Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the endless scrolling of your feed and endlessly scroll through someone’s individual Instagram page instead.
Welcome to the web.
Each Instagram post, arranged in neat rows of three, suddenly becomes part of a larger picture. Look into the user’s soul… or at least their content strategy.
And savvy Instagram users know how to use that point of view to their advantage with cleverly planned posts that together make for a great Instagram grid.
If you haven’t thought about what your own rows of squares make up, now is the time. Here’s everything you need to know about creating an eye-catching Instagram grid to increase your followers and engagement.
Why Instagram Grid Layout Matters
When someone first follows you or goes to your profile to check out your content, your Instagram photo grid is an opportunity to showcase your vibe or brand at a glance.
The grid gives you a bird’s eye view of a user’s post history. This is your first impression of their work: a visual representation of their personal or professional brand.
For individual users, creating a beautiful grid may not matter – sure, color-coding your posts can be a fun personal challenge, but if you’re just on the gram to connect with friends rather than build an audience, branding likely won’t be too important.
But for brands, creatives, or influencers, consistency and style are critical, especially if your account is aesthetically or lifestyle oriented.
After all, your grid is a quick and easy way to get your message across. Also, anyone who views your profile is thinking of following you. This is your chance to show exactly what you have to offer.
Are you at the forefront or on trend? Will your content be soothing or create drama? Is your brand consistent or chaotic? One look at the grid and they get (sorry, no sorry) picture.
10 Creative Ways to Create an Instagram Grid
Great Instagram grids start with a vision. So, we explored the platform to dig up some of the best Instagram grids to inspire your own look. Think of it like your Instagram grid templates.
Stick to color combination
This is probably the most common grid style – not that I’m calling anyone lazy (not @me!), but it’s actually not much easier than that.
Choose a color palette (pink and grey?) or a specific tone (high contrast neon?) for each photo. When viewed together, your gallery will look like the same set, even if the content of your photos differs. Influence of home and lifestyle
Traveler Instagrammer @rachelontheroad_ features exclusively photos from a desaturated palette of cold blues, pinks and grays. A neon green picture, for example, will seem harsh and out of place here.
If your destination (or home or office) isn’t styled as an Insta-ready backdrop, one easy way to make sure all your photos speak the same visual language is to simply use the same filter on every photo to help create consistent tone.
Variation on this theme? Using a standard filter or color palette, as well as working with an “accent”color or filtering every few messages. Perhaps your Instagram feed is mostly dreamy, sepia-toned, boho-inspired, but every few lines we see a vibrant splash of forest green. Woo! You are playing with fire!
We can’t say for sure which Lightroom preset @lemons.for.days is using, but… probably something called “Peach Dew Dreams”.
repeat yourself
There’s something soothing about scrolling through the feed that gives you the same thing over and over again. There is no doubt about what you will get when every photo matches the same template.
In the case of the decorative pastry shop @takemehome_cake, each creation is photographed from the same angle against the same background. The color may vary with seasonal lighting, but the result is a pleasingly predictable presentation in which an individual product stands out against an endless grid of greys.
Create a checkerboard effect
By changing the style of the photos you post, you can easily create a checkerboard in your grid. Try interspersing text quotes with photos, or mixing close-up shots with landscape photos. Going back and forth with two different colors can also work.
Influencer @jillian.harris alternates full-frame photos with pink-bordered photos to create a unique grid look.
Food blogger @feedthepudge alternates food posts with his own face to offer variety for those who browse.
Vancouver fitness studio @cmmngrndyvr mixes flashy graphics with dark and bleak photography.
Hot Tip: If you are using text posts, keep the background color or fonts the same so that the template is legible. Check and mat.
(Need a little graphic design help? There are plenty of great tools and templates for creating impactful visuals.)
row by row design
Think outside the box… and within, um, the row. Combining images in each row by theme or color can have a big impact.
Sorry if you’re squeamish about fresh skin tattoos, but this example from @spooky_skeleton_wizard needed to be shared. This tattoo studio alternates rows of sketches with rows of new inks.
The trick to this, of course, is that you have to post three images at the same time or the alignment will be disabled.
If you’re brave enough to experiment with panoramic images for one of your rows – three photos that make up one long horizontal image – many users post the same captions for each one to make it clear they’re in three parts. a single whole, as photographer @gregorygiepel did with his architectural shots.
Break out of the box
While the grid by its very nature crops all your Instagram photos to a square, editing your photos in a different shape inside that square can create a distinct look to your Instagram photo grid.
Circles? Rectangles? The choice is yours! Most Instagram editing tools can help create these unique borders.
Pet food brand @iams has been framing its images for a while.
… while the charity @writers_ex uses a set of unusual shapes in their signature colors to brand each post.
Refresh with fonts
Regularly incorporating text into your posts can contribute to a striking overall look. There are many accounts that specialize in informational images, but even adding an image with a lot of text among photos can create a stylish display.
Try thinking of your Instagram grid like a magazine page – by strategically combining images with words and visuals, you can create a balanced spread full of interesting moments to engage the “reader”.
@nikerunning combines posts with bold text, illustrations, and photos, but since they regularly post each of these elements, it feels deliberate and coherent. Lesson? You can have completely different ingredients in your design palette, but if you use them regularly and in a balanced way, your mesh will look solid.
Creating a text-only grid also works. The trick is to stick to a consistent color palette and font choice so that each post looks great next to the last one, like @mr.pugo here.
Turn your grid into a rainbow
You will need patience and a great sense of color to create this look. The goal is to post one saturated color regularly and gradually progress to the next shade of the rainbow with the next series of posts.
To really get the full effect of the changing palette of @mybkr, the water bottle company, you have to scroll down the page, but they go through periods of inspiration from the color of one bottle and then the next…from sage to baby blue, for example.
accept the border
Creating a consistent look is as easy as applying a border to all your images.
Influencer @kwn.li uses a white border on all of his images, but you can create a signature look with any color scheme. The free Whitagram app is one way to quickly apply this edit with borders and backgrounds in all sorts of shades.
Turn your posts into a puzzle
This layout is tricky to use day in and day out, but for a big ad or campaign, or for launching a new account, the puzzle grid certainly packs a punch.
The puzzle grid creates one large interconnected image from all the squares. Individually, these posts probably look like nonsense. But when viewed together, it is a work of art.
A round of applause for the Montessori account @hetmamapunt for this visual feat, okay?
Think of a little chaos
In this fast and furious world of social media, there is a certain allure in a no-polish, no-worry look.
Embrace the chaotic energy of the “extremely online”set, mixing memes, screenshots, TikTok reposts, hastily taken food photos, poorly lit impromptu photo shoots, and whatever else you can find in your camera roll.
The meme account of journalist Taylor Lorenz is a perfect example of this spirit. Think “Explore Page”has gone awry.
When viewed as a whole, your grid takes on a trendy cluttercore vibe. If your brand is Gen Z, this unplanned, wild, wild and creative Instagram grid style could be for you.
6 Instagram Grid Planning Tips
Of course, none of these nifty Instagram grids came about by accident. You must grind this mesh! Here are some things to keep in mind as you plan the big picture.
1. Preview
Before posting: map.
You can mock it up in photo editing software or use the integration with the Hootsuite app which lets you preview the layout before it’s posted… think of it like an Instagram grid template.
For now, this is only for personal accounts, but there will be features for business accounts soon.
Create an Instagram grid layout with up to nine images, then schedule them to appear in the exact right order using the Hootsuite control panel.
2. Keep it consistent
Creating a great grid of Instagram photos means sticking to the plan. One unusual photo in the wrong color, with the wrong filter, or in the wrong order can ruin your whole look.
Just imagine if cosmetics company @bareminerals added a photo of a night at a neon rave to their carefully curated grid of earthy skin tones. Chaos!
3. Make sure it matches your brand
Ultimately, the purpose of the grid isn’t just to impress your friends with your dedication to using a particular preset Lightroom filter. This is necessary to create a unified image of your brand.
So, if you’re a high-level executive recruiting firm, a playful rainbow grid might not quite match the professional and serious tone you’re aiming for. On the other hand, a monochromatic text series of posts…
4. Take Advantage of Image Editing Tools
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, Instagram is a visual medium… and it’s hard to put together a great grid if the individual photos aren’t great as well.
Luckily, there are plenty of great photo editing tools out there, as well as expert advice every step of the way… like our guides to taking great Instagram photos and how to stay on top of Instagram’s hottest trends.
5. Don’t forget: the reels are also part of your grid.
Your Instagram videos can be featured in your grid along with your main posts, so be sure to choose an appropriate video cover photo. Or use one of our professionally designed drum cover templates to create a consistent look for your drums.
Each @airbnb video features a carefully crafted cover of the house being filmed, as seen from the street. This creates a sense of alignment with your other posts in the Instagram grid.
6. Plan your posts ahead of time
Keep your gorgeous IG grid active and update it with a scheduling tool that lets you add just the right filtered image (or three) at the right time. The Hootsuite toolbar, for example, makes it easy to prepare the best photos at your convenience. Launch this network!
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Of course, creating a great grid is just one way to draw attention to the gram. For more marketing tips and tricks to take your account to the next level, check out our complete Instagram marketing guide here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Instagram Grid
How to post a 3×3 grid on Instagram?
If you want to make an Instagram grid, you need some planning ahead.
Model it in your photo editing software, or use Hootsuite’s Instagram Grid Planner integration to preview your layout before posting it.
(Note: this is only for personal accounts at the moment, but corporate account functionality is coming soon.)
Create an Instagram grid layout with up to nine images, then schedule them to appear in the exact right order using the Hootsuite control panel.
How to change the grid on Instagram?
Changing your Instagram grid starts with choosing your new look. Do you want all posts to be in a specific color palette? Should each image in the grid contribute to one big picture? What is your visual goal and how does it relate to your Instagram brand?
Take a look at some of our creative inspirations above to get an idea of how you want your Instagram account to look or explore the biggest Instagram photo editing trends in 2023 for ideas to transform your big grid.
Before you start adding new images, delete or archive anything you’ve previously posted that doesn’t match your desired look.
Now it’s time to start compiling your new content.
Either model it in photo editing software or use Hootsuite’s Instagram Grid planner integration to preview your layout before it’s published. (Use these Instagram editing tips to give your images a permanent aesthetic.)
Create an Instagram grid layout with up to nine images, then schedule them to appear in the exact right order using the Hootsuite control panel.