Oh Instagram. I definitely have a love-hate relationship with this platform. As a normal social media user, I love scrolling through all of the beautiful images and feeling inspired to make cute desserts, find the perfect summer outfit or buy some flowers at Trader Joe’s. However, as a blogger, it’s a constant puzzle trying to figure out what content connects with your followers, which hashtags will be most beneficial, why your engagement has plummeted, etc. There is a lot of work and strategy that goes into it, which kind of takes the fun out of an otherwise enjoyable social media platform. Although some of these things are out of our control, one thing you can control is the content you create. This includes creating a cohesive Instagram feed and being consistent with your style and colors.
Shop this outfit:
Cami | Skirt c/o SheIn | Denim Jacket, similar | Purse | Sandals | Watch
Statement Necklace c/o Happiness Boutique
(use code treatsandtrendsblog for 10% off orders over $20 before July 13, 2017)
When potential followers first glance at your feed it only takes a split second to decide whether or not they will hit the “follow” button. I prefer to follow accounts that share high-quality images and have a consistent style, like Happily Grey, LivvyLand and A Cozy Kitchen just to name a few. Part of creating your brand is figuring out a personal editing style and being instantly recognizable is a sign of success. It’s taken me a while to figure out “my look” but after 5 years of blogging I’ve realized that it’s easiest for me to create light, bright and white images. Some bloggers have dark, moody photos which I love, but I never figured out how to emulate those. Instead I found what works for me and have stuck with it.
Since my Instagram feed is very light and airy, I have to be picky about the backgrounds I choose. For outfit photos I prefer simple white walls, like the marble building we shot in front of for this post. Sometimes I’ll find really cool street art that’s dark and has a busy pattern, but I’ll have to pass because it would stick out too much on my feed. Before posting to Instagram I use an app called Mosaico to see how the image will blend with the rest of the photos. You can drag and drop several images to plan out your feed in advance. If the photo doesn’t match the overall aesthetic I’ll share it in my stories or another social media platform.
In addition to the backgrounds, I also try to keep my outfits light and neutral. This is my typical style anyways, so it’s not too difficult to be consistent. This skirt immediately caught my eye because of the color and feminine, scalloped edges. Some pieces just scram “Treats and Trends” to me and this was one of those items. This outfit fits in perfectly with my feed since I post a lot of white and blush. I also like how this statement necklace from Happiness Boutique ties in with the colors and adds some glam. If I do have a brighter, bold item, like the peach and red dress in this post, I’ll make sure to balance it out with a simple, white background. It also helps to have a defined sense of style. The women who follow me probably like my girly outfits and would be confused if I wore something really edgy because that’s not what they expect from my Instagram feed. Of course my style somewhat varies depending on my mood, where we’re going, etc. but overall it’s pretty consistent. And what have we learned from this post? Consistency is key ;)
I hope these tips helped! Do you guys try to create a cohesive Instagram feed? I would love to hear what works for you in the comments and you can click here to follow me on Instagram!
