Five Tips for Taking Great Instagram Pictures
Social media is ever-changing, but one thing is always true: great content matters. Instagram is no different. In this blog, we dive into five tips for great Instagram pictures.
1. Stay true to your brand
Instagram is a fantastic platform to showcase your brand personality visually. Like all content, your visuals should be rooted in brand strategy. Is your brand fun and youthful? Post vibrant, trendy images relating to your mission. Is your brand professional and experienced? Pick sophisticated images reflecting your product or services. No matter what your brand voice is, be sure to be authentic with your pictures.
Original content is always best, so stay away from stock images. A smart way to source original content is to reach out directly to your team members, clients, volunteers and other Ideal Advocates to share images. You can ask them to share by using a specific hashtag, tagging your profile or utilizing a text-to-send feature like Fervor utilizes with HeyOrca.
2. Photography 101
You don’t need an expensive camera to take great pictures. In fact, your phone is a powerful tool because you can capture live moments, anytime. Three tips for upping your photography game:
Rule of thirds: Ever seen a grid on your camera or screen? That grid is a guide for the “rule of thirds,” a trick to taking dynamic pictures. The rule states that your subject should be at one of the four intersection points on the grid. For example, say you’re taking a picture of someone at their office desk. Rather than placing the person in the center of the photo, move your camera to place them right or left of center. This creates a compelling picture that often reveals interesting detail about your subject’s surroundings.
Remember lighting: Lighting can make or break an image. If your surroundings are dim, your smartphone flash won’t cut it. Get creative and try to move your subject to natural lighting.
Take horizontal images: When using your smartphone, remember to rotate your phone horizontally. This makes it easier to edit or crop when you post on Instagram.
3. Keep shooting!
When taking photos, more is more. Take extra shots so you have a wide variety of choices for your Instagram post. Try a variety of tight (detail) shots, medium shots and wide or “scene setter” shots. Instagram allows you to create a “carousel” of images with your posts, so these extra pictures can help you tell a comprehensive story.
4. Keep it simple
Resist the urge to use different Instagram filters for every picture on your page. Just like your brand messaging, your visuals should be consistent and on-brand. If you find yourself overfiltering to compensate for a bad image, pick a different image instead. Simple is best, so stick with what is authentic to your brand.
5. Post captions
A picture can be meaningless without context. Context creates a richer, more engaging Instagram post, which is especially important with the platform’s new algorithm. Instagram is now paying attention to how much time users spend on posts. The longer they stay on your post, the more likely it is that Instagram will prioritize your content. And don’t forget to include the who, what, where and why of the image.
Hashtags are also #essential. Utilize a blend of brand and campaign specific hashtags, industry-specific hashtag and trending hashtags to your Ideal Advocates find your content.
At Fervor, strategy is at the heart of everything. If your Ideal Advocates are on Instagram, these five tips can help you make the most of this engaging platform. To stay up-to-date with the social media changes, digital resources and more, subscribe to the Fervor newsletter below.