Instagram Format Guide

Introduction

Launched in 2010, Instagram remains one of the most popular social media networks with users posting over a billion images and videos every day. Individuals can share their own interests and experiences, follow content creators for information and inspiration, and engage in meaningful conversations with other groups of like-minded people. It can also be great fun to scroll through the memes and entertaining short videos.

Instagram’s strong visual-first approach enables brands to communicate their identity effectively and build a relationship with their target audience. They can also use the Shopping feature to sell their products and services directly to customers on the platform.

We are going to use our fake beauty influencer, Grace Skye, to explore Instagram’s different formats.

The Instagram Post

The most obvious place to start is the format of the Instagram post.

There are three main image sizes:

  • Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels (ratio 1:1)
  • Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels (ratio 1.91:1)
  • Vertical: 1080 x 1350 pixels (ratio 4:5)

When Instagram was first released in 2010, the app was only available on the iOS mobile operating system and users were restricted to a 640 pixels square format for their images to match the display width of the smaller iPhones available at that time. This size was increased to 1080 pixels square in 2015 when larger phones came on the market.

Our attempt at a scroll-stopping image sticks to the vertical format with dimensions of 1080 x 1350 pixels.

An influencer applies eyeshadow while displaying the product.

Instagram Carousels

Independent research suggests users are more likely to engage with posts containing a combination of images and videos in a carousel. This format is particularly useful for constructing a narrative that sells the benefits of the brand being promoted.

a series of images featuring our influencer example and the eyeshadow product
Instagram Carousel

The first image will resonate with users who are interested in beauty products because Grace’s flawless makeup demonstrates the eyeshadow’s quality and will help them imagine they can achieve the same polished look. The case is tilted towards the camera to emphasise what is on offer. The caption is an enigma code to encourage users to swipe left and discover the wonderful eyeshadow Grace is promoting.

Grace smiles warmly at the camera in the second image. This use of direct address creates an immediate connection with the audience. Her hand resting against her face draws attention to the smoothness of her skin and the terrific finish of her makeup. Encoding a sense of satisfaction and joy, the representation positions the audience to associate the brand with positive emotions.

The final two images are the value propositions. The benefits of the makeup are added to create desire by reassuring users they are buying a quality product. Hopefully, the 15% discount will inspire action and lead to conversions.

This marketing narrative is known as the AIDA principle:

  • Attention
  • Interest
  • Desire
  • Action

The next time you are flicking through Instagram, watch out for beauty influencers vying for your attention and how they use the carousel format to recommend various products. It’s also a great way to countdown your top ten favourite songs of the year or showcase the different exciting moments of an event.

Get your audience swiping left.

Video

Most smartphones record in full high definition with 1080 x 1920 pixels and 30 frames per second (fps). This format offers a good balance between picture quality and file size. It is also the recommended setting for uploading footage to Instagram.

There are different ways to share videos so the maximum length of the content will depend on the type of post:

  • Reel: 10 minutes
  • Story: 60 seconds
  • Live: 60 minutes
  • Advertisement: 60 seconds

Reels

Reels were introduced to Instagram in 2020 to compete with the rising popularity of TikTok. This short-from video content now accounts for 50% of time users spend on the platform and are played over 140 billion times a day. It is worth noting Instagram’s algorithm seems to favour this type of post in the explore section of the platform.

You can use the filters to change the colours and shading of the videos to make them more appealing to the audience. For example, lark is a popular filter for travel influencers because it brightens up the landscapes, especially blues and greens, and makes nature shots more vibrant. We went for the clarendon filter to add a subtle brightness and warmth to our imaginary video for Grace Skye.

Instagram also offers the ability to add dynamic effects to videos. These stickers and animations can be wonderfully engaging, but we ignored the trending augmented reality effects and kept the tone of our reel professional. However, since many users access Instagram with their phones on silent mode, we did add animated text to help communicate important aspects of our message.

If you want to create a more engaging experience for your followers, add filters, effects and music. Just make sure you upload your video in a vertical format!

Instagram reels are great for reinforcing the brand’s identity to followers. Grace could create an unboxing video for the eyeshadow, demonstrate its effectiveness in a “one-minute makeup” challenge, or offer quick tips on blending techniques and colour matching.

Influencers and brands can pay money to increase the visibility of their posts and 90-second reels to generate more leads and sales. Once you have selected a reel to boost, Instagram offers a range of demographic and interest options to define your target audience.

This reel features Grace describing how applying eyeshadow is an enjoyable part of her self-care routine. In terms of the uses and gratifications theories, it will connect with the audience’s desire for personal relationships by giving us an insight into her world.

Grace’s goal is to generate more profile visits, so we selected that option in the boost settings. The campaign is targeting users in school or higher education with an interest in beauty. Instagram then offers an estimated reach based on our daily budget and set duration for the campaign. The more we spend, the more users will see our reel.

beauty influencer discussing her routine
Instagram Reel

Remember, companies involved in the cultural industries are driven by profit. Instagram generates revenue by selling advertising space. They are building an experience users enjoy, but its owners, Meta, are also making sure the platform attracts advertisers who are willing to pay thousands of pounds to get their content on your screen.

This process is heavily regulated so our reel is marked as sponsored.

Stories

Instagram Stories allows users to share full-screen posts, but the content only remains accessible for 24 hours. Appearing at the top of a user’s news feed, this format is a very useful way to announce new product lines or drive last minute sales. The artificial scarcity provokes action because users may not want to miss out on the latest information. It also creates an appealing sense of exclusivity.

The profile picture in our examples have the purple and orange ring to signify we have uploaded a new story. Once clicked, it directs users to behind-the-scenes snippets of Grace setting up her studio for a collaboration with a makeup artist who is using her experience in the film and television industry to give our vlogger a movie-star look.

Live Broadcast

Inline posts are broadcast live to followers. Like stories, the live stream appears at the top of the news feed. After the broadcast is finished, you can extend access to the content as a classic story for 24 hours, or re-share it as a reel.

Our beauty vlogger can take advantage of the format to demonstrate makeup techniques and test products. Going live and unscripted showcases her personality and skills in a more genuine way, establishing credibility in a competitive industry where authenticity is highly valued. She can also interact with followers in real-time, answering questions and addressing comments.

After double-checking her settings in practice mode, it’s time for Grace to go live with her collaboration event.

The Profile Page

Instagram posts and reels are reworked as thumbnails and organised into a grid on the user’s profile page. When visitors flick through the feed, they should see a coherent representation that connects with the brand identity.

It can also be quite interesting to play with the layout and use a sequence of posts to create an aesthetically pleasing image or hidden message. Try pinning three posts to construct a single image across the top row of your grid.

Final Thoughts

Instagram was a simple photo-sharing app before being acquired by Facebook and transformed into a major social media platform. The introduction of short-form videos enabled Instagram to compete against Vine, the stories format was a response to the popularity of Snapchat, and Reels continue to battle against TikTok for our attention.

Social media platforms are always trying new ways to increase user engagement. Some ideas become a core part of the experience. Others fade into obscurity.

Introduced in 2020, Instagram guides enabled users to repurpose published content around specific topics. When she started her vlogging journey, Grace grouped posts from across the platform into collections such as “skincare tips” and “beauty hacks”. By acting as a curator, she was able to build a presence on Instagram while trying to develop her original content. Instagram Guides was removed as feature at the end of 2023.

The Instagram Shop tab appeared on the navigation bar in 2020 and was removed two years later. Grace can still use her storefront to recommend products and generate income. Posts with affiliate links will have the “eligible for commission” label to satisfy advertising regulations.

Instagram will continue to develop new formats to keep users scrolling. It will certainly be interesting to see how the platform reacts to AI.

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