7 Ways to create high performing creative for Instagram

With over 95 million photos posted on Instagram daily and engagement per post growing at a rate of 53% year on year, as well as its phenomenal reach and visual storytelling capabilities, Instagram provides brands with a tremendous opportunity to reach audiences and win their attention.

If you’re unsure of how to leverage Instagram for your brand here are our top tips on how to create high-performing creatives which drive real business results:

1) SHOWCASE YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS

User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to engage audiences with content created by existing brand advocates who are raving about your brand. Posts created by your buyers attract a ton of engagement and come across as more authentic.

UGC also provides social proof that your product or service is a worthwhile investment from a trusted source. Looking for public posts which you’ve been tagged in and asking the user if you can share their content on your profile not only helps to build your credibility but also acts as an excellent way for you to tag your customers and show them your appreciation.

2) TAKE YOUR AUDIENCE BEHIND THE SCENES

Sharing behind the scenes images of upcoming events, products in the making or your company culture are great ways to peak interest and drive engagement. Instagram users love getting a first look at content, and it gives them a way to connect with your brand and get an inside scoop on what goes on behind the curtains of your business.

3) CREATE HOW TO CONTENT

Instagram users love learning about new ways to use a product, and when its fun and accessible - even better. Showing users different ways to make one of their most loved drinks, how to spice up a recipe or different ways to wear an item of clothing are all examples of how you can use Instagram to re-engage your audience, build a buzz and drive more engagement.

4) WORK WITH INFLUENCERS

Influencers are the perfect example of content creators who publish content based on their lifestyle. They also have the bonus of a loyal audience who trust their opinions.

Collaborating with influencers to incorporate images of your products into their daily routine can dramatically boost your brand’s visibility and provide you with valuable insights on what types of creative work well with their audiences.

5) BE AUTHENTIC

Instagram users are on the platform to share images of their daily lives from happy moments shared with loved ones to products they use and things they’re inspired by.

Creating content which connects with your audience in settings which are relatable to them comes across more authentic and is likely to drive more engagement.

6) HUMANISE YOUR POSTS

Using photographs which resemble real moments in customers lives tend to achieve better results, for example, a stand-alone image of a coffee is likely to engage your audience far less than a picture of someone who is drinking a cup of coffee while struggling to stay awake.

Product placements shouldn’t be the primary focus of imagery and should be discretely placed on your creatives, doing so humanises your brand and drives action.

7) GRAB ATTENTION WITH COLOURFUL VISUALS

Mastering the art of how to create aesthetically pleasing visuals can be a challenge but with the help of Instagram filters and some research conducted by Curalate it no longer needs to be.

The key findings from their study are:

• Images with a single dominant colour have higher engagement than those with multiple colours
• Bluish images are preferred over reddish images, and light images are favoured over dark images
• Images with a background are preferred over those without one
• Images with lower saturation get more likes than those with more

Applying some of these tactics to your visuals and adapting them to the specific needs of your audience is a great way to find out what works best for your brand.