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Turn viewers into followers with a consistent Instagram grid layout. Find out the easiest way to plan and then schedule your Insta-grid.
How do you decide whether or not to follow an Instagram account? The deciding factor for most of us is assessing an Instagram account’s feed to see if it looks interesting, professional, and relevant to us.Sure, Instagram users can follow a profile because they’ve heard of the brand elsewhere. But, ultimately, the one thing that separates those Instagram accounts with a few hundred followers from those with thousands of followers is a consistent, eye-catching Instagram grid layout.After all, if a brand’s Instagram feed looked like a hot mess, would you follow it? Probably not… but then how do you create a beautiful Instagram feed? One sure-fire way is to stick to a consistent Instagram grid layout.A structured Instagram grid layout helps you plan the overall look of your feed based on each square on the grid. In this way, you can easily plan your Instagram posts in advance and create a killer Instagram feed.Keep reading to discover how to create a beautiful Instagram grid layout and take your Insta feed to the next level. Then watch as new followers flock to your new and improved Instagram profile in droves!
Why You Need to Create an Epic Instagram Grid Layout
First of all, though, why does having an awesome Instagram grid layout matter? Well, when an Instagram user lands on your page, they’re going to assess your photo grid and decide whether or not they want to follow you. Think of your Instagram grid layout like your website, a brochure, or your brand portfolio. It should command the attention of Instagram users immediately, causing them to hit that “follow” button!Think about it; if you were choosing travel brochures at a travel agency, you wouldn’t pick up one that looked sloppy and inconsistent with text that you could barely read, would you? No. You would choose the brochure that looked bright, eye-catching and professional.You should think about your Instagram content and the creation of your grid posts the exact same way. If we were to screenshot your Instagram grid right now, what would we see?Marketers, brands, and bloggers alike have long understood the importance of having a cohesive Instagram feed. Think about the brands you follow. Instagram users should be able to instantly look at an Instagram feed and decide if that brand’s Instagram content is relevant to them.If you want to grow your following, you need to show Instagram users that your Instagram grid layout is:
- Interesting and unique
- Consistent
- Relevant – this might mean that you either go super niche and use your Instagram content to target a small audience OR try to appeal to a larger (yet still relevant) audience
Having an epic Instagram grid layout means that you could start to see:
- A growing number of Instagram followers
- Increased engagement levels
- Increased clicks, leading to increased sales
- Less Instagram users unfollowing your page
A strong and cohesive Instagram grid layout establishes your branding and shows your audience exactly what to expect. Instagram users who see a baby pink color palette and soft, dreamy editing will get a different impression than if they see a feed with dark tones and moody photo editing.Neither theme is “right” or “wrong” but the key message here is consistency. Clear, consistent visual Instagram content sets the precedent that you’re a strong, professional brand with a clear idea of who you are and what you sell. Instagram users will follow you knowing that they can expect to see more amazing content.That said, keep in mind it’s not JUST about the visuals. Sure, you might be able to nab a few extra followers by having a killer Insta feed, but they won’t stick around if your Instagram content is devoid of any real purpose!
9 Ideas for Grid Layout App for Instagram Planning
- Squares Layout
- Checkerboard Feed
- Row by Row Layout
- Vertical Lines Feed
- Diagonal Grid
- Rainbow Feed
- Puzzle Layout
- Mixed Feed
- Using Borders
- How to Edit Your Photos with Sked
Got no idea what we mean by Instagram grid layout? No worries! In this article, we’ll introduce 9 types of Instagram grid layouts.And don’t forget, when planning your feed, a photo grid planner is crucial. Sked’s grid layout app for Instagram can help you plot out your grid, no matter which kind of Instagram feed you’re creating.In fact, why not try Sked right now, and experiment by trying out one of our Instagram grid layouts?All you have to do is create a few draft posts and then click on the grid planner icon on the homepage. From there, just drag your drafts across onto the grid layout app for Instagram and start plotting individual posts into your grid.Check our 9 high-impact grid template examples below.
1. One filter
This is the simplest Instagram grid layout. Simply upload individual posts one square at a time. Don’t think about the overall layout too much, but choose your feed’s core colors and filters wisely.Popular Instagram feeds have one or two prominent colors, while others use a variety of colours, but stick to one consistent filter.For example, The Minimalist (@minimaliststyle) – a luxury retailer – posts photos with a minimalist black and white aesthetic. By using a consistent visual theme, they can showcase their products through a crisp and clean brand aesthetic.
A good tip is to choose a color and aesthetic that reflects your brand’s personality. What are the best colors that can portray the essence of your brand via your Instagram account?Once you have an idea of your brand’s visual theme, then you’ll have a better idea of the color and look that each grid post should have to achieve a consistent look.To help you create a consistent feed, just use a similar photo editing style for each Instagram post to achieve a consistent look. There are countless Instagram presets you can use to achieve this. Presets are simply preset photo editing styles that can be applied to a range of images to achieve the same look. For instance, your preset style might be soft and light with high exposure. Or, it might be dark and gritty with plenty of dark, cool undertones. What you choose is up to you, as long as it stays consistent and aligns with you or your brand.There are plenty of affordable and even free photo editing tools out there that can help you achieve a specific look for your Instagram photos, such as Lightroom Mobile, VSCO, or Snapseed.
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2. Checkerboard Feed
The checkerboard grid is a popular one because it’s so simple, yet looks extremely eye-catching. This layout alternates between two colors or post types, creating a “checkerboard” look on your grid.Most Instagram users utilize this Instagram grid layout by posting a photo, then a quote (or other text), followed by a photo and another quote, and so on. This is ideal if you’re a brand or influencer who wants to send inspiring messages to your audience through text and visuals.The checkerboard feed is also super easy to execute, and gives your posting strategy an easy structure to follow! An important tip, however, is to use a consistent font and background in your quotes. You can use any color or color palette as your background, as long as you use it consistently. So, for instance, you might use candy-colored pastels for your backgrounds or you might just choose to use black like the example below.This helps you showcase your messages in a clean and orderly manner. It also helps you to achieve a coherent look and feel throughout your Instagram feed. The easiest way to start planning this grid template is by using an Instagram grid layout app. Here’s an example from @cerebralmist:
3. Row by Row Layout
This is a really interesting Instagram grid layout. It works by adding horizontal rows of three posts at a time. The most popular way to use this layout is by telling a different story in each row.As Instagram users scroll down an Instagram feed with this layout, their eyes move from left to right. In this way, it feels as if they’re browsing through a magazine.It can even be a great way to create a high-impact Instagram feed for a particular product launch or campaign.The trick to pulling off this Instagram grid template is by sharing one image split across three posts, or a similar story shared across three posts, such as text, videos, or photos. The photos on each row must be related to each other in terms of color or visual aesthetic. You don’t need to feature the same object per photo, but ideally, each row should have the same visual aesthetic.Personal Journal app (@personaljournalapp) rigorously implements this Instagram grid layout. In one row, there are photos of different objects with the same visual theme, followed by another row with a series of quotes. Meanwhile, the last row features a series of plants.
Another example is Mel Vanderluis (@mvandersluis). The prominent color in the first row is green, followed by another row featuring beach photos. The last row showcases images of sunsets with pink and orange hues.
Although this Instagram grid layout looks great, the downside is that you have to post three photos at the same time. This requires more planning, but the end result is worth it. You can easily pull this layout off by using a grid layout app for Instagram. Of course, we’re partial to Sked’s Visual Planner, which helps you plan, rearrange, and even schedule posts according to what looks the most aesthetically pleasing!
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4. Vertical Lines Feed
On the flip side of this, the vertical lines feed is also pretty popular on Instagram and it’s easy to see why – it’s incredibly striking!The trick to pulling off this Instagram grid layout is to post quotes or text-based posts with a consistent background in the middle of your feed to create the appearance of a vertical line down the feed. You can use this technique to post any set of relevant images, as long as they have the same visual aesthetic or theme, such as a white background with the same text style.One example is @elskabody – a brand selling non-toxic skin products with all-natural ingredients. The middle column of her feed contains posts with framed quotes.@elskabody‘s Instagram account also has objects on the left and right rows that complement each other. Since her audience’s eyes are drawn to the middle, this layout is very effective at enticing them to keep scrolling down along the feed.
You can also make sure that the photos in each row are related to each other, to make your message more apparent. @elskabody's Instagram account has objects on the left and right rows, which complement or are related with each other. Since viewers' eyes are drawn to the middle, its effective at enticing them to scroll down along the feed.
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5. Diagonal Grid
The next type of Instagram grid layout is the diagonal feed. The concept is simple; this layout features similar images or objects in diagonal lines.For example, Human Doing’s (@humandoinglife) Instagram account has used this Instagram grid layout to post confidence tips diagonally. Quotes and pictures of individuals are also arranged in the same way. You can use the grid template below to plan out your diagonal feed.
The trick is to use the same template in the grids to maintain consistency. For example, pictures that will be placed in the circle could be quotes with the same font and background, while pictures in the square would have the same filter, and so on.
It may seem like a challenge to plan all this out, but it’s actually very easy to accomplish, once you have decided on a visual aesthetic for each diagonal post.To create a template, you can experiment with tools like Canva, which features all sorts of different social media post templates. Canva can help you create a template and then you can save your template to use in order to achieve a consistent look, every time.Then simply use Sked’s grid layout app for Instagram to schedule your posts. Start your free trial today.
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6. Rainbow Feed
If you don’t want to stick to one or two core colors or filters, then why not try out the rainbow Instagram feed? With this Instagram grid layout, the core colors in the feed change as you scroll down.The rainbow Instagram feed requires a lot of effort and planning. Why? Because you have to change the filters, colors and edits, after every set of three, six, or nine photos. You also have to plan how the color transitions in each grid. But there are a few tricks to make this easier!One simple trick is to use a theme divider every time you transition to a new theme. Just upload 3 similar images that will act as a separator between images with the old theme and the new theme.You can find theme dividers @theme.separators.omg or check out #themedivider. Here’s how SALT. (@salt.hair) uses theme dividers to add variety to their images.
You can also opt to change your theme whenever you feel like it. For example, at one time, Coach’s (@coach) Instagram feed featured murals by street artists and graffiti artists in New York. Each image showcased artist’s unique vision of the Coach signature print.
A few days later, Coach posted images with a ’70s New York City theme to commemorate their SS2018 collection. The new posts were a completely different visual style to the earlier posts but, by posting in batches, the feed still looks cohesive.
If you’re a brand that sells seasonal products, you can opt for the rainbow feed and change your aesthetic as the season changes. For a smooth transition between colors, use the color wheel to help you transition from one color to the next, such as yellow to orange to red.
@thecheerfulchica is one fantastic example of the rainbow feed. For every nine photos, the prominent colors are the same, although there’s a slight change in the shade as you scroll up or down the feed. In the image below, she started with shades of blue, but as you scroll down, the shade transitions to turquoise and then to green.Of course, this type of transition requires more effort, but for some brands, it can fit in easily with different product promotions. Not only do you have to find subjects with the color you have in mind, but you also have to change the filters or editing process for every nine photos or so. That said, if you have a consistent photo editing filter, this makes things much easier.To make it easier still, you can add inspirational “filler” posts that still fit in with your feed; for instance, you could post an image of a tropical island beach to match a blue-themed feed.
Of course, this type of transition requires more effort. Not only do you have to find subjects with the color you have in mind, but you also have to change the filters or editing process for every 9 photos, 12 photos or more. Otherwise, the transition won't look good.
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7. Puzzle Layout
The puzzle layout is one of the hardest Instagram grid layouts to execute and maintain but looks phenomenal when done well. It features a single image that’s split across multiple images that combine to create a larger picture. After they’re split, each individual part is posted on Instagram to recreate its larger version.The downside to this layout is that, ideally, every single image should be able to stand out on its own after you split it. Otherwise, people who see the single post on their newsfeed won’t understand it within a larger context. Your engagement will decrease as a result.If you don’t want to use the puzzle layout regularly, that’s okay too! In fact, the puzzle feed is ideal if you’re just launching your page on Instagram as it makes a bold statement. After that, if it’s too hard to maintain, you could slowly transition back to a particular color theme.One example of the puzzle layout in action is from Jana’s (@twigyposts). She posts photos that are each a part of a whole, so it’s interesting to scroll down to see how these photos fit together.
You could also split one image into several photos to be posted separately. Once all the pieces are reposted on your Instagram account, you’ll end up with a high-impact feed that would be hard not to notice! Here’s an example from Human Doing Life (@humandoinglife).
Remember; it’s crucial that you use consistent filters and colors in the photos in the puzzle. Before splitting your image, edit it in Photoshop and add the filters you want.The puzzle layout can be a little tricky to pull off successfully. We highly recommend using Sked’s grid layout app for Instagram to get every detail right.
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Mixed Feed
Once you’ve chosen an Instagram grid layout, you don’t need to stick to it forever. Instead, you can use a variety of grid layouts in your feed. For instance, Human Doing Life (@humandoinglife) started with a puzzle grid layout.In later posts, they adopted the row-by-row grid. Photos in one row featured quotes, while the other rows featured book signings and events.
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9. White boarders
Want to make your Instagram feed appear consistent, with the least amount of time and effort? Instead of opting for a similar visual aesthetic every time, you can stick to a border instead. Adding borders to your photos can easily be achieved using Sked’s grid layout app for Instagram and our professional photo editor – but more on that later!A white border is a great idea if you have photos or objects with different colors. Let’s say you’re a brand that sells products that are predominantly yellow, blue, and black. Adding a white border makes your overall feed look consistent, despite the obvious differences in each photo.For example, ElskaBody (@elskabody) – a business that specializes in natural bath and body care – is a faithful follower of the white border. Although their products have different color schemes, the border makes each photo look and feel like it’s a part of the brand.Just keep in mind that this effect does reduce the impact of your image on the Instagram feed, so if you’re, say, a photographer, this might not be the best option for you..
What About Instagram Stories?
When it comes to your Instagram Stories, what should you do? Do you need to stick to a consistent aesthetic?Thankfully, Instagram Stories have been designed with instant sharing in mind, which means that, unlike Instagram grid posts, users will forgive you if your content isn’t super polished.Instagram Stories don’t need to live on your feed (unless you’re turning your content into a Reel), so you don’t need to apply the same stringent editing methods to your Instagram Stories as you do your Insta feed posts.Use your Instagram Stories as a place to experiment and test new things. Just keep in mind that any Instagram content you create still needs to be interesting, unique, relevant to your audience, and on-brand.
How to Edit Your Photos with Sked
Whatever Instagram grid layout you choose, it’s critical that you edit your photos. You might need to make your core colors more apparent or use a specific filter to maintain a consistent look. This can be challenging if you’re not a photographer or haven’t gotten used to photo editing yet.There are so many photo editing tools out there, but these often come at an additional cost, which doesn’t always make sense for small businesses or social media managers trying to keep costs down.Sked Social is an affordable, all-in-one social media management tool. With our advanced Image editor, you can crop photos, choose frames, add stickers, apply filters, and more.
Once you’re satisfied with the photo, you can simply add it to your Queue, save it as a draft or schedule it for a specific time or date. This helps you streamline your social media management processes so you can get things done (and start seeing results!) faster.
If you want to try it out, then go ahead! Sked offers a free 7-day trial.
Over to You
Whether you’re creating a puzzle feed or sticking to a specific border using a grid layout app, the most important thing to remember about your Instagram grid layout is consistency.Also, don’t forget to stick to an aesthetic that aligns with your brand. Is your brand minimalist? Luxurious? Bold? Either way, create content that matches your brand personality.Take the easy route by signing up for a grid layout app for Instagram. That way, you can create grid posts that have a coherent look and feel, quickly and easily.
Sked Social’s Visual Grid Planner makes it easy to plan your grid posts. Simply drag and drop your pics and rearrange them as you see fit. The planner will show you a preview of what your Instagram feed will look like with your upcoming posts in place.
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