MARKETING

Free Instagram Post Templates for Your Brand

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2022

Instagram is an undeniably powerful marketing tool, but with over 200 million business accounts on the platform today, it’s critical that you take the time to create well-designed and thoughtful Instagram posts to stand out. You’ll need to apply a strategic design plan to your business’s Instagram to attract a loyal following and find success on the app, long-term.

However, creating a clean and cohesive Instagram feed takes design skills and time commitment you may lack, and with an algorithm that favors brands that post at least once a day, that could be adding to your stress.

If that’s the case, you’re in luck — in this post we’ll discuss how you can create pre-made Instagram post templates so you’ve got a stash ready to go. Plus, by ensuring you use the same templates for different posts, you’ll have an easier time creating a cohesive and aesthetically-pleasing feed.

Instagram Post Templates

Instagram templates can be used to serve different purposes, and we have a list of our own for you to brainstorm ideas and customize for free.

Panel Template

For those trying to spread the word on an upcoming virtual or in-person panel, you can promote it using our Panel Template.

Customize it by adding the speakers’ profile photos and usernames to build hype and give followers the chance to get an idea of what they can look forward to.

What We Like: Your followers won’t have to DM you for panel information, as the example given in the template provides all the context necessary for them to plan to attend.

Quote Template

Sometimes you want to keep up with the algorithm, and posting consistently using quotes in between announcements can help keep that relevance businesses need to be seen.

Interview insightful team members, or even use inspirational quotes that your followers would enjoy seeing as they scroll through their feed.

What We Like: The versatility of this template lets you change the background image to fit the tone of the quote you share.

Sales Announcement Template

I don’t know about you, but when I see a sales announcement I get excited to check out what’s available.

When you’re looking to sell existing inventory, or share a seasonal offer, this sales announcement template gets straight to the point to capture attention. Change the background image to fit the occasion and you’ll have this post ready within minutes.

What We Like: This template isn’t cluttered nor pushy; those who are already fans of your product will want to go to your site to take advantage of the opportunity.

Quick Tip Template

Sometimes your followers could be in need of some advice, that’s where our Quick Tip Template can fit that need.

If you’re catering to budding professionals or hobbyists, you can help them become more proficient in the skill they’re trying to develop. Change the imagery to reflect the tip of your choosing and share it with your followers.

What We Like: While it’s a simple template, it’s an easy way to engage with followers in between campaigns, and if you want to make the most of it, encourage commenters to share their own tips or advice they found helpful, too.

We’re Hiring Template

Yes, you could just post job openings on websites like LinkedIn, but you could reach exactly who you’re looking for on social media channels like Instagram, too.

Customize this template to either showcase a variety of positions you have open, or for a certain position that you can expand on in your post description.

What We Like: You can reach a further audience with Instagram using this template and by using the post-boost feature to better target the persona you’re looking for.

Offer Template

Promote things like eBooks or guides using our Offer template.

By giving followers a glimpse at your newer offers, you can use the post description to give them a call to action and download different types of resources. Customize it to reflect your brand’s color scheme and offerings.

What We Like: This chic template is the right amount of professional and minimalist approach that viewers will want to check out, as opposed to lengthy announcements littered with too much text in imagery.

New Product Template

When you’re ready to launch a new product, you should meet your target audience right where they are on Instagram the day it goes live.

By using our New Product template, you can give your followers an idea of what they can expect with this new innovation. You can also switch out the imagery to reflect the product solution.

What We Like: Without using words, your followers can get a clearer idea of what your new product can do for them if they purchase it.

Review Template

Whether it’s internal or external, sharing positive reviews of your brand or product can be a great way to add legitimacy to your business.

Use our Review template to share the positive experiences your clients or employees had from your business, this can attract customers and talent to the company.

What We Like: Sharing reviews can help customers build trust, and adding posts like these to your profile can aid in the process.

Podcast Template

Podcasts are on the rise, so to help get the word out, you should be promoting on your Instagram.

This simplistic template is a great way to announce the creation of your podcast. You can use the post description to give your followers an idea of what’s to come and encourage them to spread the word.

What We Like: You can distinguish the type of podcast in the image if you choose or frame it as a surprise. The possibilities are endless.

These aren’t the only templates available in our offer, so download the pack to brainstorm even more ideas for your future posts.

How to Use Instagram Posts Templates

Download Instagram post templates.
Choose your post format.
Choose an image.
Add design elements.
Save the photo.
Upload to Instagram.

1. Download Instagram post templates.

Let’s face it — you don’t always have the time, resources, or personnel to design noteworthy Instagram posts. That’s why we recommend using Instagram Post Templates for Business which you can build from and customize.

Here are some options to create and save Instagram post templates, so you can have stunning posts on-hand whenever you’re ready to publish.

Featured Resource: 22 Free Instagram Post Templates for Business

Need templates to get started? Download HubSpot’s free Instagram post templates for both traditional posts and stories, which you can tailor as you see fit when it comes to your brand. You can alter any parts of the template – the image, the copy, and the design elements – to ensure you’re publishing posts to grow and engage your follower base.

2. Choose your post format.

While traditional Instagram posts to your permanent timeline are more long-lasting and allow for comments and likes, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of Instagram Stories, which can be used for more immediate needs and occasions.

In fact, 500 million accounts use the Instagram Stories feature daily. So, when you’re creating your post, ask yourself if it warrants publication as a story or as a traditional post.

3. Choose an image.

Maybe you’ve decided your post doesn’t need a photograph and that text overlay on a solid-color background will work for you. If that’s the case, hop over to the next step.

If you’ve decided you do want to use a photograph – particularly if you want one as the background for text overlay – you’ve got a few options.

Take a photo on your phone or with a camera. No need to be a professional photographer for your Instagram posts – you can learn how to take great photos with your phone here.
Use a photo from your company’s files. This works well if you need to utilize team photos or product photography, which may be better quality.
Use a stock photo that pertains to your business (just make sure you don’t use the same one multiple times!).

Whichever photo you decide to use, simply replace it as the background for the template you’re using in the HubSpot Instagram Post Template collection and resize the photo so it’s to your liking (and is good quality).

4. Add design elements.

Instagram post templates come with design placeholders for text with special fonts and other elements. Your next step is to alter, add, or remove any elements that you see fit.

This includes updating the copy to reflect the information you want followers to know and/or the action you want them to take.

5. Save the photo.

When you’ve done all you can in the template builder of your choosing, save your photo to be posted on Instagram. All you’ll have to do here is click File > Download > PNG Image or JPEG Image. Then, just name the photo file, email, or message it to yourself, and save it on your phone so you can post it.

6. Upload to Instagram.

Once you have your photo saved, it’s time to upload it to share with your followers. For a traditional post, open Instagram, click the + button in the bottom center, choose your photo, add any filter, description, or hashtags, and click Share. (Take a look at How to Post on Instagram: a Step-by-Step Guide if you’re still unsure.)

For an Instagram Story post, click on the camera icon in the top left of your screen, access your camera roll in the bottom left of the screen, choose your image, minimize the date that shows up to the point where it can’t be seen, and add any additional design elements – like a GIF or additional copy – to the image. From there, click Your Story on the bottom left.

Curate Your Instagram Posts with Ease

We hope you found our guide and templates useful as you prepare to make a stylized Instagram feed. With these tools, you’ll be set to create and save pre-made Instagram templates, so you can focus on attracting a loyal following without tediously designing a post from scratch every day.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Related Topics:brand free Instagram Post Templates

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MARKETING

How To Develop a Great Creative Brief and Get On-Target Content

Published

21 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

How To Develop a Great Creative Brief and Get On-Target Content

Every editor knows what it feels like to sit exasperated in front of the computer, screaming internally, “It would have been easier if I’d done it myself.”

If your role involves commissioning and approving content, you know that sinking feeling: Ten seconds into reviewing a piece, it’s obvious the creator hasn’t understood (or never bothered to listen to) a damn thing you told them. As you go deeper, your fingertips switch gears from polite tapping to a digital Riverdance as your annoyance spews onto the keyboard. We’ve all been there. It’s why we drink. Or do yoga. Or practice voodoo.

In truth, even your best writer, designer, or audiovisual content creator can turn in a bad job. Maybe they had an off day. Perhaps they rushed to meet a deadline. Or maybe they just didn’t understand the brief.

The first two excuses go to the content creator’s professionalism. You’re allowed to get grumpy about that. But if your content creator didn’t understand the brief, then you, as the editor, are at least partly to blame.

Taking the time to create a thorough but concise brief is the single greatest investment you can make in your work efficiency and sanity. The contrast in emotions when a perfectly constructed piece of content lands in your inbox could not be starker. It’s like the sun has burst through the clouds, someone has released a dozen white doves, and that orchestra that follows you around has started playing the lovely bit from Madame Butterfly — all at once.

Here’s what a good brief does:

It clearly and concisely sets out your expectations (so be specific).
It focuses the content creator’s mind on the areas of most importance.
It encourages the content creator to do a thorough job rather than an “it’ll-do” job.
It results in more accurate and more effective content (content that hits the mark).
It saves hours of unnecessary labor and stress in the editing process.
It can make all the difference between profit and loss.

Arming content creators with a thorough brief gives them the best possible chance of at least creating something fit for purpose — even if it’s not quite how you would have done it. Give them too little information, and there’s almost no hope they’ll deliver what you need.

On the flip side, overloading your content creators with more information than they need can be counterproductive. I know a writer who was given a 65-page sales deck to read as background for a 500-word blog post. Do that, and you risk several things happening:

It’s not worth the content creator’s time reading it, so they don’t.
Even if they do read it, you risk them missing out on the key points.
They’ll charge you a fortune because they’re losing money doing that amount of preparation.
They’re never going to work with you again.

There’s a balance to strike.

There’s a balance to be struck.

Knowing how to give useful and concise briefs is something I’ve learned the hard way over 20 years as a journalist and editor. What follows is some of what I’ve found works well. Some of this might read like I’m teaching grandma to suck eggs, but I’m surprised how many of these points often get forgotten.

Who is the client?

Provide your content creator with a half- or one-page summary of the business:

Who it is
What it does
Whom it services
What its story is
Details about any relevant products and services

Include the elevator pitch and other key messaging so your content creator understands how the company positions itself and what kind of language to weave into the piece.

Who is the audience?

Include a paragraph or two about the intended audience. If a company has more than one audience (for example, a recruitment company might have job candidates and recruiters), then be specific. Even a sentence will do, but don’t leave your content creator guessing. They need to know who the content is for.

What needs to be known?

This is the bit where you tell your content creator what you want them to create. Be sure to include three things:

The purpose of the piece
The angle to lead with
The message the audience should leave with

I find it helps to provide links to relevant background information if you have it available, particularly if the information inspired or contributed to the content idea, rather than rely on content creators to find their own. It can be frustrating when their research doesn’t match or is inferior to your own.

How does the brand communicate?

Include any information the content creators need to ensure that they’re communicating in an authentic voice of the brand.

Tone of voice: The easiest way to provide guidance on tone of voice is to provide one or two examples that demonstrate it well. It’s much easier for your content creators to mimic a specific example they’ve seen, read, or heard than it is to interpret vague terms like “formal,” “casual,” or “informative but friendly.”
Style guide: Giving your content creator a style guide can save you a lot of tinkering. This is essential for visuals but also important for written content if you don’t want to spend a lot of time changing “%” to “percent” or uncapitalizing job titles. Summarize the key points or most common errors.
Examples: Examples aren’t just good for tone of voice; they’re also handy for layout and design to demonstrate how you expect a piece of content to be submitted. This is especially handy if your template includes social media posts, meta descriptions, and so on.

All the elements in a documented brief

Here are nine basic things every single brief requires:

Title: What are we calling this thing? (A working title is fine so that everyone knows how to refer to this project.)
Client: Who is it for, and what do they do?
Deadline: When is the final content due?
The brief itself: What is the angle, the message, and the editorial purpose of the content? Include here who the audience is.
Specifications: What is the word count, format, aspect ratio, or run time?
Submission: How and where should the content be filed? To whom?
Contact information: Who is the commissioning editor, the client (if appropriate), and the talent?
Resources: What blogging template, style guide, key messaging, access to image libraries, and other elements are required to create and deliver the content?
Fee: What is the agreed price/rate? Not everyone includes this in the brief, but it should be included if appropriate.

Depending on your business or the kind of content involved, you might have other important information to include here, too. Put it all in a template and make it the front page of your brief.

Prepare your briefs early

It’s entirely possible you’re reading this, screaming internally, “By the time I’ve done all that, I could have written the damn thing myself.”

But much of this information doesn’t change. Well in advance, you can document the background about a company, its audience, and how it speaks doesn’t change. You can pull all those resources into a one- or two-page document, add some high-quality previous examples, throw in the templates they’ll need, and bam! You’ve created a short, useful briefing package you can provide to any new content creator whenever it is needed. You can do this well ahead of time.

I expect these tips will save you a lot of internal screaming in the future. Not to mention drink, yoga, and voodoo.

This is an update of a January 2019 CCO article.

Get more advice from Chief Content Officer, a monthly publication for content leaders. Subscribe today to get it in your inbox.

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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

MARKETING

Quiet Quitting vs. Setting Healthy Boundaries: Where’s The Line?

Published

3 days ago

April 29, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Quiet Quitting vs. Setting Healthy Boundaries: Where's The Line?

In the summer of 2022, we first started hearing buzz around a new term: “Quiet quitting“.

MARKETING

Microsoft unveils a new small language model

Published

4 days ago

April 28, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Microsoft unveils a new small language model

Phi-3-Mini is the first in a family of small language models Microsoft plans to release over the coming weeks. Phi-3-Small and Phi-3-Medium are in the works. In contrast to large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, small language models are trained on much smaller datasets and are said to be much more affordable for users.

We are excited to introduce Phi-3, a family of open AI models developed by Microsoft. Phi-3 models are the most capable and cost-effective small language models (SLMs) available, outperforming models of the same size and next size up across a variety of language, reasoning, coding and math benchmarks.
Misha Bilenko Corporate Vice President, Microsoft GenAI

What are they for? For one thing, the reduced size of this language model may make it suitable to run locally, for example as an app on a smartphone. Something the size of ChatGPT lives in the cloud and requires an internet connection for access.

While ChatGPT is said to have over a trillion parameters, Phi-3-Mini has only 3.8 billion. Sanjeev Bora, who works with genAI in the healthcare space, writes: “The number of parameters in a model usually dictates its size and complexity. Larger models with more parameters are generally more capable but come at the cost of increased computational requirements. The choice of size often depends on the specific problem being addressed.”

Phi-3-Mini was trained on a relatively small dataset of 3.3 trillion tokens — instances of human language expressed numerically. But that’s still a lot of tokens.

Why we care. While it is generally reported, and confirmed by Microsoft, that these SLMs will be much more affordable than the big LLMs, it’s hard to find exact details on the pricing. Nevertheless, taking the promise at face-value, one can imagine a democratization of genAI, making it available to very small businesses and sole proprietors.

We need to see what these models can do in practice, but it’s plausible that use cases like writing a marketing newsletter, coming up with email subject lines or drafting social media posts just don’t require the gigantic power of a LLM.

Dig deeper: How a non-profit farmers market is leveraging AI