Instagram has emerged as a potent social media channel for brands, bloggers, and influencers to garner an enthusiastic and devoted following. The platform revolves around visual aesthetics, where users can harness the power of images and videos to captivate and connect with their audience.
With more than 1 billion users and 500 million active users, you can use Instagram to reach out to millions of people, increase your following, and highlight your brand. However, this is only possible with a consistent stream of visually appealing posts that makes your feed prominent amongst the clutter, coupled with a content strategy that keeps your audience engaged.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that numerous apps are designed specifically for you to curate an Instagram grid that is captivating even at a fleeting glance.
We have compiled a list of apps that are easy-to-use, accessible, and packed with powerful features to help you achieve a cohesive and creative Instagram feed:
Disclaimer: All the apps mentioned below also offer a paid subscription with additional features. However, the free versions provide sufficient functionality for beginners and average users.
Planoly
To generate Insta-worthy aesthetics, you need to plan your posts to ensure that they fit seamlessly in your desired layout. With Planoly, you can get a visual idea of how your thumbnail images will appear on the screen before you post them on your Instagram feed.
Use the clever content calendar to write captions and draft your post. You can also color-code them according to importance, schedule them to receive push notifications when it is time to publish, and export them directly to Instagram with the auto-post feature.
Moreover, the app allows you to reach your target audience by utilizing the in-built hashtag groups and offers a discover feature to find images to repost or inspirational quotes to create a layered grid.
The hardworking app is user-friendly, with well-designed, easy-to-navigate mobile and web interfaces and detailed analytics features to monitor your engagements.
The free version has limitations since it only allows you to upload up to 30 pictures per month and does not offer image editing. However, the available features are compelling enough to give the app a try, especially if you embark on your Instagram feed-curating journey.
Snapseed
If you want your Instagram feed to appear professional and well designed, you need to capture perfect photos and videos. However, suppose your images did not turn out as planned due to lightning issues or incorrect angles. In that case, a photo-editing app can help you adjust and enhance photos to achieve mesmerizing final products.
Snapseed is one such app that offers features comparable to professional editing software. It was developed by Nik Software and is currently owned by Google. The app is simple to use, provides an organized layout, and comes with an amazing toolbox of 29 tools and filters to cater to all your photo-editing needs.
You can upload JPG and RAW files by removing unwanted elements and people to re-focus attention to the primary object. You can also edit minute details to make certain areas of the image stand out more. Moreover, you can adjust the geometry of the buildings and horizon, control brightness, experiment with a plethora of filters to achieve your desired feel, and edit your image with controlled precision. Finally, the app allows you to add texts and frames before exporting the image and publish it to your Instagram feed.
Preview
If you want a simple, no-frills app that allows you to get the job done and curate an attractive Insta-feed, Preview is the perfect app for you.
The app allows you to visualize your Insta-feed before publishing your content and scheduling posts using your smartphones. You cannot access the desktop interface using the free version of the app, but on the other hand, you can upload unlimited posts in a month (unlike other free apps with a maximum limit).
Preview offers streamlined functionalities, like the airG scam free apps, with easy navigations and a sleek interface. You can also edit the pictures, choose from limited yet striking filters and presets, and utilize the saved hashtags groupings.
VSCO
VSCO is not just another photo-editing app. It is a must-have tool for your Instagram feed, especially if you want an overall consistent appearance of your grid.
The popular app offers ten free preset filters that transform the images captured on your phone into works of art. You can also apply a similar theme or filter to all your photos for a feed that appears to be thoughtfully curated.
For example, you can apply a warm or cool tone filter to all your thumbnails before publishing to channel cohesiveness and an aesthetically pleasing grid. Furthermore, you can improve the picture quality by adjusting the contrast, saturation, grain, perspective, etc.
You can share your edited images with like-minded individuals that form the VSCO community and gain valuable tips and tricks. Consequently, you can use the acquired knowledge to elevate your photo-editing skills and content marketing strategy.
Later
Later describes itself as the all-in-one social marketing platform. It is a versatile social media scheduler, which allows you to plan and schedule your content across multiple platforms from a single interface. However, it works best for visual social channels, so you can use it solely for curating your Instagram feed.
The app comes with a media library, which is highly functional for occasions when you are suffering from a creative block. When you cannot create an original post but still want to keep your audience engaged, choose from a host of content available on the media library and publish it directly on your grid.
Moreover, in addition to hashtag suggestions, the “first comment” feature allows you to auto-post hashtags effortlessly as a comment directly under your post. You can also use the preview option to see how the content will appear after dropping it on your feed.
Later is easy to use, with a well-organized interface. However, if you want to use the app exclusively for Instagram, the added features can be cumbersome and add unwanted complexity.
Canva
Canva is an intuitive designing app armed with numerous design features to create the most captivating content. You can edit images, get access to stock photos, and create picture collages. Spruce up your content with stickers and graphics, write texts, include filters, and add animation to the elements for added flair.
The app’s free version comes with thousands of templates and more than a hundred pre-made social media post designs, ideal for quick content creation and drawing inspiration for your unique post. You can create a consistent theme across all your posts for a unified Instagram feed.
You can also add team members to individual designs to collaborate and comment on the ongoing design in real-time.
The app is straightforward, has a clean user interface, and is perfect for everyone, regardless of their graphic designing expertise.
Conclusion
Well-planned, well-executed Instagram feed draws the maximum audience and portrays a cohesive brand image. Therefore, you need a few trusted apps to create a grid that best represents you. Therefore, depending on your personal preferences and requirements, you can use a combination of the apps mentioned above to make the best of the free versions. With an amalgamation of features such as analytics, editing tools, content schedulers, filters, and themes, you can easily curate the perfect Instagram feed.
Author Bio
Audrey Throne has an ongoing affair with the words that capture readers’ attention. Her passion for writing dates back to her pre-blogging days. She loves to share her thoughts related to business, technology, health and fashion.
Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne
