Social Media

How to Create Content for Instagram: A Simplified Guide

Instagram has over 2 billion active users, making it one of the leading social media platforms. However, to reap the full benefits of these numbers, you need to know how to create content for Instagram.

Good Instagram content will boost your online visibility, increase your brand awareness, and drive traffic to your online stores. It also opens doors for influencer partnerships and co-marketing opportunities with other brands.

In this article, we’ll explore how to create content for Instagram that resonates with your audience. We’ll also discuss the optimal posting times and uncover the secrets of social media marketing for Instagram.

Disclaimer: This content contains some affiliate links for which we will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). This is to ensure that we can keep creating free content for you.

How to Create Content for Instagram in 5 steps

Being the third most popular social media platform in terms of active user numbers, Instagram occupies a very important niche in social media marketing. You must master how to create content for Instagram to take advantage of this marketing opportunity.

Image via Statista

And as you learn how to create content for Instagram, your goals should gear towards inspiring and helping your audience discover things they love.

But how do you create this content?

Have a strategy you can replicate and improve as time goes by.

It’s one of the social media tips you can leverage to grow your business.

But why?

A content creation strategy can help you not only reach your target audience but also stand out.  Having it documented also means you can quickly identify areas that need improving as time goes by and optimize.

What should your content strategy entail?

Leverage these steps if you want to learn how to create content for Instagram:

1. Define Your Audience

The first step in learning how to create content for Instagram is identifying your audience. Identifying your target audience and understanding their pain points help you create a defined content strategy.

Consider factors like the location, age, and gender of your target audience. These insights will help shape your content strategy and ensure it resonates with the right people.

Now, let’s explore a few more tips on how to create content for Instagram.

Check Your Instagram Insights

If you’re looking to learn how to create content for Instagram, one of the best places to start is with Instagram Insights. This built-in tool gives you valuable data about your audience, such as their age, gender, location, and when they're most active. These insights help shape and refine your content strategy.

For example, if your followers are mostly young adults, fun, trendy posts and reels may resonate more. However, if your audience consists of professionals, informative or educational content could drive higher engagement. Below is an example of the type of data you’ll find in Instagram Insights.

Image via Instagram Creators

Check Out Your Competitors

Another strategy on how to create content for Instagram is finding competitors in your niche. Ask questions like, Who follows them? What posts get the most engagement? If their audience is similar to yours, you can learn from their best-performing content.

Ask Your Followers What They Want

Asking questions is one of the best ways to know your audience. Use Instagram Stories to run polls or ask questions. Let them tell you what they want to see. This makes them feel involved and helps you figure out how to create content for Instagram that is useful for them.

Create a Follower Persona

Once you’ve gathered enough insights, it’s time to connect the dots. Visualize your ideal follower—what are their interests? What challenges do they face? What type of content would genuinely help or inspire them? Answering these questions will guide you on how to create content for Instagram that resonates and keep your audience coming back for more.

Creating a follower persona will help you understand your audience and navigate how to create content for Instagram. The better you know them, the better your content will perform.

2. Plan Your Content

Finding the right thing to post can be a struggle if you always wait for inspiration to create content for Instagram.

So what should you do to find your way around how to create content for Instagram?

Know your objectives, who you want to target, and what kind of content would catch and hold their attention.

And in this section, we look at the various crucial points you need to take care of when planning to create content for Instagram.

Let’s get started:

Identify Goals

With clearly defined content goals, you can stay focused on your content marketing objectives with each post.

However, for these goals to work, they must be specific, measurable, and realistic. They should align with business objectives and be time-bound.

A measurable goal is something like “I want to create content for Instagram that helps increase my average online orders by 5% by the end of May.” It’s clear, specific, and achievable. It gives you a focused target to work toward and a way to track your progress.

Other reasons you may want to create content for Instagram include building brand awareness, increasing reach, driving engagement, etc.

Find Audience Pain Points

A challenge most marketers face when trying to offer exceptional customer experiences involves understanding customers.

And guess what?

If you don’t understand your customer, you won’t know how to create content for Instagram that drives engagement and conversions.

So, how do you solve this problem?

Dig beyond simple demographics and discover their interests and problems. Ask them to share issues they need help with or seek forums and Q&A sites for their problem areas.

Then create content that provides solutions and builds your connection to them.

Define Brand Look and Voice

Instagram content includes more than just the photos and videos you post on Instagram.

It also includes graphics and how your brand presents itself on the platform.

It’s, therefore, important to establish a distinct look and voice if you want to master how to create content for Instagram.

But how?

Combine your words, language, aesthetics, stylistic choices, personality, etc., into a memorable experience.

A recent study also showed that consumers value authenticity and relatability when it comes to social media content on platforms like Instagram.

Image via Sprout Social Index

So how do you take your Instagram content to the next level with brand voice?

Depending on your target audience, choose a distinct personality.

Take Oatly, an oat milk company, for example. They decided on a fun conversational brand voice, and their posts take on a randomness that makes the reader want to read on.

Image via Instagram

Here’s an example of Duolingo using a consistent color scheme on its Instagram account. You can see a dash of green in almost every post.

Image via Instagram

But how do you give your content a distinct look?

  • Choose colors that communicate or evoke feelings. For example, choose calm colors if you want a calming look.
  • Use specific filters.
  • Include your logo.
  • Choose fonts that speak as much as your content does. For example, if your brand wants to represent a friendly, amusing, or expressive look, you can use display fonts.

Disney uses these fonts perfectly.

Image via Instagram

Identify Posting Schedule

To stay relevant, your brand needs a regular Instagram posting schedule at times when your audience is likely online.

But how do you identify an ideal posting time?

Check your analytics from the Instagram app and identify top time zones when followers mostly interact with your content. Then, strive to create content for Instagram while experimenting with various posting times.

And according to a recent study, the best times to post depend on what day of the week you want to publish content.

Image via Social Pilot

However, while these are average times across brands, your account features a unique set of audiences, and you must find out when they are most active on the platform.

Leverage Tools

Do you wish to know how to create content for Instagram without the platform taking too much of your time?

Leverage tools that help you take care of most Instagram problems without breaking your bank.

But what tools are the best for Instagram content?

Here is a selection of tools you can use to create content for Instagram:

Editing tools: Boomerang, VSCO, Snapseed, Adobe Lightroom

Automation tools: Buffer, Hootsuite, Agorapulse, SocialPilot

Stories tools: Canva, Adobe Spark, mojo, Unfold

Hashtag tools: Hashtagify, AutoHash, HashTagsForLikes, Hashtracking.com

Bio link tools: Linktree, Sked Link, Milkshake App, SHORBY

Analytic tools: Instagram Insights, Iconosquare, Keyhole, Sprout Social

Ad tools: Facebook Ads Manager, Branded Content Tools, AdEspresso, AdView

Influencer campaign tools: Fourstarzz, Brand Collabs Manager, Afluencer, Traackr

Feed planning tools: Later, Sked Social, HopperHq.com, Preview App

3. Create Instagram Content

At this point, on your quest to create content for Instagram, you have a plan detailing your goals, audience, tools you will use, and when to post.

It’s now time to learn how to create content for Instagram that people will interact with.

How do you go about it?

Use these tips:

Be Creative

The secret to figuring out how to create content for Instagram is writing social media content that drives engagement. The content needs to align with your brand, consider audience needs, and stick to your niche.

To create content for Instagram, you have to ensure each post contributes to your overall business goals and understand audience preference. Additionally, focus your efforts on only posting information on your niche that’s engaging, authentic, and inspiring.

So, how do you get creative when learning how to create content for Instagram?

Consider your audience buyer journey and the kind of content they need to move them along. This includes content that attracts, nurtures, convinces them to convert, and grows their loyalty.

Then, decide on the type of posts.

Do they prefer more videos or photos? Are they more into educational pieces or carousel posts?

Various forms of content you can include in your posts include:

  • Testimonials
  • Educative content
  • Reviews
  • User-generated content
  • Statistics and facts

Now, once you know what the best content is, plan for it in advance.

But why?

Planning gives you a bird’s eye view of your scheduled posts. It prevents you from over-promoting products while also giving you time to curate an excellent Instagram feed.

Check out a brand like Recess, for example.

Image via Instagram

They have an aesthetically pleasing grid that leverages the same pink and blue hues.

Leverage Visual Content

According to research, 95% of marketers consider video an integral piece of their marketing plans.

But why is this?

Video content drives great returns on investment while also increasing user understanding of products. It’s the number one way for brands to attract attention, find new customers, and drive sales.

The illustration below shows that marketers are increasingly turning to video for marketing to new customers.

Image via Animoto

But what’s the best way to create content for Instagram while featuring images and videos?

One, start by creating your visual content in batches.

Doing this gives you a library of content and saves you time in terms of the duration it takes to browse, select, edit, create compelling captions, and post images.

To, leverage tools like Canva and Venngage that give you Instagram templates you can share several times.

Image via Canva

And the benefits of doing this?

You don’t have to recreate designs or come up with original ideas each time you need to create content for Instagram.

Three, find stock images that relate to your brand and combine them with original photos to give you a varied Instagram feed. However, ensure you download these images in the correct Instagram sizes.

Alternatively, download the stock images and use online tools to shrink them to a width of 1080 pixels or a 1:91:1 ratio. You can also leverage compression tools like TinyImage that help you reduce the bulkiness of your stock images without compromising on quality.

Use Hashtags

Hashtags can expand your reach on Instagram and drive engagement. And when you use them to create content for Instagram, your posts appear on that hashtag page.

Why is this crucial when it comes to learning how to create content for Instagram?

People can see your posts if they follow a hashtag you use, even if they are not your followers. You can also use them to build a community motivated to engage with your brand.

What kind of hashtags can you use to create content for Instagram?

Community hashtags: They connect like-minded people to a topic. For example:

  • Seasonal hashtags like #halloween
  • Niche hashtags like #travelphotographer
  • Product hashtags like., #handbag
  • Location hashtags like #Texassweets
  • Acronym hashtags like #TBT
  • Daily hashtags like #InspirationalTuesday
  • Phrase hashtags like #GirlsWhoTravel

And the trick to succeeding with community hashtags?

Include several in your content to reach different communities, as shown in the example below.

Image via Instagram

Branded hashtags: These are unique to your brand and can represent your tagline, company name, product, or brand identity.

For example, Allbirds uses the hashtag #weareallbirds to create content for Instagram, connect to their audience, and drive awareness for their brand.

Image via Instagram

Campaign hashtags: You tie these hashtags to specific campaigns. For example, an event, product launch, promotion, etc.

For example, this marketing campaign hashtag by Planters:

Image via Instagram

But how do you discover the best hashtags to create content for Instagram?

First, realize that using popular hashtags or many of them does not necessarily mean you get lots of engagement.

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but that doesn’t mean you should use that entire allowance at once. Sometimes, 10 quality hashtags can deliver what 30 low-quality hashtags will not.

The trick?

Find fewer hashtags related to your niche or relevant to your industry.

Alternatively, check out competitor posts, leverage trending topics in your niche, or use hashtag-generating tools to find them.

Write Attractive Instagram Captions

As you learn how to create content for Instagram with strong captions and headlines, you need to re-examine your goals and your audience.

A brand that does this perfectly is Tushy, which showcases a great understanding of its target audience.

Image via Instagram

But how can your brand make captions captivating?

Leverage these tips to create content for Instagram with great captions:

  • Include a call to action
  • Use questions
  • Have important details at the beginning
  • Be authentic
  • Add value
  • Use storytelling
  • Include emojis
  • Be careful about caption length. If you must use lengthy captions, make sure they drive value
  • Include hashtags

Run UGC Campaigns

93% of marketers believe consumers trust content created by people more than what brands create.

So, why doesn’t your brand leverage user-generated content to amplify its content strategy?

Using it can help you build brand trust, inspire purchase decisions, increase engagement, and boost reach.

But how can you use UGC to create content for Instagram?

Use these steps:

  • Identify a goal.
  • Create a unique hashtag. Make it short, and easily recognizable, and connect it to your product, brand, or business.
  • Give participants a valuable price. E.g., a gift card.
  • Chose a timeframe
  • Promote your contest. Ask followers to participate and include prerequisites that make one eligible. For example, tagging their friends, sharing their email, etc.
  • Announce the winner.

Alternatively, use a social listening tool to find posts mentioning your brand or products. Then, and with permission from the fan, re-share the post to your Instagram account.

Image via Instagram

Partner with Influencers

Brands that create effective influencer strategies build trust with their audiences while also increasing reach.

Influencer-generated content also outperforms branded content.

Image via Linqia

But how can you work with influencers to create content for Instagram?

Follow these steps:

  • Identify influencer campaign goals.
  • Set a budget.
  • Decide on the type of influencers. E.g., micro-influencers, macro-influencers, nano-influencers, etc.
  • Find influencers. They should have an engaged following, high reach, similar values as your brand, and followers interested in what you offer.
  • Reach out to influencers and agree on the type of content, number of posts, budget, etc.
  • Manage influencers and track performance.

If you build relationships with influencers who deliver, they can boost your content strategy and make your brand a household name.

Maximize Instagram Features

If you want to create content for Instagram that engages and boosts your reach, you need to leverage Instagram features including:

Instagram Live: Use it to create content for Instagram that builds your online community and showcases your brand’s authentic or human side.

For example, Revolve regularly has live sessions that they then re-share to their feed and IGTV.

Image via Instagram

IGTV: Use it to create content for Instagram that helps you build long-term relationships. These can include product launches, tutorials, interviews, etc.

For example, check out how Golde uses IGTV to educate their audience.

Image via Instagram

Instagram Stories: Keep your audience engaged with stickers, polls, and quizzes on Stories. For example, Travel Alberta keeps their audience engaged with quizzes on must-see locations.

Image via Instagram

Use Instagram Ads

A survey on people using Instagram found that those who see a product or service either seek out more information, visit the brand’s website, purchase, or follow the brand.

And guess what?

By running Instagram ads, you can introduce more people to your products.

But how can you create content for Instagram ads:

  • Target people based on their demographics, behavior, and interests.
  • Retarget those who’ve interacted with your website or accounts on other social media platforms.
  • Target those whose contact details you possess.
  • Create audiences based on existing customers.
  • Leverage automated targeting.

Most importantly, don’t forget to optimize landing pages you direct people to when they click on your ad. This way, you can offer visitors exceptional experiences that lead to a conversion.

4. Optimize Content on Your Instagram Account

You now know how to create content for Instagram.

But is there a way to ensure it delivers maximum results?

Yes.

Here is how to create content for Instagram optimized to deliver better results:

Use different content formats: There are various formats you can use to create content for Instagram. These include short videos, IGTV, Live Streams, Reels, GIFs, memes, etc.

Carousels, for example, can help you drive more engagement.

Image via Socialinsider

Run contests: Contests draw attention to your brand and can help you boost engagement and conversions. Examples include comment to win, photo caption contests, trivia, tag-a-friend, etc.

Image via Instagram

Post content from others in your niche: Ensure it relates to your audience’s interest, get permission to post it, and give credit to the owner.

Image via Instagram

Partner with complementary brands: One of the best ways to build links is to partner with complementary brands on Instagram.

Image via Instagram

Repurpose content: The easiest way to drive social media traffic back to your site is to repurpose your blog posts, emails, podcasts, video content, etc., into condensed posts.

You can create a reel of your best-performing blog posts. The example below shows how Neil Patel makes Instagram reels of all his best-performing blog posts.

Image via Instagram

Include calls-to-action: Use them to further encourage interaction with your brand.

Image via Instagram

Post consistently and engage audiences: Post on a regular schedule and ensure you reply to comments or questions on your posts.

Appeal to emotions: Share visuals that appeal to emotions.

Image via Instagram

Use storytelling: Include narratives that people can relate to.

Image via Instagram

Share experiences: One way to increase conversion rates is to create content for Instagram showcasing your products in action.

Image via Instagram

5. Track and Improve

The easiest way to learn how to create content for Instagram is by tracking what tactics resonate with your audience and which ones don’t.

But how do you track?

Leverage Instagram analytics from the platform or use other analytic tools to measure metrics like follower growth, engagement, conversions, etc.

You can then use the insights to create content for Instagram that drives engagement and revenue.

FAQ

Q1. How do you create content on Instagram?

A. Follow these steps if you want to know how to create content for Instagram:

  • Define your audience
  • Plan your content well
  • Create your content
  • Optimize your content
  • Track and improve your content

For an in-depth look at what each of these steps entails, check out the post above.

Q2. How do I make my Instagram posts attractive?

A. The best types of Instagram content include:

  • Take professional photos
  • Have a consistent color scheme
  • Plan your feed
  • Don’t over-promote
  • Offer value with each post
  • Provide solutions to audience problems

Q3. What type of content is best for Instagram?

A. The best types include:

  • Testimonials
  • User-generated content
  • Influencer generated content
  • Quizzes and questions
  • Live streams
  • Stories

Q4. What are some content ideas for Instagram?

A. Leverage these ideas to create content for Instagram:

  • Run flash sales
  • Hold promotions
  • Tell stories
  • Share tutorials
  • Share follower-generated content
  • Use hashtags

Q5. How do I increase my follower count?

A. Use these tips to increase follower count:

  • Leverage great hashtags
  • Post relevant content
  • Provide value
  • Be consistent
  • Promote content
  • Use Stories and Reels

Q6. Do I really need a content plan for Instagram?

A. You need a content plan for Instagram because it helps you stay organized, especially if you intend to use Instagram for social media marketing. Lacking a plan means you’ll be scrambling everyday with incoherent posts that don’t capture what your brand offers.

Q7. How to Plan Instagram Content?

A. Use these planning tips to create content for Instagram:

  • Identify Goals
  • Research Audience
  • Define brand look and voice
  • Identify posting schedule
  • Leverage tools

For more details on each step, check out the post above.

Q8. How often should I post on Instagram?

A. There’s no magic number, but 3–5 times a week works for a lot of brands. Try to post consistently. It’s better to post three times a week than to blast out 10 in one week and disappear for two.

Q9. How to create content for Instagram stories?

A. Here’s how to create content for Instagram Stories:

  • Establish a content theme
  • Define goals
  • Plan your content
  • Determine posting frequency
  • Find the best posting time
  • Create Stories content. Can include photos, videos, quizzes, polls, etc.
  • Leverage tools
  • Track performance

Q10. How do you get UGC on Instagram?

A. Use these steps to get UGC:

  • Identify a goal and theme
  • Create a unique hashtag
  • Give a relevant price
  • Chose a timeframe
  • Promote your contest.
  • Announce the winner
  • Share this content on your feed and Stories

Implement The Guide on How to Create Content for Instagram

This how to create content for Instagram guide will help you plan, leverage tactics that drive results, and track performance.

Need further explanation on either of the tactics mentioned above? Don’t hesitate to reach out! We're here to support you with expert Instagram marketing services to help you take your brand to the next level.

Disclaimer: This content contains some affiliate links for which we will earn a commission (at no additional cost to you). This is to ensure that we can keep creating free content for you.

Gaurav Sharma

Gaurav Sharma is the Founder and CEO of Attrock, a results-driven digital marketing company. Grew an agency from 5-figure to 7-figure revenue in just two years | 10X leads | 2.8X conversions | 300K organic monthly traffic | 5K keywords on page 1. He also contributes to top publications like HuffPost, Adweek, Business2Community, TechCrunch, and more.

Recent Posts

How to Successfully Create Content for Social Media in 2025

Learning how to create content for social media comes with a lot of benefits. It…

13 hours ago

21 Best Lead Generation Software for 2025 [Free & Paid]

Generating leads and sales is one of the top priorities for most marketers today, but…

3 days ago

9 SEO Best Practices to Boost Organic Rankings & Traffic

Ever wonder how some websites always top search results? The key is mastering SEO. It’s…

1 week ago

11 Best Online Video Makers in 2025: A Detailed Comparison

Seeing that video has, over time, become the go-to content type for brands that want…

1 week ago

How To Improve SEO Rankings: Expert Guide For 2025

In today’s increasingly competitive business environment, companies need every advantage they can get. Knowing how…

1 week ago

17 Best Hashtag Generator Tools You Should Consider Using in 2025

Hashtag generator tools are online platforms or software that help users find relevant hashtags for…

2 weeks ago