Let us paint a scenario. You’re lounging lazily on the couch with your phone inches away from your face, nose deep in Instagram. You come across a new profile, mesmerizingly designed, and you’re hooked. Next thing you know, you’ve been scrolling for what seems like hours, you have forgotten what time it was, and you look around frantically to see if anyone witnessed you enter a parallel Insta-universe.
“Instagram stalking” at it’s finest.
But, since when did Instagram stalking get such a bad rep? As a small business, creative, or blogger, isn’t that what you want? After all, more Instagram stalking leads to more engagement. Whatever the case, in order to catch attention and deliver an experience worth stalking, your Instagram feed might need a makeover. So without further hesitation, let’s gets started with some creative Instagram layout ideas!
Instagram Layout Ideas
Pretty & Pastel
Feminine, Airy, and Light-hearted
If San Francisco’s Ice Cream Museum and soft-colored Parisian buildings are your aesthetic, a gentle pastel color scheme is your cup of tea.
For VSCO users, try out this filter combination: Filter T1 (+6), Exposure (+3), Contrast (-2), Saturation (+3), and Tint (+3).
Pastel Inspiration by @candypastel
Desert Minimalism
Earthy, Fresh, Modern
Desert-hues contrasted against a white backsplash creates texture and intrigue in it’s most true form. If you are a watercolor-enthusiast or live in the heart of the desert, this color palette has your name written all over it.
To achieve this look, the first step starts with the proper picture selection. In this case, you might try using images with a primarily white background and earthy, warm colors. From there, use VSCO with the following specifications: A6 Filter (+8), Exposure (-1), Tint (+1), and Fade (+1).
Light-Colored Inspiration by @stellamariabaer
Story Teller
Mysterious, Melodic, and Audacious
Make a statement by telling a story, image by image. You can see that each post contributes to a larger, digital art piece. What you can’t see is that each and every post has a caption alluding to the overall story.
For a distressed and vintage feel, use VSCO with the following edits: F2 Filter, Temperate (+2), Contrast (+2), Fade (+5), and Saturation (-3).
Story-Telling Inspiration by @the_oa
Lavender Gallery
Harmonious, Framed, Sophisticated
Create a border around your Instagram images to create a cohesive, gallery-inspired feed. Mix with dreamy lavender hues and you’ve got yourself a winner.
For product images, the best way to achieve this look is to purchase a light grey or lavender photography backdrop. To achieve a similar (but more faded) color scheme with non-color specific images, use the following filter on VSCO: Exposure (+2), Contrast (+2), Saturation (-3), Shadows (+6), and an optional last touch, Fade (+6).
Lavender Inspiration by @yukastudio
Color-Splashed Artist
Bold, Simple, and Unique
“Minimal” doesn’t necessarily mean boring, white walls. Where blank-space meets color-studded flat lays, you have yourself an eye-catching Instagram grid. If you’re a careful planner and artistic in nature, this Instagram grid is sure to keep followers scrolling. And scrolling. And scrolling.
To get these bold and simple designs on your Instagram feed, we suggest creating your own images, purchasing colored backdrops to photograph in front of, and increasing the saturation!
Bold Inspiration by @aurelycerise
Neapolitan Checkerboard
Classy, Text-Heavy, Rhythmic
If text-heavy is your thing, then you should try a checkerboard or diagonal patterned feed. Plus, you can design all of the posts yourself to match the branding of your company. Opportunities are endless!
To create an Instagram feed similar to this, we suggest using a simple design platform like Canva – perfect for Do It Yourself-ers.
Neopolitan Inspiration by @bossbabe.inc
Make a Good First Impression
If you think about it, your overall Instagram feed is your first impression, your handshake, or your business card. It is the first thing that Instagrammers see when they visit your profile and in a matter of seconds, they will decide whether to follow you or not. Because of this, your Instagram’s first impression is absolutely critical.
Additionally, after you make a good first impression, the rest of your Instagram has to follow suit. What are we talking about? Hashtags, business accounts, sponsored content, and more. Happy Instagramming!