, then you’re working too hard in the wrong direction.

Social Media expert Gary Vaynerchuk calls this “jabbing” more than taking a “right hook.”

Instead, try this: for 2 weeks, just follow people in your target audience, comment on their photos, complement their posts, and give away free stuff if you can afford it in an Instagram giveaway (free digital products with no strings attached or free swag like stickers or t-shirts).

Then sit back and watch the law of reciprocity go to work for you. You’ll be amazed at the goodwill, followers, and engagement you’ll generate.

No-No #6: You’re making too many cold pitches

Along the same lines as sin #5, if you’re asking for the sale too many times on your Instagram account, you’ll find yourself with a decline in followers and low engagement. 

To reduce follower loss and increase sales,  it’s important that you’ve appropriately prepared your audience long before you ask them to get out their credit cards.

In other words, you’ve got to warm up your leads. This all starts by getting your “foot in the door.”

One study on the foot-in-the-door strategy performed in the 60s aimed to see how many homemakers would allow a visitor to enter their home and observe their cleaning habits (a rather large commitment). 

Three days prior to their request, researchers telephoned 50% of participants to ask a few questions about their cleaning supplies.The women who responded positively to the initial telephone call (foot in the door) were 2x more likely to respond positively to the second request.What does this mean for your Instagram account?

Start with small requests (share a post with a friend, tag a friend in the comments) and work your way up to larger requests (purchase my product, sign up for my service, schedule an appointment).

The idea is to leverage the “foot in the door” strategy to your advantage to generate more eventual sales by building trust.

No-No #7: You’re Not Repeating Yourself Enough

You might think it’s annoying to your followers for you to post about the same things over and over again.Research shows just the opposite.

One researcher showed this by displaying a series of foreign characters to a group of participants and asked them to assign meaning to each symbol. Over time, the participants began to assign more favorable meanings to the symbols they saw more often. 

Another pair of scientists displayed just how strong repetition can be when they showed their participants an octagon for only milliseconds among other shapes.

After a short time, they found that participants “developed strong preferences for objects that have become familiar through repeated exposures” even if those objects were not immediately recognizable.

In layman terms: people begin to like things they’ve seen a lot.

Even if they’re just momentarily scrolling past you in their Instagram feed, that repetition can be the difference between your audience recalling you or your competition when the time comes for a purchase.

Putting all this “science” to good use

To wrap this up, allow us to offer some advice about following science and social media marketing tips.

Things change fast. Every account is different. Every audience is different.

And while many of these tactics will work well for most people, there may be some here that are a total flop for you. That’s okay!

The idea is to test as many things as possible, find out what works for you, continue to iterate, learn, and grow. 

That’s the fun of social media marketing. And if we here at Tailwind can help along the way, that’s what we’re here for. Go get ‘em!

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Instagram marketing doesn't have to be rocket science - especially with these study-backed strategies to help you grow your account!

5 Easy Ways to Level Up Your Instagram Content

An image of woman using a smart phone against a green background. A green arrow indicating an upward line slope is in the foreground.

With over 1 billion users globally, Instagram is now by far the most popular social media platform on the planet. Arguably the cooler younger sister of parent platform Facebook (which has 2.6 billion users worldwide), Instagram is growing bigger by the day, resulting in a constant stream of new Instagram trends and features. 

Instagram has become a key channel for marketers to engage potential customers, and is now a cornerstone of any digital marketing strategy. But, with the ever-increasing amount of content being posted on Instagram everyday, it can be extremely difficult to stand out. 

So if you want to up your Instagram game and ensure your content makes an impact in 2021, you’ve come to the right place! Including everything from content tips and tricks to the low-down on new features such as Instagram Reels and Instagram Shops, here are 5 easy ways to make your Instagram content shine… 

(Before we jump in, we have a feature that will make working Instagram content, particularly reels, much easier! You can plan, schedule, and post Reels with Tailwind – make sure to give it a go.)

1. Keep it High-Quality

Side-by-side images showing preset photo editing filters.
ARTA Travel Presets For Mobile and Desktop by artapresets on Envato Elements

Thanks to the evolution of smartphone technology, these days almost anyone can shoot, edit and upload high-quality visual content to Instagram. But, with so much content now being posted every day, if your assets aren’t up to standard they’ll stick out like a sore thumb. If you want your Instagram to stand out in the right way, it’s important to keep all your posts looking polished and professional. 

The first step in creating high-quality content is good editing. Adjusting levels using presets or adding an artistic flare with brushes and add-ons is the easiest and quickest way to take your photos and videos to the next level. But, if you’re lacking in high-quality pics or videos to post in the first place, a great way to source feed-worthy content is through user-generated content (UGC). 

UGC is any content — videos, images, reviews — created by your customers or users. One of the most authentic forms of digital word-of-mouth marketing, UGC can serve as a continuous source of assets and inspiration for your Instagram and enable you to become more relatable to your audience. However, if you don’t have piles of UGC at your fingertips just yet, there are plenty of unique and authentic stock photos, videos and graphics out there to choose from! Search for visuals that fit your brand look, feel, and color palette, edit and make them your own, post them on Insta, and voilà! 

2. Consistency is Key

Sample Instagram posts.
∑ on Envato Elements

Every marketer knows that the key to successful Instagram content is branding, and the key to strong branding is consistency! If you want your brand to get noticed on Instagram, you need to keep your content as consistent as possible.

Posting regularly, maintaining a consistent tone and messaging, as well as keeping up a clear and continual visual style means that your Instagram audience will become increasingly familiar with your content and, eventually, your brand. 

(Need a little help posting consistently on IG? Tailwind’s paying members post to Instagram 4.3x more often than those who sign up for a free trial and don’t upgrade.)

Customers are drawn to brands they recognize, so make sure all your branding aligns across every channel –  including your Instagram, your other social platforms, your blog, your newsletter, and your website. 

Instagram stories photoshop templates
Mutiara Instagram Story Template by peterdraw on Envato Elements

One of the easiest ways to maintain consistent content on Instagram is by using templates. Using Instagram templates for your Stories, IGTV and feed posts will ensure that all your Instagram content is aligned every single time. Instagram templates include a mix of graphics, colors, and placeholders for photos and other visuals so that you can easily add your assets and messaging.

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3. Connect With Your Community

Instagram link in bio landing page.
Connect with your community through your link in bio.

While building a strong brand is one thing, building a strong, loyal Instagram following is just as important! So, if you want to continue growing your Instagram audience, it’s absolutely crucial to connect with your community. 

With so many brands now trying to stand out on Instagram, consistent customer referrals and word-of-mouth marketing is absolutely key to building a loyal following. Don’t underestimate the power of social media for attracting customers and communicating with your community – a little bit of interaction goes a long way. 

Interact with your followers in the comments, engage with them on Stories by using Polls, Questions or Quizzes, and make sure to reply to all DMs in a friendly, yet professional way. 

Instagram link in bio landing page One Roof Women
Turn your link in bio into a one-stop shop for your brand like OneRoofWomen.

It also pays to make all your info and links easily accessible so your followers don’t have to go digging for your website, FAQs or contact information. A great way to do this is by turning your Instagram link in bio into a one-stop shop for your brand, featuring your website, contact details, products and online store in one easy-to-find location. 

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4. Create Engaging Video Content

Over the last few years, video has become a staple of our social media feeds. In fact, short snackable video has quickly become Instagram’s most engaging format, with videos now generating 49% more engagement than photos. Long story short – creating engaging video content is crucial if you want to stand out on Instagram.

Now with over 500 million daily users, Instagram Stories are perhaps the easiest way to create engaging video content on Instagram. Fun features such as filters, music, polls, and even swipe-up links are available to add to Stories, allowing you to post anything from polished, pre-filmed promos to raw and authentic behind-the-scenes snippets.

Going Live on Instagram is also a great way to engage your followers. In fact, live video has the highest rate of engagement of all content types, as it enables audiences to interact with their favorite people, brands or businesses in real time. 

In addition to Instagram Stories, IGTV and Instagram Live, Reels is Instagram’s latest video feature. Quick, fun, and super easy to use, Reels allows users to produce short, in-feed videos which can be edited with audio and music, similar to videos on TikTok. You can upload premade videos, edit multiple video clips into one, or even create content all within the Instagram app to create short, snappy and engaging videos every time. 

5. Try Out New Trends & Features

Instagram is a constant stream of new trends, features and formats, so if you want to stay on top of your Instagram game, you’ve gotta stay trend savvy!

Trying out new Instagram formats and features is a great way to stay relevant, and to show your followers that you’re across all the latest and greatest updates. First off, make sure you’re up to speed with Instagram Live, Reels, and all the latest Instagram Stories updates – such as Create Mode, interactive Stories stickers, trending filters or features such as Polls and Quizzes. Secondly, keep your eyes peeled for any new and exciting Instagram trends – you never know when they might crop up!

One of the biggest and most exciting trends to hit Instagram in 2021 has been social commerce. While this trend has been slowly infiltrating our social platforms over the last few years, the official introduction of Instagram Shops has truly solidified social commerce as one of the hottest trends to watch. 

Images of Instagram Shops.
Get a jump on Social Commerce with Facebook and Instagram Shops.

Perfect for brands and businesses wanting to create content that converts on social media, Instagram shops allow your customers to browse products, explore collections and purchase products all within the Instagram app using Instagram checkout. Shoppable posts are definitely the way of the future, so if you’re an online retailer, get ahead of the game with Instagram Shops to streamline your online shopping experience!

And that’s a wrap on our 5 easy ways to level up your Instagram content!

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Instagram is a cornerstone of any digital marketing plan. Apply these 5 easy strategies to make your Instagram content shine!

Author Bio: Kelsie is the Editor of the Envato Blog. Experienced in the fields of design, music and digital marketing, Kelsie is a connoisseur of all things creative. Editor by day and singer/songwriter by night, she is a dedicated writer, musician and pun enthusiast.

5 Steps for Selling Your Products on Instagram

Shoppable Instagram Post on blue background

The days when Instagram was just an app for sharing photos with your nearest and dearest friends are over. Nowadays, the platform is a powerful tool for small businesses hoping to sell products on Instagram!

Just look at the numbers from this 2019 Facebook survey:

  • 83% of users say Instagram helps them discover brand new products and services
  • 81% say they research products or services on Instagram
  • 80% ultimately decide whether to buy a product or service with Instagram’s help
Results on a facebook survey about selling products on instagram

Not only do these stats highlight how important Instagram is for buying products, but also the importance of figuring out how to use it to sell your products!

And make no mistake, these users are taking action. After seeing a product on Instagram, users took the following steps:

  • 79% searched for more information
  • 65% visited the brand’s website or app
  • 46% made a purchase online or offline
  • 37% visited a retail store
  • 31% followed the brands account online
  • 29% talked to someone about it
79% searched for more information
65% visited the brand’s website or app
46% made a purchase online or offline
37% visited a retail store
31% followed the brands account online
29% talked to someone about it

So whether you’re brand new to selling on Instagram or are just looking for tips, tricks, and tools to fine-tune your strategy, the following five steps will help!

Ready to stop puzzling and start profiting? Let’s get to it!

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5 Steps for Selling Your Products on Instagram

Ready to fine-tune your selling strategy and make sales on Instagram?

It’s easier than you think. Before we dive into the five steps behind how to sell products on Instagram, there are some things you need to do before you begin!

Set-up Step: Convert to an Instagram Business Account

With the craze around Instagram’s Creator accounts, you may be a little torn on what kind of Instagram account you need. We strongly recommend you switch to an Instagram business account.

Not only do business profiles give you access to in-depth Insights and Instagram Analytics about your audience in the new Instagram Professional Dashboard, but they also enable you to use the following:

And if you use an Instagram planning tool like Tailwind, you can enable Auto-Posting on your Instagram feed! Plan days, weeks, and months’ worth of Instagram content and publish at the best possible times for your audience to see it. 

Think more hustle, less time! Curious to try it out? Get a [sc name=’free-trial-of-tailwind-for-instagram’] today!

Attach Your Instagram Business Account to a Facebook Business Page

If you plan to take advantage of new Instagram and Facebook Shops or want to begin dabbling in Instagram advertising, don’t forget to attach your business account to your Facebook page.

This will give you access to important tools and features, like Facebook + Instagram Ads Manager!

Now that we’ve taken care of those important to-do’s, it’s time to get to the strategy you’ve been waiting for. You’ll be figuring out how to sell stuff on Instagram in no time with these five tips!

1. Use Hashtags to Improve Product Visibility on Instagram

When used correctly, hashtags put your Instagram posts (and products) on Explore pages where people are looking for them! 

This is even more important now that Instagram has introduced a Shop tab, so if you haven’t perfected your hashtag strategy now is the time.

Instagram hashtag explore page for #planner

When you pick relevant hashtags for your product posts and Stories, you have a chance to appear to brand new Instagram accounts who follow that hashtag, use it, or simply search for it often!

Plus, if your post or Story lands in a coveted top spot for a hashtag, it’s likely to be seen by even more Instagram users who could easily become customers.

That’s why hashtag research is so important!

You’ll need to sift through all the available hashtagged keywords that relate to your product or service.

You’ll also want to look for hashtags that relate to people and interests that might go with your product and note how popular they are (and how much traffic they get in search).

Sound like a lot of work? It can be, unless you have an amazing hashtag planning tool like Tailwind! 

Tailwind’s Hashtag Finder tool allows Instagram users to save time on the drudgework of hashtag research and get back to doing what they love – connecting with people on Instagram!

Just upload your photo and begin typing your caption.

Suggested hashtags based on your text will appear next to your caption, color-coded by their competitive level!

You can select up to 30 hashtags and even save them in labeled Hashtag Lists to use again on a similar post!

hashtag finder for instagram

Want to try Hashtag Finder, Hashtag Lists, AND our Hashtags In First Comment Feature for yourself?

Get a [sc name=”free trial of Tailwind for Instagram”] – no credit card required!

2. Highlight Product Details in Posts and Stories

We now know that 79% of Instagram users who see a product on Instagram go to find more information about it.

You can boost the likelihood of closing a sale if you leave that handy information about your product within easy reach!

Instagram Stories and post captions are a great place to start. Here are some ways to use them to educate your followers on your products!

Use Stories to Highlight Your Product

Instagram Stories is the perfect place for quick, easy-to-digest content featuring your products, building brand awareness, and driving sales. Here are some ideas on how to use Stories for increasing sales on Instagram:

  • Film yourself talking about product benefits. Keep in mind that Instagram will divide your video into 10-second segments, and you’ll cap out at 1 minute – so keep it short, sweet, and actionable!
  • Repost user-generated content like product reviews, pictures with your product, and content that your previous customers have posted.
  • Include a swipe-up Link or directions to your Link in Bio – You can link to your product page (if you have 10,000 Instagram followers!). If you don’t have 10K Instagram followers just yet, tag your profile and direct viewers to the link in your Instagram bio.
  • Post a frame-by-frame explanation of key benefits – Check out the example below from Biossance! They introduce their product, explain key ingredients, use, and how it works.
Example of story from Biossance introducing their product
Instagram Story product explainer of Biossance rose oil
Story image from biossance with product explainer and swipe up link for selling on instagram

Show a Behind-the-Scenes Look Into Your Brand and Products

When highlighting your products on Instagram, give your followers a behind-the-scenes look into all the time and love that goes into creating your products. When creating posts and stories, here are some ideas for showing off your products in a unique way (without giving too much away!):

  • Give your followers a sneak peek into new products 
  • Tell your brand’s story and why you started your business
  • Show how your products are made
  • Invite your followers to vote on new products, designs, and patterns

Use Instagram Captions to Highlight Products

Having a good Instagram caption is just as important as having a great image when selling on Instagram. Plus, you have plenty of space to highlight important product information like:

  • Key benefits
  • Product uses and instructions
  • What’s included
  • Pricing information

The perfect caption supports your efforts to sell products on Instagram by artfully explaining exactly why they should purchase your product.

More importantly – it should explain how they can purchase your product!

Tailwind’s caption formatting can help you make a winning impression with several easy-to-use tools, such as the Emoji Picker to add engaging emojis to your Instagram captions.

Plus, you can easily add line breaks to your Instagram caption, different Instagram fonts and hide your hashtags in the first comment to keep your caption looking beautiful. 

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Sell Your Products on Instagram with a Call-To-Action (CTA)

A whopping 87% of users said they took action after seeing product or service information on Instagram. That’s amazing, right? To keep that momentum going, help users take the next steps.

When they finish reading your caption, do they know what to do next? Make it really simple by adding a quick CTA! Examples of straightforward and effective CTAs are:

  • “click the link in our bio”
  • “watch our Instagram story for more details”
  • “swipe up”
  • “leave a comment below”
  • “double tap if you agree!”

You can use a CTA to get more engagement or direct your users to where they can find more information or buy the product. Usually, that’s your website and product pages!

3. Be Strategic About Product Links

As of now, Instagram does not allow links in captions. That means to figure out how to sell things on Instagram, you need to find another way to direct your audiences to checkout!

You have several options, like Link in Stories. However, the most customization and ability to link to multiple products and resources is your link in bio!

Include a Link in Your Instagram Bio

link in bio highlighted in instagram bio to make selling on instagram easier

Adding a link to your Instagram profile bio is an easy way to get people clicking over to your sales page!

One link rarely cuts it, which is why a link in bio tool to house multiple URLs is so handy!

Smart.bio is a free, easy-to-use dynamic landing page for all your featured products. You can also include links you want to feature for a long time (like your website, email lists signup, and blog posts).

When you set up your smart.bio, you can create a branded URL with your company name or website. It looks like smart.bio/yourusernamehere!

Wellness for Womanhood smart.bio - an easy way to sell products on instagram/ selling on instagram

If you’ve ever seen or used another link in bio tool before, you know that you usually have to choose static button links OR Instagram post images to link all your content. With Smart.bio, you can choose both!

“This is simply PHENOMENAL. You guys have truly outdone yourselves. I’m convinced this is the best bio tool out there.

It combines the best features of all the ones I’ve seen, and the setup was effortless. Easiest and best thing I’ve done for my social media marketing so far. ❤️”

@shavonnemorrison, Wellness Blogger

Your static links will appear at the top of your landing page, while you can link individual product pages in the posts that talk about them. When you add a link to your Instagram post, it’ll automatically appear on your smart.bio landing page!

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Your link in bio tool makes all the difference in driving traffic from your Instagram posts to your website.

4. Sell Products Directly On Instagram with Shoppable Posts and Stickers

Shopping on Instagram is now global, and it’s easier than ever to set up product tags on Instagram posts so your customers can complete their buying journey in-app!

To nab this feature for yourself, you do need to meet some eligibility requirements:

  • 1. You must be in one of the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, or Australia
  • 2. You need an Instagram business account
  • 3. You must be on the latest version of the Instagram app
  • 4. You must sell physical items that comply with Instagram’s merchant agreement and commerce policies.
  • 5. Your business profile must be connected to a Facebook catalog. This is managed on your business’s Page on Facebook, or through an approved third party!

You can find all the steps to setting up Shopping on Instagram in our guide!

If you are selling products through BigCommerce and or Shopify, you can set up product tags simply via their Instagram integrations.

5. Build Engagement on Instagram with Potential Customers

Growing your following will help you in selling your products on Instagram. Simply put, with more followers, you’re increasing the number of potential customers on Instagram who are regularly viewing your products!

In order to do that, you need to increase follower engagement as much as possible – in other words, the likes and comments you receive!

The key to unlocking engagement lies in developing a deep understanding of your audience, what they like to see and what is going to make them slow their scroll when they see your latest post in their feed!

Review Your Past Content To See What Resonates Most

You can start getting some valuable clues about what your followers are already responding to by visiting Tailwind’s Post Inspector in your dashboard.

sell your products on instagram by monitoring posts with high engagement - Tailwind's post inspector

Post Inspector allows you to view and sort your past posts by the number of comments, likes, type of image and even the filter you used!

Using these insights, you can determine what type of content your followers like the most and the types they’re scrolling past. That’ll help you make a strategy around producing content that your followers will engage with – and help you sell your products on Instagram!

Feature Reviews, Testimonials, and UGC from Customers

If customers are raving about your products on Instagram, make sure to feature them on your profile as a way to say thank you and to promote your products! Reposting your customers’ posts and stories is a great way to engage with your audience while also increasing social proof for your products.

By featuring your customers’ honest options on your products, you can increase your brand’s credibility on Instagram. This can help increase sales — especially for your most loved products. Here are some ideas for engaging with your customers on Instagram:

  • Repost stories and posts from customers featuring your products
  • Comment on posts reviewing your products
  • Encourage your followers to tag your brand in Instagram stories and posts

Use Attractive Images to Entice Your Followers to Engage

According to AdEspresso, there are several types of Instagram images that are performing well on Instagram, and the trend is likely to extend into 2021. These 9 types of images are:

  • User-generated content
  • Behind-the-scenes photos
  • DIY and how-to content
  • Artfully composed images
  • Content from Instagram influencers
  • Motivational pictures and quotes
  • Contest and giveaway promotions
  • Seasonal or on-trend images

You have a lot of flexibility and room to get creative – it’s simply important to note that grainy, poorly lit, or low-quality images won’t elicit as much engagement as high quality or artfully composed shots will!

In fact, a study devoted to the image qualities that can help increase engagement revealed the recipe for an engaging picture on Instagram:

  • lots of background space
  • one dominant color/hue (blues and cold shades often fare better!)
  • low saturation
  • texture (such as shadows or ridges)
  • increased brightness

Try experimenting with different styles of imagery to create excellent product photos, to see what appeals to your audience and receives higher engagement!

When creating posts for your brand accounts, you can use social media templates to easily create beautiful, eye-catching posts. By automating content creation and scheduling, you can save time and help grow your brand’s social presence.

Our Top Tips for Selling on Instagram

With Instagram users 25% more likely to be in the top income quartile, businesses and brands like you are trying to figure out new ways to capture the attention of their audience and perfect selling on Instagram!

With our five-step strategy (and Tailwind for Instagram’s time-saving features), increasing your sales is totally achievable! Let’s recap the plan:

  1. Grab more visibility for your products with the right hashtags – Tailwind’s Hashtag Finder makes research a breeze!
  2. Provide product information in your Instagram Stories and captions so curious shoppers don’t have to wander far to find out what they need to know
  3. Showcase your website and post links with Tailwind’s free advanced link in bio tool – Smart.Bio!
  4. Apply for Shoppable Posts with Instagram to make selling your products on Instagram easier than ever
  5. Prioritize engagement on Instagram so that you always stay top of mind (and top of feed!) for potential customers

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Use our complete guide to learn how to sell on Instagram, and how you can gain reach and visibility for your products!

Do you sell products through your Instagram? Let us know in the comments below.

Instagram Carousels 101: Everything You Need to Know

Toy carousel

Instagram’s image-driven platform is what makes it stand out from other social media sites. This is one of the reasons for the huge draw of brands and influencers looking to showcase their products or collaborations!

But what happens when one regular post just isn’t enough – and you have more content to share?

Meet the carousel Instagram post, a multi-image slideshow right on your feed!

Whether you want to add some variety to your Instagram account, increase engagement rates, or showcase a new collection, Instagram carousel posts might be the answer. And you have options!

With more than 83 percent of Instagram users discovering new services and products on the platform, carousel ad posts are a great way to further your brand’s reach.

And carousel posts shared on your feed give you the chance to feature whole collections in one post!

Your followers wipe through up to 10 images and videos without missing any regular posts in their feed! Talk about a great user experience.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about these posts, from how to start creating them to how you can boost Instagram carousel engagement.

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What Is a Carousel Post?

Before you can start using them, you need to define carousel posts.

Officially called “multiple-image posts” by Instagram, these are posts that feature up to 10 photos or videos (or a combination) that followers can swipe through.

While carousel posts can be a great tool, they aren’t the right choice for every situation. That’s why it’s a good idea to understand the do’s and don’ts of multi-image posts ahead of time.

  • DO: Use a carousel post to showcase a collection of similar photos or related Instagram content to avoid overwhelming your feed with individual posts.
  • DO: Use carousel posts on your feed or in ads when you have a variety of products or services to offer followers.
  • DO: Use a carousel to tell a story through images or videos.
  • DON’T: Use a carousel if your message would be better communicated in a single image or video and caption.

When you’ve taken a series of photos or videos of new products or have some reviews or features that you’d like to share with followers, creating a carousel post will allow you to share them together.

But creating an Instagram feed carousel is a different process from your typical post. To do so, use the following steps:

  • Open your Instagram app and tap Add Post.
  • In the bottom right corner of the app, click Multiple-Image Post.
  • You can select up to 10 images or videos to include. Make sure to select them in the order that you would like them to be posted.
  • Tap Next.
  • Swipe to look through the images that you have selected. You can tap the overlapping circles to edit or add filters to each individual photo.
  • When you’re finished with your edits, tap Next.
  • Write your caption and add any tags you’d like to include. Then, tap Share to make your post go live.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? Don’t worry, we got your back! Now you can automatically post your Instagram carousel with Tailwind!

While not all Instagram carousel posts are ads, they do make excellent marketing tools! Especially for creating lookbooks of products that you’re selling on the platform or to showcase multiple reviews at once.

Instagram’s potential advertising reach is 849.3 million users. Tools like carousel ad posts help you make the most of that reach!

You can set your target audience and goals for each individual post. This allows you to maximize the impact of your carousel ads.

Before you can create Instagram carousel ads, you’ll need to have a Facebook Business Account. Once you have an account, you’ll need to set up Facebook Ads Manager as well. Once both are set up, follow these steps to create your first Instagram carousel ad.

  • From Ads Manager: follow the steps to Create a Campaign, (goals + target audiences)
  • In the Ad section, under Format, select Carousel
  • Select Instagram Feed from the formatting toolbar. 
  • Upload your images or videos. You can also add a headline, description, and website URL ad this stage.
  • Review your placement and tracking and confirm your Ad.

Post Your Carousel Posts to Instagram 

Now that you know how to create Instagram carousel posts, it’s time to start using them to connect with your followers and show off your latest products, services, reviews, and more!

With Tailwind’s new carousel post support feature, you can upload and schedule your carousel posts easier than ever before!

Schedule Instagram carousel posts with Tailwind App

Simply upload your carousel hero image to drafts, and then click to upload each additional image. Drag and drop them to check the order, and schedule for the best time!

When it’s time to post, we’ll take care of the heavy lifting for you by automatically publishing your carousel to Instagram – no push notification necessary!

You can simply select and post your new creation! Want to try it for yourself? Sign up for a free trial of Tailwind for Instagram– no credit card required!

Whether you want to showcase your latest collection or sell more on Instagram, or use the auto posting tool – we can help you make the most of your Instagram marketing.

Pin Me For Later


Curious about Instagram carousel posts and how to use them? This quick guide covers everything you need to know.

11 Tips to Boost Your Instagram Marketing Strategy

Having a well-planned and researched Instagram marketing strategy can give your brand a serious boost. You may not have one in place just yet, but it’s never too late to get started. If you don’t know what to include in yours, use these tips to create a marketing plan that will put you on top.

1. Create Shoppable Instagram Posts

(Source: https://www.instagram.com/shopbando/)

If you sell products online, take advantage of the tools Instagram has available for you. Tagging products on Instagram makes it much easier for potential customers to get the information they need in seconds. They no longer have to go to your website and look for the item they’re interested in just to see the price. Instead, a tagged post will show them that information and link them to the product if they’re ready to purchase.

If you’re not already using shoppable pins as part of your Instagram marketing strategy, you could be missing out on tons of potential sales. Another thing to keep in mind is that you want to be sure you’re using the best quality images to drive attention to your products. To get great images of these and attract the right attention to your shoppable posts, consider using mockups.

If you sell mugs, for example, using a coffee mug template means you can save time and money by forgoing a photoshoot altogether. Simply upload your design on to the mockup, download it, and it’s ready to post.

2. Use Stories to Capture Your Audience

Whether you run a personal brand or a small business, Instagram Stories for business are definitely worth checking out. It’s no secret that feed posts are on the decline thanks to the popularity of Stories. Influencers and big brands alike have resorted to posting less often on their feed and instead are spending more time posting to their Stories.

Since Stories are easy to post and allow you to get creative with your content, they’re definitely something you should include in your Instagram marketing strategy. On top of this, they also have great reach, which can help you attract and retain more followers.

Instagram Stories can be an image or a video, and both are easy to create. If you want to create video content but are scared you don’t have the skills to pull it off, you can use a quick video maker. Since these already have the right dimensions, you have one less thing to worry about when designing your content.

Instagram also has plenty of add-ons to make your Stories even more interesting. Feel free to play around with their text options, gifs, music, and stickers to make your posts more fun and aesthetically pleasing.

3. Use All the Space You Have

Instagram gives you tons of different spaces in which to post content. Your best bet is to make the most of each space. It’s true that Instagram Stories get lots of attention but the regular feed is still important! Be sure to post at least a couple times a week while creating content for your Stories.  On top of this, you can also create longer-form videos for your IGTV. Instagram Live is another option you can use to reach your followers. This is great for events, behind the scenes footage, and Q&A type features. 

Don’t forget about the power of ads as well. Using your Instagram business account, you can create ads for a couple of different spaces, so don’t limit yourself to basic posts.

As you get to work on your different posts, keep in mind that each space serves a different purpose. This means you should create different types of content for each one that makes sense for that space. For example, shorter videos are great for Stories while longer ones make more sense for IGTV.

Another thing to keep in mind is the size limitation each space has and the orientation of the video or image you want to post. Posting a horizontal image on Stories, for example, likely won’t have the visual impact you’re after.

4. Get Viewers to Interact With You by Adding Stories to Your Instagram Marketing Strategy

Getting your followers to interact with you on your feed posts may not be as easy as it seems. However, with the Stories option, this is way easier to achieve.

Stories offer tons of features that can help make posts more interactive, which makes it easier to get a response from followers. You can run a poll, ask your followers a question, post a quiz, include an emoji slider, and allow replies. All of this makes it easy for your followers to interact with you without too much commitment. If you do get replies from your followers, don’t just leave them hanging. Reply back to foster even more interaction.

5. Optimize Your Profile and Content

We all know that hashtags can help your posts get discovered more easily, but are you using the right ones? For the best results, use a combination of trendy hashtags as well as some with fewer posts. Since trendy hashtags may be full of tons and tons of posts, the smaller ones can ensure your content doesn’t get lost in the masses. Don’t forget to also add hashtags to your bio and your Stories!

Another thing to keep in mind is that keywords can also make a difference when used in your profile and in your posts. With the changes being made to the Explore page, it’s very likely that these will come into play. In the past, this may have looked like a jumble of posts, but there is now more organization to it. With the introduction of the categories on the top of the Explore page, optimizing your content is more important than ever.

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6. Use Text-Based Images

(Source: https://www.instagram.com/jackieriveraaa/)

Have you noticed brands posting images of tweets in their Stories and in their feed? These types of posts and those that feature memes are super popular. No matter who you are or what your brand is, there are bound to be some you can use to get more attention for your profile.

If you also have a Twitter account, you can use your mentions on Twitter to find the perfect content for your feed. A great example of this is Glossier’s roundup of Tweets that they post to their Instagram Stories.

Another way to tackle this is by using text-based images that are designed for your brand. Think more artsy designs and graphic, typography-based designs. These will often include a message that aligns with your brand and that reflects it through your use of color and imagery.

7. Design a Branded Feed

When it comes to Instagram, it’s important that you find your aesthetic and stick with it. By doing this, you can let viewers know it’s you at a glance. They shouldn’t have to look at the account name to know the post belongs to you.

To achieve this, you can stick to a color palette or a couple of different styles when it comes to the type of images and videos you post. Take your time to find your aesthetic so that it’s something that represents your brand perfectly.

For a branded look, try to stick to the color palette used in your logo. This is a better option than putting your logo on your images because you want them to look natural and not salesy. If you don’t have a logo yet, use an online logo maker to design a professional one that will take your brand to the next level.

8. Personalize Your Posts

We just mentioned that branded posts are the way to go. Beyond your color palette, you can also get creative with the design of your posts by adding some additional elements to them.

An easy way to create a unique look and an aesthetic that is truly your own is by creating a design that represents your brand. A lot of brands are achieving this through doodles they add over their images, personalized filters, or other artsy flairs that separates their posts from the norm.

9. Post User-Generated Content

User-generated content is always a great idea, no matter what social media platform you’re working on. If you’re not familiar with user-generated content, this basically refers to images, messages, art, and any other content that your users send to you or that they tag with your brand’s hashtags.

If someone has mentioned your brand in a funny tweet, if they’ve posted an image wearing your products, or if they’ve created a video reviewing your items, sharing this with your followers can be powerful. Of course, you first want to get permission to share this content. Your followers will appreciate it because they know you’re listening and are interested in interacting with them.

If you don’t have any of this, you can ask your customers to share images of themselves with your products using a certain hashtag or even run a contest on your profile to encourage them to share user-generated content.

10. Get Into the Augmented Reality Game

(Source: https://www.instagram.com/sanrio/)

One of the biggest Instagram trends you shouldn’t ignore right now is AR. Augmented reality may sound quite serious, but it can offer Instagram users a fun way to interact with your brand even if they’re not a customer or a follower yet.

Examples of AR include those fun filters you’ve probably seen all over Instagram for a while now. If you’re a makeup brand, you can create a filter that allows people to see what they would look like with the different lipstick colors you offer. If you sell items like handbags, you can also create a filter that allows people to see what one of your purses would look like with their outfit before they commit to purchasing it.

11. Don’t Ignore TikTok (Develop it Alongside Your Instagram Marketing Strategy)

TikTok is known for being the social network that is basically an extension of Instagram. Instead of creating a curated feed that looks effortless and at the same time impressive, TikTok is all about production and doing the most.

Young people love it but TikTok isn’t just a trend for them. There are plenty of brands and bloggers who are jumping on the bandwagon and having fun with this platform. It’s also no longer just for individuals, so you can definitely use TikTok to take your brand further by including it in your marketing plan.

If you’re thinking TikTok has nothing to do with Instagram, that’s not quite true. TikTok style videos are hugely popular, so they’re definitely influencing the content being posted on Instagram. Don’t shy away from these trends. You can expect Instagram to include more features inspired by this platform sooner rather than later.

Master Instagram in No Time

With these tips, you’ll be more than ready to create your Instagram marketing strategy. Which tips are you most excited to try out? Share your thoughts and other tips that have worked for you with us in the comments!

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About the Author:

Roberta Camarena is a marketing professional with expertise in organic content creation. She is currently a content marketer at Placeit and has several years of experience in social media marketing and content writing. Her background in education and communications have led her to many diverse writing positions. On the weekends, you can find her at a neighborhood cafe getting some writing done and getting distracted by dogs.