Whoever says “don’t judge a book by its cover” – especially online – is delusional. I hate to say it and seem shallow, but aesthetics matter. Especially when the average attention span these days is 8 seconds long.
And there’s a good reason we use Instagram daily – to be inspired by the beauty and curious perspectives others have on the world. If you’d love to be one of those instagrammers who charms with amazing content, this post is for you. You’re going to learn to develop a cohesive visual style and tell stories that captivate viewers and make them want to follow
you.
So… what is a visual style?
Basically, a style is a consistent and cohesive look of your account. A unique feel that creates a specific set of emotions that your brand is recognized by. Think of it as a mix of personality, visual appeal and promise.
To refine your visual style on Instagram, you must answer these questions:
- What do you want to photograph / communicate?
- How do you want to photograph / communicate?
- Why do you love to do it?
These are the core elements of your visual style. The clearer you answer these questions, the better you distill your unique style.
Developing your style
Here are four IG account examples to help you get started:
As you can see, each of these feeds has a unique feel and vibe to it that is easily recognizable. You “know” what each account is about. The easier you can figure the theme out, the stronger that account’s style is. So basically, what style really is just a signature look that is immediately recognized among hundreds of other images.
Here are three simple steps to help you develop your own unique style:
1. Set the visual tone.
Take a look at some of your best pieces of content and naming 2-3 visual and emotional adjectives. Some visual attributes could be neutral, warm, saturated, minimalist, dark. Some emotional characteristics could be playful, curious, dreamy, mysterious.
Analyze your existing content and chances are you’ll identify a few patterns you can use from now on. How does your feed to look like? Dark, playful, minimalist, dreamy? The tone and mood you want to communicate will dictate the color palette and type of content you’ll be using.
2. Choose your color palette.
Choose 3 – 5 colors and stick to them. This is going to be your color palette. Take another look at the four feeds above. You’ll see that they all have a very distinct color scheme and vibe. You can notice the same color palette in all of their photos. This is how you too can achieve a cohesive look and feel for your Insta feed.
From now on, pay more attention to the colors in your photos, the textures in the background, the light, the outfits, the lines and shapes. In terms of a color palette, the easiest to get started is to just use the same filter over and over again, to create a unified look for your feed.
3. Pick a theme.
A theme is somewhat similar to the visual tone, but it’s a bit more palpable in the sense that you pick a handful of topics to cover and stay away from everything else. Ask yourself:
- What do you want your Insta feed to be known for?
- What do you find yourself attracted to the most?
- What are you most curious about?
Choose 3 – 5 topics you enjoy most and make your posts about these things only. When someone scrolls through your feed, they must immediately “get it”. You want them to perceive your feed as a whole, not just as a bunch of random shots thrown together.
Stories matter
Another strong reason why everyone loves Instagram is because it’s a very slick storytelling platform. It allows you to share your stories in a super creative way. When designing your Insta Stories, keep your brand’s personality in mind, meaning the theme, the color palette and the overall vibe. Remember, you want to create a unified experience for your audience.
The easiest way to do that is to use the same colors as in your daily posts. If the preset IG colors don’t match your palette, use the eyedropper tool lets you access every color within your Instagram Stories photo, so you can easily match your text or doodles to your brand
colors.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by now you’ve come to realize how important style is on Instagram. To successfully promote yourself or your brand on a visual platform such as Insta, you absolutely must build an instantly recognizable presence. From your overall feed to the individual pieces of content that you share, each one should speak the same visual language and help you and your brand become memorable.
Your overall feed, follower engagement and loyalty are only as strong as the content you publish. That’s why it’s crucial to develop your own Instagram visual style and make no exceptions. Use these guidelines to start creating an Insta feed that not only engages your audience, but also reflects your style, values and passions
Sarah Williams is an online entrepreneur from Berlin, Germany. She also works as a lifestyle blogger, helping men to achieve their highest potential in social interactions and work. Check out her blog Wingman Magazine and become one of over half million monthly readers!