How to Create A Killer Instagram Gallery: 6 Fail-Proof Tips
Are you feeling the struggles of constantly needing to keep feeding the beast of your brand’s Instagram gallery with high quality content?
Struggle no more, pal.
Content is king. We hear it over and over again. But what happens when it’s looking less than royal? Or worse, if you feel like you’re grappling with trying to keep up a regular flow…. Can an Instagram account still grow despite publishing posts that leave something to be desired? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the answer is not really. For your business to find success on Instagram, you need to up the ante.
The photo and video social media platform was built around the premise of sharing amazing visuals. While it started off as a place where casual candids were given preferential treatment, there’s no denying that Instagram has evolved into a highly measured, exceedingly calculated, vehemently curated space (you catch my drift?). Audiences are looking to consume content that is pleasant to look at, that ignites emotion, and that tells a good story.
Running an Instagram account is the most perfect opportunity to connect with your consumers by crafting a space that is 100% representative of your brand, and then reaching them with emblematic visuals. Not doing so is a serious missed opportunity. Here’s the recipe to the secret sauce, you’re welcome. Some companies get it really wrong, while others get it oh so right.
It shouldn’t be news to you that traditional product shots are the pits on the ‘gram, no matter the industry. Your images need a context, must contribute to a narrative and have to be visually interesting.
Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
More Issues Than Vogue
Fret not, we’re here to fix your issues!
Quit faltering now because we have some really easy, simple pointers you can implement to help mend and then master a profesh gallery game. Following these tips will give you a well-rounded approach and will equip you with concrete, measurable actions to take for successful results that meet your goals. And also, because no one likes losing followers.
Let’s get to it!
1. Find What Works
Before anything goes down, you should assess what type of content resonates with your audience. You want to produce and publish images that are on-brand for your company and that your followers will feel to compelled to engage around. Dash Hudson has a really amazing tool to help you do just that. Not only is it going to help your performance, but it will also provide guidance for a a content plan, as well as rustle up photo ideas and scenarios.
2. Create Original Content
Once your Instagram strategy has been devised and your content pillars have been determined, it’s time to get down to business. While curating content is all well and good, you can’t survive on #regrams alone if you want to become an industry leader. Plan a photo shoot, whether it’s with a professional photographer — there are tons of amazing Instagrammers to choose from that will deliver sensational, IG-appropriate (read: lifestyle and candid-ish) photos — or with your own iPhone, because the iPhone cam is pretty great and it’s what Insta audiences expect.
3. Seize the Moment
So you have your brief and you may or may not already have a shoot on the calendar, but bearing in mind that a photo opp could be waiting for you around every corner is truly getting into the Instagrammer mindset. Whether you’re grabbing a cone, walking the streets of New York City, strutting past some dope walls, stumbling upon ridiculously cute canines, or whatever else might be a part of your strategy’s content pillars, always be on the lookout for a moment worth capturing.
4. Download an Editing App
Dude, if you don’t use a separate editing app for your original content, you’re doing things all wrong. There are some really good ones out there that will yield far superior results than the Instagram filters could ever dream of. If bloggers do it, you should be doing it too. It’s the least you can do for double taps.
5. Plan Ahead
The best Instagrammers and marketers plan their content ahead of time. Sure, #InstaLyfe is meant to appear spontaneous, but surviving off the cuff is no way to live. Make sure to plan out an Instagram calendar for guaranteed consistency, to avoid moments of panic, and most of all, to preview what your grid will look like. The Dash Hudson scheduler is there to fulfill all of those needs, plus doubles as a mobile traffic driver. Win-win.
6. Use UGC
Sh*t happens in life and sometimes, you can be running on near empty. You’re missing out on a lot if you don’t post good fan photos that tagged or @ mentioned your brand (emphasis on good). Not only is repurposing user-generated content a great way to fill your scheduler with posts when you’re low on original content, but it also makes your followers feel loved and driven to tag you in their posts, which in turn brings more exposure to your account. The snowball effect is real!
Stick to these 6 pointers and watch your Insta move on up in this world. Exploiting the app in all the right ways will undoubtedly result in a bigger audience, better engagement, acute brand awareness and, ultimately, more sales and growth. Definitely hit us up if you’re looking for a deeper dive, we have all the equipment!
