Fact:
Mobile photos and Instagram posts influence our life and change our picture perception far and away. Top stage designer of today, Es Delvin makes it clear in the Abstract documentary:
“The artists I’m working with are bombarded with images of themselves and their shows. They are aware that many people will perceive their shows through those [images on social] media. So to a degree, we’re designing [concert stages] to a square at the moment. That’ll probably change. Instagram may suddenly become a triangle.”
If you plan to attract more followers and later turn them into consumers of your brand, your business needs to be “instagrammable” today. Trendy and visually appealing content that causes a wow-effect is what you need for social media success in 2019.
But there’s the catch:
Most marketers learn about trends post factum, which makes their accounts look like a bad copy of their higher-end competitors. Only those most sensible to upcoming changes can stand out from the crowd and win.
So, stay tuned all the time. Draw on the experience of the best designers, artists, and photographers to predict the next visual trend and use it for designing your business page with persuasive content on Instagram.
Here go top 7 Instagram trends of this year for your inspiration.
1. 3D images
Source: @petertarka
Thanks to the rapid development of AR and VR technologies, the popularity of 3D graphics is continuing to grow over the past few years. Looking at leading 3D artists such as Lee Sol (@venusmansion) or Peter Tarka, it’s not that difficult to predict that many brands will think of using this visual technology in their content.
2. Hand-drawn illustrations
Actively used in all areas of design, illustrations are perfect for the visual charm of your Instagram account. You can finish drawing real photos or make separate posts with sketches of different styles: flat art, doodles, line art, watercolor sketches, comics, etc.
Source: @thecovetco
This style is especially popular in the fashion and beauty industry. Such accounts are interesting to follow: they stand out, and their countless content still looks original and diverse. Also, illustrations can be used for your avatar and highlights.
3. Animation
The popularity of animation is growing every year on Instagram. No surprise: with its help, brands can effectively submit information, especially when they have a lot of it. Also, it’s a great way to diversify your content.
That’s what Ivan Dixon did for Adidas Originals:
Source: HipHopWired
But even if you are not a professional designer, you can create animated design for your Instagram, using specifically developed tools online.
4. Typography
Typography is getting bigger and bolder. This trend has moved smoothly from 2018 to 2019, and it seems to stay on Instagram for a long time.
Source: @adidasshoops
5. Realism and beauty of imperfection
Gone are the days of stock photos, and it’s an example of bad manners to use tons of filters and retouching on Instagram. Realism is the new black again, and it’s enough to take a look at Vogue’s account to understand that:
The photos show freckles, skin problems, black circles under the eyes, body imperfections, and this is beautiful by all means.
This trend is not only in the fashion industry but also in interior and objects photography: chaos and carelessness are welcomed, with an emphasis on textures — marble, concrete, wood, etc. The main thing is to create an atmosphere on the photo and communicate emotions.
Source: @kinfolk
6. Modernism and postmodernism in photos
Modernism is the common name for art directions at the beginning of the 20th century. It includes dadaism, expressionism, cubism, avant-garde, surrealism, etc. Today this style is back on Instagram, and you can try it for your business account if relevant.
One of the peculiarities of such shootings is the bold use of scenery and make-up in photos. And it’s not only about imaging people:
7. The kitsch of aestheticism, or Camp
The ’90s style was in trend last year, and now designers speak Camp’s return. This controversial aesthetic of the 2000s was first described by Susan Sontag in her Notes On”Camp.”
“Indeed the essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration. And Camp is esoteric — something of a private code, a badge of identity, even among small urban cliques. All Camp objects, and persons, contain a large element of artifice.”
She calls Camp “a certain mode of aestheticism” preferring everything unnatural and exaggerated. By the way, this style is a basic theme Met Gala 2019:
Source: @metgala2019
Bonus: alternate reality
The rapid growth of AR in gaming, video, and app industry leads to its migration to design. Thanks to the new features of mobile devices in 2019, it occupies Instagram now: creators can make and publish their own AR effects and filters. But it’s still quite challenging to choose effects that will benefit your account. So make sure to outline your brand values and content strategy: it’s the only way to understand what visual style will work best in your case.
Remember:
Fictional stories and insincerity cause doubts, so the style of your Instagram account should be justified.
The demand for content quality in Stories is also growing. Given that so many tools are available for working with your Instagram account now, you may have no opportunity or skills to deal with all of them alone. But professional agencies are always here to help, and you can trust them the creation of a visual brand language on Instagram.
In a word…
For top-notch branding of your business page on Instagram, conduct marketing research, and outline your brand values as well as its development strategy. Also, monitor competitor accounts on your niche to avoid duplications of their content ideas and generate your own high-quality content.
The visual content of your Instagram account should work towards increasing your brand recognition and attracting new potential customers. It should engage, build loyalty and trust, and, on the back of all this, increase your sales. Instagram posts that evoke emotions, associations, and interest to your brand will help you achieve that.
Stay tuned with all the latest and upcoming trends in design, photography, and visual arts. All they turn into Instagram trends in the long run.
Don’t follow the crowd. Be the first one.
About the author: With 7+ years in marketing, Lesley Vos specializes in sales copywriting and storytelling. Currently associating with Bid 4 Papers, she’s also a regular contributor to many publications on business, digital marketing, and self-growth. Feel free to find more works of @LesleyVos on Twitter.
