how to stop the scroll for all the right reasons

There's no getting away from it, on Instagram visual content matters. You want your feed to be scroll stopping but for all the right reasons. ⁠At the moment we are getting so much social media advice about whether we should be putting in all our efforts into Reels and whether good old fashioned photos are still relevant.  Yes to both!  A healthy Instagram account is one that uses all of the platform functionality.

Firstly let’s look at your photos, still my favourite part of Instagram and the whole reason I fell in love with the platform.  Photos are going nowhere and are still JUST as important as Reels.

⁠If your images are a load of rubbish then your audience will walk on by. They will never start engaging with you. And very unlikely to convert to customers either 🤦‍♀️⁠

Instagram is the sixth most visited site on the internet worldwide.  A lot of your audience are looking at your content on a BIG screen.  So bear that in mind when you post your photos.  We are talking about photos that are...⁠

🙅‍♀️ Blurry ⁠

🙅‍♀️ Out of focus⁠

🙅‍♀️ Pixelated⁠

🙅‍♀️ Dark and poorly lit⁠

🙅‍♀️ Over edited⁠

🙅‍♀️ Too similar to everyone else⁠

🙅‍♀️ Too samey as all the other images you post⁠

Instagram is predominately a visual platform unlike Facebook, where the words appear first and then the visual follows. You have literally seconds to make an impression visually so your images need to STAND OUT ⚡️⁠

Your visuals are a HUGE part of what tells your story and showcases your brand personality. What do you want your images to say? I'm pretty sure it's not 'I couldn't really be bothered to stick up a decent image'.⁠

⁠We are not saying your images have to be perfect, in fact the more genuine the better. However they do need to reflect you and your brand. 📸

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have been put off a business page due to poor/low quality images

So let’s recap.  Instagram is all about the visuals.  Not the caption. The visuals. 

Yes your captions need to be valuable, engaging and informative but the initial touchpoint is going to be your images.⁠

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Once you have grabbed their attention (for the right reasons not the blurry, out of focus nonsense) then they are more likely to stick around and engage with you.⁠

⁠My top tips for keeping on top of your images on Instagram...⁠

📸 Where possible make sure your images are HIGH quality⁠

📸 Strictly avoid anything dimly lit, blurry and out of focus⁠

📸 Try and stick to a colour theme that sits with your brand⁠

📸 If in doubt invest in a personal brand photographer⁠

📸 Add a human element (faces, hands ie YOU!)⁠

📸 Aim for consistency and cohesiveness⁠

📸 Don't be repetitive/samey⁠

📸 Get creative with branded graphics⁠

📸 Only ever repost if you have permission, tags & full credits⁠

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Remember that your grid is your showcase for telling your brand's story on social media. The perfect opportunity to inject some personality into your brand.⁠

Now a blog about Instagram wouldn’t be complete without the mention of Reels.  Love them or loathe them, they are going nowhere (sorry!)  I think it’s safe to say that as a small business owner you probably understand the importance of video content in 2022.  If you haven't already dabbled with Reels you really should have a go at trying to incorporate them into your strategy (if this fills you with fear we have a whole session on Reels at our Instagram Bootcamp!)

If you are already incorporating Reels into your content (well done!) then you should be aware of a couple of changes that have taken place.  The big one being that all video you share will now be served as Reels.  This is a change that may have already hit your account. As you know Danielle and I share our account and she has had the update and I haven’t!🤯⁠

So what do you need to know then?⁠

⁠🎥 All videos and reels will appear under the same tab on your home page (the Reels one)⁠

⁠🎥 It will apply to video under fifteen minutes long⁠

⁠🎥 Next time you are filming for video think about posting it the full screen format like you would reels (9:16 dimensions). There is nothing worse than seeing the landscape version in a reel format with the doom gloomy black box round the edge!⁠

⁠🎥 Add audio if possible, this could be music, you speaking or just some sound effects⁠

If you are feeling the pressure and you need help with Instagram, have you thought about signing up to our Instagram Bootcamp? 

We love helping small businesses with optimising their social media.  If you are looking for support we are here to help.