Have you ever heard the phrase “doing it for the grid” and wondered what it meant?
The “grid” in question refers to the rows and columns of images on your Instagram profile page. Not only does it show the history of what you’ve posted, but it also plays a key role in whether people decide to follow you or not.
In fact, most people will form their opinion of you and your brand based ONLY on your most recent 9-12 posts!
Don’t believe me? Go to your business or nonprofit’s Instagram profile and quickly glance at the first 3-4 rows of the grid. If you didn’t know anything else about this brand, what would you assume they do or sell or offer based on the first 9-12 images you see? Would you be impressed?
“Doing it for the grid” is all about being mindful of the images you choose beyond each individual post and thinking about them in the broader context of your Instagram grid as a whole.
(Full disclosure: since my Good + Social Instagram account is just getting started, my grid still has a LONG way to go, but the images I’ve chosen so far have been very grid-intentional. Check it out in a few weeks and let me know what you think of the progress!)
Here are a few tips that will get you (and me!) going on a grid that gets results:
Plan your posts ahead of time so you can see how your next 9-12 posts will work together on your grid. (Free tools like Planoly and Later are great for this.)
Use a variety of images and caption topics within those 9-12 posts that reflect the core aspects of your brand. If your business is a fun gastropub, you’re probably going to want to include images of your amazing food, unique beers on tap, people gathering with friends, awesome people who work there, and other visuals that show off the full scope of your brand. Remember, it’s not enough to tell people who you are and what you’re about — you have to visually show them, too.
Don’t worry about having a perfectly curated grid. While checkerboard and multi-photo collage grids were all the rage a few years ago, audiences today generally prefer authentic content over something that’s super-slick. You want your grid to be visually appealing and have a consistent look and feel, but it doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective.
Have questions or need help creating the “perfect” Instagram grid for your brand (i.e., one that will convert profile page visitors into new followers)? Send me a message — I’m always happy to help.