9 Types of Visual Content for Instagram

By Laurie Wood

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Have you opened an Instagram account but a little lost on what to post? Well, here are 9 ideas for you to explore and make your own.

1) HUMAN FACES - #SELFIE
Everybody loves a good selfie and there's a reason behind that. A study from Georgia Institute of Technology and Yahoo Labs looked at 1.1 million photos and found photos of human faces received 38% higher engagement than ones without. But... why? Since we were babies the human face fascinates us as it's a channel of various emotions and communications which we're always trying to understand. Next time you're stuck for content, just snap a selfie and let the comments roll in.
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2) ANIMALS - #CATSOFINSTAGRAM | #DOGSOFINSTAGRAM
Animals, particularly the ones we find cute, make us happy. Psychology states that looking at photos and videos of cute animals relives stress, leading to happiness.

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3) FOOD - #FOODPORN | #FOODSTAGRAM | #FOODBLOGGER
Instagramming photos of our food is transforming the restaurant industry and the need to make more extravagant food to see if that person will lap up the chance to take a snap and, promote their local gaff. Social Media is an ego booster. We like to tell people what we're doing, how we look and what we're eating in the hopes someone online will notice and gives us a like. So, next time you're about to dive into a bucket of chips with a waterfall of condiments, take a snap.

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4)  SCENERY - #PHOTOOFTHEDAY
A well-taken photo with stunning visuals is more likely going to stop a user from scrolling past. The good thing is, you don't need to be living on a mountain to obtain a beautifully taken snap. Next time you walk through your local park, point the camera up.

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5) INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES - #INSPIRATIONALQUOTES
Something small like an Inspiration Quote can really make a big difference in someone's life. It can even be a Motivational Quote, something which encourages positive energy and attitude. Try creating your design using Canva, it's super easy and free!

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6) USER-GENERATED CONTENT
This content comes from reposting and can easily be done by downloading an app such as Report for Insta on your phone. If you spot someone promoting your product on Instagram, repost them! People love to feel acknowledged and heard, especially if their favourite brand is the one doing so.  Once you've reposted, the repost symbol will appear on your pic and name of the original poster.

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7) BEHIND THE SCENES - #BEHINDTHESCENES
Although this works best if you're a popular icon, brands can also jump on board the Behind The Scenes bandwagon. Showing images of your employees not in their usual work environment (perhaps on break or a work night out) reaffirms to users that you're all human and not a big corporate robot. This helps users connect with you and in doing so leads to trust.

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8) ART - #INSTAART
An incredibly broad category but can be used to your advantage. Art is very popular on Instagram whether you're a beginner or absolute pro. There's a really supportive art community who love to share work, share tools and tips and just generally love to appreciate art.

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Want to know more about how you can utilise social media as a seller tool? Follow me here for daily updates: LauriewoodUKSocialLite @TMPworldwideUK.

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