As a self-proclaimed tech geek and Instagram enthusiast, I‘ve spent countless hours studying what makes the perfect post. I‘ve analyzed the feeds of top brands and influencers, tested countless strategies on my own accounts, and devoured every research study I can find on social media psychology and user behavior.
Through all this, one theme has emerged: the key to Instagram success is variety. π¨
In this ultimate guide, I‘ll be sharing 25+ different Instagram post ideas and formats you need to try in 2024, complete with real-world examples, data-backed insights, and pro tips. Whether you‘re a marketer looking to drive more sales or a creator wanting to grow your personal brand, this post will give you plenty of inspiration for mixing up your content strategy and maximizing engagement.
Why Instagram Post Variety is Vital
Before we dive into the specific ideas, let‘s talk about why having a diverse mix of content is so important on Instagram. It comes down to basic psychology and how the human brain responds to novelty.
Studies have shown that we‘re hardwired to pay attention to new, unexpected things in our environment. It‘s an evolutionary trait that helped our ancestors survive by noticing potential threats or opportunities. In the context of social media, this means that followers are more likely to stop and engage with content that looks different from what they typically see in their feeds.
On the flip side, when your posts start to feel repetitive or predictable, people will scroll right past. A study by Facebook found that 46% of users say they‘ll unfollow a brand if their content is too promotional or repetitive.
The Instagram algorithm also rewards accounts that have high variety and engagement. According to Instagram themselves:
"We want to make the most of your time, and we believe that using technology to personalize your experience is the best way to do that. When we rank content in your Feed and Stories, we take thousands of signals into account β including who posted it, when it was posted, how often you interact with that person, and how many people are interacting with it."
Translation? The more diverse and interesting your posts are, the more the algorithm will show them to your followers and potentially place you on the Explore Page. π
Instagram in 2024: Stats and Trends to Know
Instagram is constantly evolving, with new features, trends, and user behaviors emerging all the time. To create the most effective posts in 2024, it‘s important to stay up-to-date with the latest stats and shifts in how people are using the platform.
Here are some key Instagram insights to be aware of this year:
User growth: Instagram‘s user base is projected to reach 2.5 billion monthly active users by the end of 2024. (eMarketer)
Time spent: Users under 25 spend an average of 36 minutes per day on Instagram, while those over 25 spend an average of 30 minutes per day. (eMarketer)
Posting frequency: 63% of businesses post at least once per day on Instagram. (HubSpot)
Post types: Reels are the fastest-growing post type, with views up 220% year-over-year. (Instagram Trends Report 2023)
Shopping: 70% of shopping enthusiasts use Instagram to discover new products. (Facebook Insights)
Stories: 500 million+ accounts use Instagram Stories every day, with β of the most-viewed stories coming from businesses. (Instagram Business)
Influencer marketing: 68% of marketers say Instagram is the most important social media channel for influencer marketing. (Business Insider Intelligence)
Instagram Post Ideas and Best Practices
Now that we‘ve covered the why and the what of Instagram variety, let‘s get into the how. Below are 25+ different post ideas, broken down by format, with tips and examples for each.
1. Single Image Posts
Single image posts are the bread and butter of Instagram. While they may seem basic, there‘s still plenty of room for creativity and variety within this format. Here are some ideas:
User-generated content (UGC): Repost photos that your customers or fans have shared, featuring your product or brand. Be sure to credit the original creator in your caption. UGC is a great way to build social proof and make your followers feel valued.
Behind-the-scenes: Give your followers an insider‘s look at your work or life. This could be anything from a sneak peek of a new product to a candid shot of your team in action. Behind-the-scenes content humanizes your brand and builds trust.
Flat lays: Create visually appealing layouts of your products or related items shot from above on a flat surface. Use props, interesting textures, and creative color palettes to make your flat lays stand out. Check out @flatlayforever for inspiration.
Quote graphics: Share an inspiring, funny, or thought-provoking quote related to your niche, formatted in an easily shareable graphic. Canva has templates to make this easy. Just make sure to properly attribute the quote to avoid plagiarism.
Memes: Hop on a popular meme trend and give it your own branded spin. Memes show off your personality and humor, while also tapping into cultural moments. Just be careful not to force it if the meme doesn‘t naturally align with your voice.
Here‘s an example of a great single image post from sustainable shoe brand Allbirds. They took their best-selling sneakers and styled them in a colorful flatlay for Pride Month:
2. Video Posts
Video is hot on Instagram right now, with the platform reporting a 150% increase in time spent watching videos in the last two years. Here are some ideas for incorporating more video into your strategy:
Tutorials: Create short how-to videos related to your product or area of expertise. Break down a complex process into simple steps, making it easy for viewers to follow along. Use text overlays, voiceover, and clear visuals to enhance the tutorial.
Product demos: Show off your product in action with quick, engaging demos. Highlight key features and benefits or show creative ways to use the item. Keep in mind that 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound, so use captions!
Interviews: Sit down with a thought leader, team member, or customer for an informal interview on a topic your audience cares about. Keep videos under 2 minutes and focus on providing valuable insights, not just promotion.
Day in the life: Vlog-style videos are hugely popular on Instagram, especially among influencers and personal brands. Take your followers along for a typical day in your life or work, giving an authentic glimpse behind the scenes.
Levi‘s is a great example of a brand embracing video on Instagram. Check out this product demo they did for their new "cottonized hemp" collection:
3. Carousels
Carousel posts continue to be one of the top-performing formats on Instagram, with an average engagement rate of 1.94% compared to 1.45% for regular posts. Some ideas for carousels:
Step-by-step guides: Use each slide in the carousel to walk through a process, whether that‘s a recipe, workout routine, or DIY project. Provide clear instructions and visuals to make it easy to follow along.
Roundup lists: Curate a selection of your best tips, resources, or products related to a specific theme or pain point for your audience. Use a mix of images and text to highlight each item on the list and provide context.
Educational infographics: Break down a complex topic or data set into a visually compelling infographic that spans multiple slides. Use charts, icons, and short text blurbs to illustrate key takeaways.
Benefit Cosmetics consistently nails the carousel format on their feed. Here‘s an example of the brand explaining different types of mascara wands:
4. Stories
500 million people use Instagram Stories daily, and 62% of those users say they‘ve become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories. Some Stories ideas:
Polls and quizzes: Use the interactive poll and quiz stickers to collect feedback from your audience or let them guess facts about your brand/products. It‘s a fun, low-lift way to boost engagement.
AMAs: Host an Ask Me Anything to let your followers submit their burning questions. You can answer in subsequent Story frames with text, images, or short videos. AMAs position you as an expert and build trust.
Takeovers: Partner with an influencer, employee, or customer to "take over" your Stories for the day, posting about their experience with your brand. It‘s a great way to cross-promote and expand your reach.
Beauty brand Glossier uses Stories to highlight limited time offers and product launches, like this Labor Day sale:
5. Reels
Reels are the newest post type on Instagram, and they‘re already making a huge splash. Reels get prominent placement in the dedicated Reels tab, making it easier for new audiences to discover your content. Some Reel ideas:
Challenges: Participate in a viral Reel challenge or create your own. Use trending audio clips, dances, or visual effects to put your own spin on it while showcasing your products/brand. Check out #reelschallenge for inspo.
Before-and-afters: Show a quick transformation related to your niche, whether that‘s a room makeover, beauty look, or fitness journey. Use the align tool so the "before" and "after" shots perfectly match up.
Timelapse: Speed up a longer process into a satisfying timelapse Reel. This could be anything from cooking a recipe to creating an art piece to setting up for an event. Just make sure the final result has a wow factor!
Travel brand Away used a Reel to show how much you can fit in one of their popular suitcases:
Bonus: Advanced Instagram Post Tips
To take your Instagram posts to the next level, here are some pro tips and technical hacks to consider:
Optimize your aspect ratios: For in-feed image posts, stick to a 4:5 aspect ratio (portrait orientation). For Stories and Reels, use a 9:16 ratio (full-screen vertical). Videos should be exported in a 1080Γ1350 resolution.
Customize your cover images: When you post a Reel or IGTV, you have the option to choose a custom cover image. Use a high-quality, eye-catching image with text overlay to encourage people to click.
Add captions to videos: Many users watch Instagram videos with the sound off, so always include captions. You can either use Instagram‘s auto-caption feature or add your own subtitles in a video editing app.
Test different post times: Use Instagram Insights to see when your audience is most active and experiment with posting at different times of day. Hootsuite found the best times to post on Instagram are 6am, 12pm, and 6pm PST.
Use relevant, niche hashtags: Rather than using ultra-popular hashtags, aim for a mix of niche and location-specific ones that describe your content. This will help you reach a more targeted audience. Check out Display Purposes for hashtag ideas.
Expert Insights
Don‘t just take my word for it. Here are some insights from other social media experts on the importance of variety in your Instagram strategy:
"Mixing up the types of posts you share on Instagram keeps your audience engaged. If you only post one type of content over and over, your followers will eventually get bored. But if you keep them on their toes by posting different things, they‘re more likely to stick around." β Peg Fitzpatrick, author of The Art of Social Media
"Instagram favors accounts that post a variety of interesting, engaging content. The key is to find a balance between giving your followers what they expect and also surprising them with new, creative ideas." β Jenn Herman, Instagram expert and host of The Instagram Stories podcast
"Diversifying your Instagram content strategy is not only important for engaging your audience, but also for beating the algorithm. When you post different types of content, Instagram recognizes that you‘re creating value for your followers and is more likely to show your posts to more people." β Later, Instagram marketing platform
Best Instagram Tools for Creating Varied Content
Creating a diverse mix of Instagram content can be time-consuming. Luckily, there are plenty of tools out there to help speed up the process:
Canva: An easy, drag-and-drop design tool for creating professional-looking graphics and videos, no Photoshop skills required. They have hundreds of optimized templates for Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels.
Unfold: An app for designing clean, minimal Stories and posts using a variety of trendy templates. Unfold recently added animated templates for more dynamic Stories.
InShot: A user-friendly mobile video editor that lets you easily piece together clips, add music and effects, and export in Instagram-friendly formats.
Planoly: An Instagram scheduling and planning tool that lets you visually plan out your feed, draft captions, and analyze post performance.
Hashtag Expert: An AI-powered hashtag generator that suggests the best tags for your posts based on your niche and content. It takes the guesswork out of choosing hashtags.
Putting It All Together
We covered a lot in this guide! To recap: variety is the spice of life on Instagram. By mixing up your formats and keeping your audience on their toes, you‘ll be rewarded with higher engagement, reach, and growth.
Start by choosing a few of the post ideas that most align with your brand and goals. Put your own unique spin on them, and don‘t be afraid to experiment. I recommend keeping a "swipe file" of posts you see in the wild for inspiration.
Remember, Instagram is constantly evolving, so it‘s important to stay up-to-date with the latest features and trends. But at the end of the day, the key is to focus on providing value and connecting authentically with your audience.
If you consistently show up with a diverse mix of creative, valuable content, the engagemen and growth will follow. Happy posting!
