We can all agree that Instagram is where you put all your creativity. We are most disciplined on IG in terms of following a certain style. Instagram is known for being a photo and video-centric platform wherein photography is the most popular type of content.

Whether it’s a photo of a beach, flat lay, selfie, or picture of your cat – we often opt to add a filter or edit it out to make it professional-looking.

Having a consistent style is what makes the grid look more attractive. Even a single filter can dictate your style!

For a serious and dedicated Instagrammer, having a Grid Layout is another way of upping your game.

I’ll teach you some tips and tricks in making a beautiful Instagram Grid Layout to simply “wow” your visitors.

Why you need a compelling grid

Ever wondered why most influencers, personal profiles, or brands are taking the time to work on their grid layout?

• It makes a great first impression.

Aside from having a good Instagram bio, the next thing a visitor will see on your profile is a compilation of your posts in a 3 grid layout which can increase the percentage of people who follow after visiting your page. People can also tell how dedicated you are to your account based on how much time you spent creating and maintaining a professional-looking grid.

• It helps you stay organized.

Having a well-thought-out grid means you have to plan ahead. You can create bulk content, and schedule everything in advance.

• It helps make your profile seamless and aesthetically pleasing.

After all, nothing captures attention on Instagram more than stunning visuals. Maintaining a grid layout can make you stand out among your competitors since your layout is unique, and not that easy to achieve. This will also help the brand to easily adapt and build up its brand persona since you’ll be developing a consistent brand image.

Types of Grid Layouts

Here are the types of Grid Layouts you can refer to when creating your own IG Grid:

Square Grid

A basic layout is a Square Grid, which doesn’t require any tools or complicated planning to make your profile look good – just like mine. All you need is to choose a filter that you’ll apply to all your posts and a consistent photo or video style. If you decide to post flatlays, you should stick to only posting flatlays.

Checkerboard Grid

If you want a smarter look, do Checkerboard Grids. You can add quotes, motivation, or important information in-between your images

Text Line Grid

If you don’t want to have a lot of texts in your profile and want to focus on images and videos, the text line grids are perfect for you. 2:1 content or 2 photos 1 quote/text

Border Grid

If you want a neat layout, you should do border grids, wherein you’ll add space in between your grid.

If you have lots of time and you believe you can maintain your layout, you can choose from the following complicated grids that will definitely impress your visitors:

Diagonal Grid

This may look complicated at first. But in reality, you just need to make sure you have at least 3 similar photo styles in your content plan. For instance, you can have 3 flatlays uploaded and scheduled to make a diagonal style post. The most challenging part is to determine when they will be posted, so you won’t mess up your grid. Again, it’s important to plan this ahead.

Row by row Grid

If you want a trendy-classy style, the row-by-row grids is for you. The good thing about this is that the 3 grids are connected to each other when viewed in the profile. However, the challenging part is they need to still look good in an individual photo. Another thing is you need to upload 3 posts at once to maintain its appearance, or else it wont look good.

Rainbow Grid

You can create a fun and exciting layout with rainbow grids, wherein color is everywhere. All you need to worry about is to make sure you have color in the element or object in your photo or video that stands out.

Puzzle Grid

If you have an infinite storyline, puzzle grids are the layout for you. This can be a bit challenging, but it has its rewards! You need to rely on your editing skills to pull this one-off. Though Canva offers a template layout, you will still need to have an ounce of imagination to help you do so!

Some tips and tricks

Whoever said anything about grid rules?

You can always try to mix and match the layouts mentioned above to create your one signature grid! For starters, you can post all your quotes in the middle while having a row-by-row or border layout for a neat look!

Now, as we’ve established by now, consistency is key. Here’s how you’ll be able to maintain your grid layout.

• Identify your brand’s personality

Being able to identify who you are and sticking to it is the first step to having a grid that works for you consistently. Always ask yourself how do you want people to see you and what do you want to look like.

• Create your branding

This means staying true to uniformed elements, such as tone, colors, noise or percentage of white space, and filter. Consistent use of similar elements lets your audience know that you have control of your brand and that you intend to use it to establish a strong online presence.

• Make sure you post in order

Nothing speaks professionalism other than an organized posting schedule..

Bonus!

• Default Instagram grids appear square in a profile. This is why the standard ratio is 1:1. However, I highly suggest using a 4:5 ratio. This is because IG is a mobile-based platform (though you can still have access on a desktop). When you browse your newsfeed or view a post, with a 4:5 ratio, it will occupy almost 80% of a mobile phone screen, which is a good way of having longer exposure to your post.
• If you’re posting a video, you can make a thumbnail similar to your grid’s theme, so it won’t look out of place.

One Last Note

No matter how beautiful your grids are, keep in mind the individual value of your post.

Make sure that you are not posting for the sake of aesthetics. You should post to provide value to make your audience keep coming back to your page.