How I Plan My Instagram Feed
I’ve been enjoying my slice of Instagram for a little over a year now. Let me tell you friends, it is so much more than just pretty squares on a social media account.
Here and on Instagram I am part of a loyal, beautiful, artistic tribe of creators who commit to having gorgeous homes. From time to time I have conversations about how to maximize the features of Instagram. Sometimes people are curious about the process I use to post, edit photos, or make stories. Well yesterday when I asked (over on IG) if anyone would be interested in my Instagram planning process it was a resounding, “Yes!”.
Think of your Instagram feed like magazine.
Give me a show of hands, who has a subscription to or ever bought a magazine? Do you see a theme that runs through the magazine? All the articles most likely point to one theme but there are various genres of content. I learned in an amazing course to view my Instagram feed in this way as well.
I can and should have various genres (subjects or topics) of content, but they all contribute to one big idea. My theme is intentional living. My genres of content include, home decor, diy projects, fashion, food, gardening, scenic photography, and the planner inserts I sell. For good measure I throw a fair bit of real #momlife and jibber jabber into the mix too.
If you want to begin to talk about how to plan your feed, you need to, on some level, connect to your IG genres or theme of content. I thrive on structure and this magazine idea was the “Ah ha!” moment I needed. Now every time I post, my content is adding layers to my theme.
Have a color palette for your feed.
I’ve seen IG feeds that make bold choices with picture borders, or everything is black and white. Other accounts regularly post quotes so their feed has a photo on every other square. Some celebrate a white foundation with pops of primary colors. If you want to make your instagram feed more pleasing to the eye choosing a color palette is a powerful way to start. This is as simple as choosing the colors around your home, or the seasonal colors of the products you are selling.
A color palette can be a little tricky to accomplish during seasonal transitions. Give yourself some advance thinking and start to add a little bit of the future color into your feed, you’ll be on point when the time comes. I like to think of season transition periods as times when you can phase in a new color palette.
Tricks for taking pictures, and having a stock of content.
Taking pictures at the same time of day, in the best natural light possible, gives me content I’m most excited about. I try to ensure that my photos have a fair amount of white space (or the color white) in them. I determine the best time of day when the lighting is strongest. Then I get my home cleanish (because let’s be real) and start taking pics. A few times a month I will take a bulk of pictures. I edit and send them over to my phone. Once I know I have a few of each genre, I begin to plan my content.
Planning my IG content
I want my instagram feed as beautiful as possible, so I use an app, called Planoly, to help me plan my posts. You certainly don’t NEED to do this to have beautiful squares. I know dozens of gorgeous accounts who don’t pre-plan their posts. Organizational nerdiness aside, I want to feel confident about the story I’m telling.
I treat my plan like I treat the budget, I have the things I must post, because they revolve around my blog content, my intentional living tools, or collaboration commitments. But I still leave margin for spontaneity in my feed. I try to have five days of posts stocked and ready as often as I can. That way if I see a leaf that is bigger than my face (cue my recent trip to Seattle) I can look for one that fits my color palette, hold it in front of my face like a mask, and do a post. Being flexible within the parameters you’ve set is also really important.
Aim for the top 9 or 12 images to visually connect
You may hear alot about your “top 9” images, that’s the first three rows of your feed. I try to always work with and plan my top nine to connect to each other the best that I can. Also thinking in terms of your top nine will also create a revolving door affect with your posts where you’ll be contributing to an overall look that impacts not just the top 9, but rows and rows beyond.
Do your thang!
There is no “quick success” when it comes to instagram marketing. Just alot of hard work and thoughtfulness. I now know PDH is at it’s best when I’m organized and intentional with my squares. I’ve tried to wing it, and that just isn’t my thing. So I say, do what works for you. I am an organizer, yes, but I love and am most excited about Instagram when I think about my journey in this way. So now it’s time to go forth and do your thang!
With hope for you and your intentional home,
