In the UK alone, there are 57.1 million social media users – that is 84.4% of the population. With so many accounts, it can be difficult to stand out and show your personality on your feed.Alice Rowen Hall, Founder of Pink Boutique, says: “Your social media should be all about you. Try personalising your social media space to say what you want it to, and make sure you’re standing out from the crowd. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid trends, but knowing how to bend them to your style can make your profile powerful.”
Photo dumps
Abandon the tricky timelines of updating your social media every now and then and instead opt for the photo dump. These mood boards give a snapshot into your life, letting your followers and friends view what you’ve been up to without the constant updates.
You won’t only save time not posting on Instagram every other day, having to think of a new caption each time, but you can also come across as mysterious. Save your girl’s night out photos for a big reveal and show everyone all the fun you’ve had in a monthly roundup. You can even do a yearly roundup of your favourite moments – think Spotify Wrapped but for your Instagram.
And if you’re heading on holiday, save space on your grid by only posting your photo dump at the end of your time away. If you want to keep everyone back home up to date (and a little bit jealous!) use your stories as a way of showing what you’re up to without overcrowding your feed.
You can even photo dump according to your hobbies. If fashion is your thing, create a specific photo dump for your outfits. Your best tight dresses from the last year or a dungaree photo dump can show off all the times you’ve worn your favourite clothes out and about. This way, you can make the most out of your photoshoots without limiting your best dress to the one photo dump – round up the year with your iconic outfit choices.
Adopt a colour scheme
A cohesive colour scheme can really tie up your social media. If you’re using photo dumps throughout your year, make sure your first picture follows the same colour scheme to make your profile look clean and coordinated – then add any splash of colour you want further in the photo dump.
Choose a scheme which suits you. If you’re known for always wearing pink, then why not add this to your profile for that personalised touch? Or, if you’re more of a monochrome girl, then black-and-white pictures can make your social media account look sleek.
Borders
Another way to add some style to your social media is by adding borders to your pictures. Maybe you’re traditional and love the nostalgia of Polaroids, or you’re after a classic, sleek look with a thick white frame for your photos.
Whatever your style, this uniform look can take your Instagram grid to a gallery vibe.
Some apps which can be useful for adding borders to your pictures include Canva, Squareready, or Whitagram. Some apps, like Canva, can also be used to add colour filters to your photos, as well as text and other fun features.
Perfect your profile pic
Nothing makes a social media profile look more dated than an abandoned bio which hasn’t been updated since your teens – unless you’re intentionally going for that nostalgic look. Having an updated profile pic means everyone on your social media can see your personality up front. There is no point hiding how amazing you are, so show it off in your profile pic.
Your bio is just as important. Spend some time thinking about what you want your social media to say. If you’re running a food blog, have something related to your favourite snack, or if it is a personal profile, make sure you’re saying what you want here. Our tastes and personalities change, so switching up your profile should be a regular thing.
Your social media should be about you, now. There are plenty of ways you can update your Instagram grid without putting in too much effort. In fact, photo dumps allow you to spend some time away from your phone and enjoy the moment before posting it for the world to see. So, whether you’re a bit more secretive or want to make a statement in the one upload, swapping your irregular uploads for a monthly photo dump can add that bit of spice back into your social media.
Sources:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/507405/uk-active-social-media-and-mobile-social-media-users/#:~:text=Active%20social%20media%20users%20in%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20(UK)%202023&text=The%20United%20Kingdom%20(UK)%20was,users%20as%20of%20January%202023.
https://www.spotify.com/us/wrapped/