TOPICS
Five ways to instantly look more legitimate on Instagram
When I’m looking for certain professional services, Instagram goes a long way to show me how detailed and savvy a brand is.
Five ways to instantly look more legitimate on Instagram
When I’m looking for certain professional services, Instagram goes a long way to show me how detailed and savvy a brand is. It might just be that I am meticulous about these things, or it might be that I gain a sense of trust by knowing a brand cares about keeping their image sharp… but I am totally judgy about business Instas.
Honestly, just a few quick details will turn me away from what could otherwise have been a great brand experience. If you don’t want to lose potential business because of what I’ll call “branding carelessness,” read these quick tips:
Properly crop your logo in your Profile image.
You should always have a version of your logo that can be used in circle format. I cringe when I see cut-off logos at the top of profiles. (On this note, if you have a logo but you don’t have the necessary formats for signature lines, social media, letterheads, etc., we can help with that. And if you don’t have a logo, well… of course we can help with that!)
Be careful with quotes.
Quotes, especially if you’re using a brand palette and well designed template, earn major visual points for your feed. But: pay attention to cropping. Portrait orientation on quotes looks amaze, but when they are cropped down to a square, your quotes can get cut off when viewed in standard grid form on your profile or in a search. I always visualize what will show up if my photo were cropped into a square (right in the middle), and keep the verbiage within that sweet spot before I post.
Use presets.
If you have access to Photoshop or Lightroom, this will be a total game changer. (And if you don’t, hire someone like us to do this for you). Presets are a way to edit your photos in the exactly same way with one click of a button. For example, some remove all the purple tones and increase the oranges hues to create a warm, sun kissed feel. Some make all the whites whiter and tone down the shadows, creating a bright and airy vibe. And when all of your photos follow give off the same ambiance, your feed suddenly feels less cluttered, more cohesive, and is a total dream to look at. While there are other ways to accomplish this, just the mindset to have a consistent color palette will transform your feed and give it a sense of direction. And on that note…
Have some sort of direction.
When you will literally post anything, what it says to me is that you aren’t taking digital communication seriously and aren’t really sure what you stand for. And generally that scares me away when I need something a bit more reliable and consistent. Plus, your audience typically made a conscious decision to follow you because they have a certain expectation about your content and want it in their daily feed. If you start straying from this and posting low lit photos of food or blurry photos of your dog, it’s a sure way to confuse and lose those followers.
Come up with your own content.
Do you solely rely on regramming from other accounts? It fills up your feed, but it might be working against you (the previous tip is a big reason why). Believe me, I understand why this can’t always be a priority. You’re likely not a professional photographer or a graphic designer. But trust me on this, you are capable of generating your own content. You just have to look at things a little differently and once you let that creative mindset flow, you’ll see potential posts everywhere around you. Snap away. Write down quotes. Pen down a short paragraph or story and pair it with a free stock photo. On a constant basis, I am uploading random photos (after presets) and quotes (with my own branding) to my scheduling tool (Planoly) before I even know what it will become. And about two or three times a week, I organize the next few days of content and auto schedule it.
Reach out if you’d like a free consultation about your Instagram professionalism or would like Arrow Design Co. to help you with some of your digital branding and content creation. We can’t promise to increase your followers by 5,000 in 30 days, but we can promise your potential customers will feel much more confident about trying you out.
xo
Melinda
Why Traveling Alone is Self Care for Creatives
To stay creative for your clients, you need fresh ideas, new perspectives and a whole lot of patience… And that’s not gonna happen stuck at home.
Why Traveling Alone is Self Care for Creatives
To be the creative visionary you are, you need fresh ideas, new perspectives and a whole lot of patience. And naturally, if you’ve been stuck in the same city (or home office) without a change of scenery for days (or weeks), chances are you are not the best version of yourself to be working with.
Travel is many things to many people, but to creatives, it is a chance to get out of our worn down state and instead, create a blank slate for new ideas. This is so important because it allows our minds to reset… sort of like when you have to reset your iPhone when it starts acting weird. On the flip side, if the thought of traveling solo sounds awkward and stressful, here’s a few “don’ts” for making your self-care travel experience productive and enjoyable:
Don’t over-plan your trip
The idea is to create a blank canvas with loose guidelines. Sure, you’ll want to be generally aware of what you’d like to experience, but don’t give into the pressure of needing to see, do and document everything (remember, this trip is for you, not your followers). Besides, the best part of traveling alone is not worrying about anyone else- those game time decisions are yours for the making. Allow yourself as much space as you need to observe and respond to new surroundings.
Don’t do the same things
Scrolling through Instagram and texting friends is something you could do in bed, so don’t do it during your airport layover. Take advantage of opportunities to listen to a podcast about your industry or read an article by someone you respect. Or get yourself into a state of flow with some creative writing or sketching. Really let yourself enjoy the white space... Noise cancelling head phones certainly help.
Don’t feel weird
And if you’re like me, you can easily feel weird doing things alone. There have been so many times I’ve decided to go to a coffeeshop (in my own town!) and after sitting down with my drink, realize I have nothing to do but stare at people. Which in actuality does make me look a little weird, so I ask for a to-go cup and race back home. But remember, your solo trip is on purpose, and even better, literally no one cares what you’re doing. You are choosing to give yourself alone time and even better, treating yourself to doing it outside of your house. Just set some intentions for your time away and in the very least, carry a notebook so you can journal when the solitude gets to be a bit much.
Don’t come back the same
Vacations are an opportunity to learn something new, and learning something new is a catalyst for creative thoughts. You’re essentially forcing your mind to change what it knows and function in a new way, which naturally creates a path for new thought processes. I personally love scrolling through AirBnB Experiences because it’s an incredibly diverse mix of classes, tours and activities and the vibe doesn’t feel intimidating.
Don’t be a loner
A solo trip doesn’t mean you have to be a recluse. I am a big fan of EatWith, where you can choose an interesting, intimate foodie experience with other visitors and locals. Sometimes it’s to eat in someone’s home, sometimes it’s a secret dining spot, and other times it is a market and shopping tour with a professional chef. The activities depend on the location, and it’s a really safe, fun way to be around others who share the same interests.
Have more “don’ts” for boosting creativity during solo travel? Share them in the comments section below.
XO
Melinda
Maintain Brand Integrity by Seeing Through Your Lens
Losing focus of what your brand stands for can easily happen if you aren’t looking through the lens of your brand for everything you do.
Maintain Brand Integrity by Seeing Through Your Lens
Losing focus of what your brand stands for can easily happen if you aren’t looking through the lens of your brand for everything you do.
Post Pending, Come back soon!
Why Ideas Come with New Scenery
There’s just no way creatives can be expected to think differently in the same exact setting. This simple concept is a crucial tool to your innovation.
Why Ideas Come with New Scenery
There’s just no way creatives can be expected to think differently in the same exact setting. This simple concept is a crucial tool to your innovation.
Post Pending, Come back soon!
How Your Customers Guide Your Brand
Your brand isn’t what you think it is, it’s what your customers are saying is. See what you can learn by listening, and learn how to pivot appropriately.
How Your Customers Guide Your Brand
Your brand isn’t what you think it is, it’s what your customers are saying is. See what you can learn by listening, and learn how to pivot appropriately.