As a creative, it can be easy to end up bogged down by the nitty-gritty business side of things. Registering your business name, crunching numbers for workshops, getting that SEO optimization working for you, linking accounts, and the list of non-creative details goes on and on and…In the midst of all the details, the addition of posting on social media can be just another task to check off your list– or bump to tomorrow’s to-do list. Let’s be real– when it comes to posting on Instagram or getting your hands on your creative project of choice, the latter will always win out. As a creative, you need to be just that, creative. Social Media can be one of those ‘I’m posting because I know I should’ avenues and today, we’re here to tell you why it’s important to have a beautiful social media grid as a creative, and some tips to help you approach it with even a smidge of the same gusto you approach your passion.

 

It’s someone’s first impression
You know when people say that looks don’t matter? Well, we’re here to tell you that in the world of social media, the opposite is true. When someone first hears of you and your businesses, their immediate response is to look you up on Instagram. When they tap into your feed, that instantaneous moment of seeing your grid gives them their first feel of you as a brand. That grid is a powerful way to connect with your audience. The only way they will stick around long enough to read any captions is if your photos are engaging enough for them to tap on. If your grid isn’t appealing, you won’t be converting potential new customers even into followers.

 

Are you REALLY a creative?
There’s an allure with the title of being ‘a creative’ that often comes with a certain set of expectations, whether you want it to or not. What are those expectations? While they can vary, there’s probably an agreement that a creative has a little mystery, a true-to-heart style, and has an eye for detail and aesthetic. When someone is in a creative industry, we expect their social presence to reflect those details. As potential customers, we want to buy into their chosen path as a creative and the expression of that life through social media will engage us.

 

It’s just good business
It’s true. It just makes good business sense to put a little extra effort into creating a beautiful social feed that will attract clients in an online world that gives priority to the visual side of things.

It just makes good business sense to put a little extra effort into creating a beautiful social feed that will attract clients in an online world that gives priority to the visual side of things.

Your grid is your resume
Your grid is your resume, your story is your interview. Your grid should be the beautiful images you want to show to turn followers into customers. Your story is where you get more real and honest. You should probably keep your story ‘on brand’ to your potential clients, but it’s where you can be a little looser with content– speak your mind, share your messy bun busy day, tell the world why your kids stress you out, show your cat getting into everything. Be real. Be authentic.

Your grid is your resume, your story is your interview. Your grid should be the beautiful images you want to show to turn followers into customers. Your story is where you get more real and honest.

Get creative!
You’re a creative, right? Do you enjoy aesthetics? Think of your social media grid as an opportunity to showcase your creative style and outlook on life! Have fun with creating content that is visually appealing. Download an app that helps you plan it out and make a feed that looks beautiful. Even planning just the pictures still allows for an authentic caption you can post in the moment, and helps keep your branding on point for people who tap on your profile and scroll through your feed.

 

Cohesive branding
If you’ve put the effort into creating a brand, products, or a service to sell, it’s important to keep your message clear. A beautiful social grid does just that– it creates cohesion in your messaging. If you’ve put the effort into creating, you should desire to put the same effort into maintaining. If you start strong, keep up the pace! A beautiful social grid shows you’re in it for the long haul.

 

You never know who is watching!
Have you ever had a unique or interesting opportunity arise from your social feed? If you haven’t, take a look at your grid and see how it looks. Chances are, if you’re putting the effort in to make a beautiful experience for those who come to you, you will have nifty influencer opportunities, potential job offers, or other collaborative or paid possibilities come your way. Beautiful content also lends itself for an easy ‘re-gram’ to a new demographic of potential clients and followers and makes it easy for those watching to share the love.

Beautiful content also lends itself for an easy ‘re-gram’ to a new demographic of potential clients and followers and makes it easy for those watching to share the love.

Next time you open up your Instagram because you feel you should probably post something, take a look at your grid. Is the branding consistent? Does it showcase your best foot forward to potential clients and customers? Does it look like a resume or like a work in progress? We encourage you to take a deeper look at your social grid, and through the lens of gaining more customers, clients or followers, commit to thinking ‘what would they want to see from me?’ and post some beautifully curated content that makes your social grid stand out.

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Stay tuned to Well Curated + Co for the announcement of our Let’s Get Social Workshop to help you curate a beautiful and engaging social feed, teach you how to engage with your followers, and best of all, how to get results! 

Some of our favourite grids from across social media: