How to Brand Your Instagram

While choosing a good username may be easy when you have an established brand, you should take time to consider your future Instagram identity if you are just starting out. People will identify you with your username and brands will scrutinize it to see if it is a good fit for collaboration. If your name could be considered offensive or is too niche (or too vague), it may be more difficult for you to get sponsored even if you have a large following and are good at what you do.

Here are a few things you could consider when finding the best username for your brand:

1. Your Real Name/Nickname

   Many influencers choose to use their real name (or a nickname) as their username. Before you do the same, you need to create a roadmap of what you plan to do with your endgame. Will you consistently make content that you wouldn’t be ashamed of people in your real-life finding out about? If not, you may want to choose a name that is a little more anonymous. Is your real name unusual enough that people could figure out where you live? There have been multiple cases where people have been stalked by online fans. While using your real name does make you more relatable to your followers, you do want to weigh the consequences. That being said, the majority of people online do use their names and stay safe. The choice is ultimately up to you.

2. Use Keywords in Your Name

   If you are creating a niche-based brand, consider using keywords in your username. This will help people find you and get an idea of what your brand may be about. Note that while you may still be able to create similar content that isn’t perfectly on niche, it may be difficult to rebrand to a different topic altogether in the future.

3. Obscure Letters and Numbers

   Avoid using long names that are mostly letters and numbers that could be confusing to pronounce or read. While you can still grow your brand over time, people will not be able to connect with it as easily or speak freely about it with their friends.

What to Put as Your Name

After creating your username, you may see that there is a separate section for your name. While many influencers will use their username in the same place, you could also use it to increase your searchability. The name will appear under your username, so the smart brand will use top keywords or phrases that will help people find them through searches. Use it more as a description rather than just repeating your name.

Even though your future followers will be there for your images, not your bio, you should still take care when scripting it. Write it in a way that will not only let people know what you plan to do with your account but will also entice them to follow you.

Use strong keywords that are frequently searched for in your description, but don’t overstuff them. You can also add a few relevant hashtags at the end of the bio. That being said, remember that your bio needs to be used as a hook to the rest of your content. If people reading it like what they see, they may subscribe.

Find a Good Profile Picture

Look for a good profile picture that is both appealing and that showcases your niche in some way. If you are a brand, you can use your logo. Personal brands can use a good face shot. Studies have shown that an emailing face that doesn’t obscure the eyes generally does best when placed alongside other photos as people feel more connected to the personality.

If you are creating a brand around plants, showcase a good image of you holding a plant. Take your time to find something that will resonate with people as they will get used to associating your picture with your account.

People love to scroll through Instagram feeds that look cohesive and well-planned. When editing your images, find filters and precepts you like that will look good over most of your images. This will help your feed look naturally branded.

When scheduling your Instagram posts in advance, look at the pictures you have available and imagine what they will look like in your feed. You can often arrange them so that they seem to tell a story or blend together when scrolling through them. Try to place similar images near each other to create a uniform look.

Continue to practice your photography and editing skills. As you improve, you will be able to take increasingly beautiful photos that will take your fan’s breath away.