How to Make an Instagram Post Template for Your Business or Brand
Instagram is an undeniably powerful marketing tool. However, with more than 25 million companies on the platform, it’s important that you take the time to create well-designed and thoughtful Instagram posts that stand out from the crowd.
You need to apply a strategic design plan to your company’s Instagram in order to gain a loyal following and have long-term success with the app.
However, creating a clean and cohesive Instagram feed requires design skills that you may lack. Plus, Instagram’s algorithm favors brands that post at least once a day – this time commitment could add to your stress.
If so, you’re in luck – there are ways to create pre-made Instagram post templates so you have a stash ready. Also, making sure you use the same templates for different posts will make it easier for you to create a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing feed.
How to create posts for Instagram
- Use Instagram post templates
- Choose your post format
- Choose a picture
- Add design elements
- Save the photo
- Upload to Instagram
1. Use Instagram post templates
Let’s face it – you don’t always have the time, resources, or staff to create notable Instagram posts. This is why we recommend using Instagram Post Templates for Business, which you can create and customize.
Here are a few options for creating and saving Instagram post templates so that you have amazing posts available anytime you’re ready to publish.
Selected Resource: 16 Free Instagram Post Templates for Business
Do you need templates to get started? Download HubSpot’s free Instagram post templates for traditional posts and stories, which you can customize as you want based on your brand. You can change any part of the template – the image, copy, and design elements – to make sure you’re posting to grow and engage your follower base.
2. Choose your post format
While traditional Instagram posts take longer on your permanent timeline and allow for comments and likes, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of Instagram stories that can be used for more immediate needs and occasions.
Actually, 500 million accounts Use the Instagram Stories feature daily. As you create your post, ask yourself whether it is warranted to publish as a story or as a traditional post.
3. Select an image
Perhaps you’ve decided that your post doesn’t require a photo, and that text overlay on a plain background will work for you. If so, move on to the next step.
When you’ve made up your mind to do If you want to use a photo – especially if you want to use one as a background for the text overlay – you have a few options.
- Take a photo on your phone or with a camera. You don’t have to be a professional photographer for your Instagram posts – Here’s how to take great photos with your phone.
- Use a photo from your company’s files. This works well when you need to use team photos or product photos, which may be of better quality.
- Use a photo that is related to your business (just make sure you don’t use the same one multiple times!).
Whichever photo you choose, just replace it as the background for whatever template you’re using in the HubSpot Instagram Post Template Collection and resize the photo to suit your needs (and be of good quality).
4. Add design elements
Instagram post templates contain placeholders for text with special fonts and other elements. The next step is to change, add, or remove items 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 everything in the template builder of your choice, save your photo to post on Instagram. All you 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’ve saved your photo, you can upload it to share with your followers. For a traditional post, open Instagram, click the “+” button in the lower center, select your photo, add filters, descriptions, or hashtags, and hit the “Share” button. (Check out How to Post on Instagram: A Step-by-Step Guide if you’re still not sure.)
For an Instagram Story post, click the camera icon in the top left of your screen, access your camera roll in the bottom left of the screen, select your picture, and minimize the date that shows up to the point where it can no longer be seen, and add other design elements – such as a GIF or an additional copy – to the image. Click on “Your Story” at the bottom left.
Other ways to design Instagram posts
Here are a few more options for creating and saving Instagram post templates so that you have amazing posts available anytime you’re ready to post.
1. Canva
Canva offers thousands of customizable Instagram post templates. To create an Instagram post on Canva, go to Canva’s Create Design page, click Instagram Post, and then do the following:
1. On the left you will see a number of template options – some cost money, some are free. Choose a.
2. When you have selected a template, click in the text field to write something. At the top are colors if you want to change your text color. You can also change the font, size and spacing.
3. When you are finished with your text, click on the background of your picture (outside the text field). This allows you to filter your background, adjust the brightness and contrast of the image, and much more.
4. When you are satisfied with your template, open the Canva app on your phone. Click your Instagram post design.
5. In the upper right corner, click Share.
6. Now you can post directly to Instagram by clicking “Import with Instagram”. If you’re not ready to publish it, you can also “Save Picture” and it will pop up on your camera roll for later.
7. If you post to Instagram right away, choose whether to upload to your “Story” or “Feed”.
8. Edit the Instagram post just like any other post – add tags, a caption, a location, etc. When you’re done, click Share in the top right corner.
Remember, your template will be automatically saved to your Canva account. You will be able to access it in the future on both desktop and app versions of Canva and edit it with new text to republish the same design.
Alternatively, you can make some posts now and then save them to your camera roll for future posting.
Aside from Canva, there are a few other design editors that offer free pre-made Instagram templates. Here are three tools in particular that you might want to consider:
2. Recite this
If you want to create a template for citation posts, it’s easy. We’ve already put together a list of nine apps that you can use to create listings for Instagram.
For our purposes, we’re only going to try one thing – ReciteThis.
To create a quote template for Instagram, go to ReciteThis and follow these three simple steps:
1. Enter your offer in the text field.
2. Click the left or right arrows below to read the templates and choose one you like. When you have selected a template and written your text, click the “Create” button in the text field.
3. Click “Download Picture” to post to desktop version of Instagram, or email it to yourself to post to your phone.
3. Creative market
When you’re ready to spend the money, you can purchase one of Creative Market’s Instagram template packs.
For example, you can purchase this social media package 1053 Quotes.
Alternatively, you can purchase a bundle of Instagram story content like this Animated Stories bundle.
Finally, you can buy a bundle to create a cohesive theme for your Instagram feed like this The Grid template.
And that’s it! You can now create and save pre-made Instagram templates so you can focus on getting a loyal following without the hassle of creating a new post every day.
For more Instagram tips and tricks, check out our Instagram Marketing: The Ultimate Guide.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in October 2018 and has been updated for completeness.