Hello 2022!! A new year can feel like a fresh start for a lot of us and with that comes a lot of goal setting. 

Or if you’re like us, whether you’re into resolutions or not, setting new goals is always fun! But setting the goal is only half the battle, next comes taking action!

What better way to kick off the new year than to revamp or improve your Instagram feed? We put together 5 simple steps to improving your Instagram feed that you can start today!

1. Plan Posts Ahead Of Time

This step can be used across the board for just about any goal. The key to success is planning ahead. 

We don’t subscribe to the idea that you should be posting 3 kinds of posts, 3 times a week – or whatever “Instagram rules” you may have seen online. The thing is that the specifics don’t matter as much as figuring out what will work for YOU! 

You still have a business to run and life to live aside from posting on Instagram. Brainstorm what kind of posts you want to create. Will your feed have a theme? Where will you get imagery or graphics to post? How often will you post? 

So, take a look at your calendar and set aside some time that works for you to create, schedule, and post on a consistent basis.

A great tool that we like to use for visually planning and scheduling posts is Planoly! Planoly is an official Instagram Partner and has been paving the way for businesses of all sizes to effortlessly carry out their social media strategies, helping you draft, plan, schedule, and publish content. 

2. Post Consistently 

Which brings us to our next point, posting consistently! Planoly can help you with this as well. 

Any effort you put into building your Instagram following and authority can easily be lost by not posting consistently. We don’t claim to be experts in social media or the Instagram algorithm, but we do know that the social platform rewards its users for consistent activity. 

Your posts don’t have to be fancy, they just need to be consistent and on-brand. 

That being said, making sure the style of your posts flows in harmony with each other is also important. A consistent Instagram theme is not just about the colors in your posts, it’s also about what you talk and post about. And remember, always use your brand voice when writing captions. 

Once you figure out how you want your feed to look, batching content and scheduling posts can help to put your Instagram on autopilot (at least for a little while!)  

3. Utilize Free Apps 

There are so many amazing free tools out there that can help to improve your Instagram feed! From planning and scheduling apps like Planoly to graphic design tools and more, you have excellent resources to use. 

Instagram itself has photo editing tools, however, there are others that are free as well, such as VSCO, Lightroom, and many others. 

Canva is an excellent tool for creating graphic posts, with free templates you can customize to meet your needs.

Planner apps like Planoly or Later allow you to batch content creation and schedule the posts to publish automatically at a later date. This can help you visualize your feed as well as create a consistent posting schedule!

4. Integrate Branded Photography

We’ve discussed the benefits of brand photography before and we stand by our recommendation! Brand photography can and should be used beyond your website. Using branded photos across social media as well creates a consistent brand experience for your audience, while also giving a professional and trustworthy essence to your social feed!

This gives the audience a peek into who is behind your business and what you do day in and day out!

5. Use a Thoughtful Tone of Voice

As we previously mentioned, consistency is important beyond the frequency of your posts. Representing your business and brand not only occurs visually but also through words. On a website, we use an on-brand tone of voice throughout the copy and the same should be done in the captions of your Instagram posts! 

However you decide to express your business’ brand, whether professional, witty, or something in between, have fun using words to connect with your audience!