Some Instagram grids look like a collage of photos selected by throwing a dart at a wall while blindfolded. Others look like they've been carefully curated by Stuart Comer. I think it's safe to say that most brands and businesses would like to aim for the latter. It all starts with understanding what it takes to build a strong brand.
A strong brand contains many layers, one of them being its visual identity. This visual identity is made up of its own layers, such as its imagery or logo design. Integrating this visual identity into your brand can look many different ways. Although a social media grid may seem like a small part of your brand, it can have a mighty impact on the presence of your visual identity.
Some Instagram grids can be lackluster when it comes to the integration of their brand into their social grids, but Topo Chico Hard Seltzer has taken the initiative to ensure that this isn’t the case for them. As soon as you land on their profile, you immediately notice a strong brand presence with the photos and graphics that have been curated for their page. You’ll notice that even though most photos have been taken by users and seemingly chosen at random, they are still all cohesive. Even the graphics that are sprinkled into the grid are branded and further strengthen the presence of their visual identity. Take note of the colors used throughout the grid and you’ll notice a balanced use of their signature yellow and green. The imagery also blends well from photo to photo, using the same aesthetic throughout and consistently having the product but being the center of attention.
Another great example of a well conducted Instagram grid is Ray-Ban. With a well integrated visual identity, they’ve managed to collect photos and integrate that identity in a variety of ways. The result is a feed in which every single post feels like it belongs to Ray-Ban. In some photos, they’ve integrated their logo in a loud and bold way. In other photos, they’ve let the image take the lead while the logo simply makes an appearance. They’ve not only included various visual brand integrations, but they’ve also ensured to keep a balance between them all. Collectively, all of these aspects create an Instagram grid which strengthens their visual identity overall.
Find out what is unique to your brand, and how you can best integrate it into your Instagram grid. Not only will this give your audience a sense of security, but it will also help solidify your brand’s look and feel. Ultimately, anything your brand is attached to can be used as leverage to strengthen your visual identity. Your Instagram grid is just one of the opportunities to do so, and a great option for brands that are looking to gain brand awareness.
