This month in my new membership community, we’ve been talking a lot about colour and how it can be used in branding – how it can send a message, create an emotion, and make people stop and notice you.

With social media we have a huge opportunity to create an impact through our visual branding. And Instagram – with its grid design – has the ability to do this more than any other platform.  With that in mind I thought I’d talk about why it pays to create a unique Instagram aesthetic that reflects your brand – one that’s pleasing to look at.  I deliberately didn’t use the word ‘pretty’ there because IG feeds don’t need to look pretty – there’s enough pressure on us to fit into a certain mould without adding that to our bucket – but I DO believe that feeds should be cohesive with our brands and branding, and visually pleasing to look at.  And here are my reasons why:

1. By creating an Instagram aesthetic that reflects your brand, you are creating a UNIQUE look that no one else has, assuming you are using your own brand elements, and to a large extent your own images. In my opinion, stock is fine but keep it to a minimum – people can pick stock photos from a mile away, they’re not unique to you, and they will never be able to connect with your audience the way your own imagery will.

2. When people visit your profile page you want to give them a great first impression, one that will make them want to hang around and check you out further. Not only do you want to appear professional, but the colours you use, the layout, tone, and overall feeling of your grid will either make people want to stay or go.

3. Sticking to an aesthetic that’s cohesive and consistent will create brand recognition – people will start to associate your business with a particular colour theme and style. Over time you may even become instantly recognisable thanks to your unique brand aesthetics, and when you become memorable in this way, people are more likely to think about you and mention you to others.

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Here’s an example of one of my photography clients, Deb Kleinert, who after our branding shoot together has been able to transform her IG feed from one that wasn’t cohesive with her brand style, to one that not only reflects her brand and is visually nice to look at, but she told me she also now finds it much easier to create content and show up on her feed because she has her own branded image library to pull from.

Deb’s feed after her shoot (left) and before her shoot (right):

And I’ve seen so many of my clients do the same – Nicole Vine Personal Stylist, Lisa Stafford and Emma McQueen are just a few of my photography clients who have all worked hard to create a cohesive brand across all of their visual assets (not just their IG feeds) that reflects their brand style and voice.

How do you feel about IG feeds?  Do you think they need to be visually pleasing?  What feeds are you drawn to?  And how’s your own IG feed looking?  Would you love to create a grid that’s more reflective of your brand style? If the answer’s yes then maybe we need to work together 😉

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Would you love some amazing imagery to help you stand out online?  Get in touch and let’s chat about what we could create for you. 

If you’d love to build a powerful brand, be more visible and show up more consistently online, check out my new monthly membership where I’m helping driven female business owners do just that.

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