Whether you’re a solopreneur, freelancer, blogger or small business owner, I’ve written this post to help you understand how to create an audience-attracting branded Instagram account for your business.
I’ve actually rebranded the Instagram account for The Creatives Desk @creativesdesk three or four times since I first created it in 2020.
Now I don’t mean I just changed my color scheme or fonts, I also adapted my messaging and the way I present and promote my offers.
After all, branding isn’t just about color palettes, trendy fonts, and a cool logo. Those are all very important and can make you stand out but design alone isn’t going to help you build a brand on social media that people will remember.
What Makes a Brand Attractive on Instagram?
There are a lot of things that contribute to a stand-out brand on Instagram.
Let’s look at some aspects of branding that can make a big difference to helping you attract and grow an audience on Instagram.
Making a good first impression – From your profile image to your color scheme, any imagery should be on-brand and appealing to your target audience. A good first impression means that people will be more likely to engage with your content and follow you.
Caring about what you do – People can smell a phony a mile away. If you aren’t sincere about what you do, it will be obvious. Care about what you do and the people you do it for.
Being present – Nothing stops people from following brands on Instagram more than seeing that they haven’t posted in months. Keep a consistent posting schedule and reply to people’s comments on your posts.
Standing out and being memorable – Great brands have that certain something that makes them stand out in a sea of sameness. Be unique and find clever ways to stand out on Instagram.
Ultimately good branding works when people lean in and begin to know, like, and trust you and your business.
It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to build a great brand, know who you are, treat people well, and stand out from the crowd with great visuals and you are on your way.
Branding Tips for Instagram
Let’s look at how to get started with branding when it comes to your Instagram account.
Brand Identity
Start by defining your brand identity. Think about your target audience, your niche, and the emotions you want to evoke.
Your personality should be in alignment with your brand. If your brand is loud and screams I’m outgoing, be prepared to show up larger than life!
If your branding is demure and soft, ensure that you don’t come across like a bull in a china shop.
A brand refresh might be needed if your current branding doesn’t align with how you want your brand to be perceived.
Ensure your brand messaging is consistent across all touchpoints, from your Instagram bio to your posts and stories. Basically this means asking yourself, does all your content sound like you?
Visual Appeal
I’ve already mentioned posting consistently, yet another part of that, is being consistent with the look and feel of what you’re posting.
If you want your brand to look high quality and use luxury fonts for example, suddenly using lots of bold colors and bubble fonts would confuse your audience.
If you’re posting lots of unbranded content, like trending memes for example, then your Instagram feed might start to look a little messy and unprofessional.
Instead, you could consider using Canva to design social media templates to create branded memes and graphics and share those instead.
So stick to your brand’s aesthetic and color scheme as much as possible!
Branding Your Instagram Captions
Try to infuse your unique voice into your captions, engage in storytelling, and consider including one or two emojis that encompass your brand’s personality.
Whether it’s behind-the-scenes glimpses or user-generated content, every post should contribute to building a narrative around your brand.
Avoid Perfectionism
Don’t strive for post perfection – You won’t get it right all the time. If you only post when you think it’s perfect, you’ll probably barely post anything!
Plus, by embracing imperfection you are allowing your true authentic self to show – and this is what the people in your audience can connect with.
However, if you’re not confident with your design abilities (or just don’t have enough time) here’s why you should consider buying Canva templates and pre-branded graphic design kits.
Engage with Your Audience
Building a community around your brand involves active engagement.
Respond promptly to comments, messages, and actively participate in conversations within your niche.
Your brand isn’t just what you say; it’s also how you listen and interact. Create a sense of community and connection with other people to strengthen your brand, visibility and improve your reach on Instagram.
4 Examples of Beautifully Branded Instagram Accounts!
Here are some examples of businesses (big and small) I have found that have strong branding throughout their Instagram account.
1. Pure Gallus Social
I just love the color palette and bold energy that Rachel from Pure Gallus Social has in her feed. It just makes you want to know what she has to say!
I have had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely Sara, from Noname.Extrabrain, a few times over Zoom. A branding & marketing expert herself, you can see why she makes for a fabulous example!
3. Brit + Co
I really like how Brit + Co has a beautiful mix of lifestyle photos and graphics. Their feed is all about fun, creativity, and relatable content.
With mustardy tones, dark green, and a light pink color palette with the consistent use of templates, I think this is a great example of Instagram branding. As soon as you see one of her posts, it’s instantly recognizable as being from the Dreamers Collective.
I hope you’ve found the above examples inspiring…
Remember that every post, comment, and interaction contributes to the larger narrative of your brand. Consistency is key, and a well-branded Instagram profile can be a powerful asset for your online business.
Do you need help with your Instagram branding?
If you want to create a beautifully branded Instagram account for your business explore our pre-branded Instagram post Canva template collections. Effortlessly infuse your branding elements into eye-catching templates, saving you time and ensuring consistent branding across your posts