We all dream of having the perfect Instagram. But it’s hard to produce that perfect aesthetic that we see so many influencers and celebrities creating. Last summer, when I started trying to market my personal blog, I got really into marketing on Instagram, and here are a few of the tips and tricks I learned about creating the perfect Insta profile that aren’t going to cost you any money and also don’t require you to be a world traveler with a professional camera!
Consistency is Key!
When you go to edit your pictures, consistency is key. You have to first find the edits and filters that you like the best and then use them for every picture. Depending on the app you use to edit, you can save these exact edits so that each time you get a new picture, you can just copy over your presets. I use the app VSCO, which allows me to press down on pictures I’ve already edited, copy the edits, and paste them on a new image for free! Once they are pasted on your picture, you can go make slight changes to fit that particular picture. If editing isn’t your thing but you still want that uniform look for your profile, you can buy already created presets!
If you want your profile to look cohesive, then you have to plan ahead. This means thinking about how your pictures are going to look next to each other once they are posted. This is still not something I am particularly good at, but it’s essential to getting a professional-looking page. One app you can use to help make this easier is UNUM. It allows you to upload images you plan to post and lets you see how they are going to look against your already posted pics. Cool, right?
Go the Extra Mile
A huge thing in the social media world now is adding little stickers or doodles to your pics. There are all kinds of ways you can do this. The most important thing is to play around and find your own personal style. One easy way to add fun lines and doodles is to just use the edit feature (if you have an iPhone) and mark up your picture. You can also upload your picture to Snapchat and use the drawing feature there. If you are more into stickers and graphics, then you should check out the app Over. To use this app, you need to first look up and download the graphic you want with a transparent background, then you upload that graphic and your picture to Over. There you can move around your sticker and get your picture to look exactly the way you want it. (This girl has tons of cool examples on her page if you want some inspo.)
Captions
Captions are damn near an art form. This is an extra way for you to express yourself and create your brand. It is good to keep things formatted uniformly in the captions as well as in your pictures. For example, if you use all lowercase letters (like the girl below), make sure to do it with every caption. If you are going to use emojis or hashtags, try to keep that consistent too. One last piece of caption advice: don’t overthink it!
Good luck, social media stars! As you are creating the perfect profile, don’t forget to still be true to yourself. You should post on social media to feel good about yourself and not to impress others. The only “like” that should matter is your own!