COMPLETE

INSTAGRAM
GUIDE
by Preview App

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 You’re in.

We know that you have downloaded our Guide because

you are serious about growing your Instagram.

Save it somewhere special.

We are going to give you all our tips to improve your feed
and grow your Instagram.

We’re going to cover everything: from how to make a

theme, choosing the perfect filter and how to find
hashtags to grow your account.

Follow the steps and we can assure you will improve

your feed.

We’re going to keep it simple because we want you to be

able to implement our tips on your own Instagram feed
quickly.

Ready?

Let’s go have fun!

Alex & Andrew

Founders of Preview App
#theinstagramguide

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 Follow these steps

1. Choose a Style ................................................................4

2. Choose a Grid Layout ....................................................6

3. Choose a Color Palette .................................................14

4. The Background of Your Photos....................................17

5. What Should You Post About ........................................18

6. Add Your Photos in Preview ..........................................22

7. How to Rearrange your Photos to Make a Theme ........24

8. How to Choose the Perfect Filter for your Theme ........27

9. What Hashtags Should You Use ....................................30

10. Save Your Hashtag Groups in Preview ........................37

11. What’s Your Best Time to Post ....................................39

12. Schedule .....................................................................40

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1. Choose a Style

This is the first and most important step because it is

how you are going to choose the perfect filter for your
feed.

How do you want your overall Instagram feed to look

like:

• Dark / Moody
• White
• Colorful
• Natural
• Brown
• Vintage

No idea what style to choose?

It’s okay, try this:

• Find 1 account you love

• Understand the overall style of the feed
• The types of photos he/she takes
• The colors in the photos

Look at the examples below to see what I mean.

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 @imdrewscott

Overall style:
Dark

Type of photos:
Outfits, landscapes,
flatlay

Colors in the photos:

Black, white, grey brown,
green (nothing colorful)

@laurenconrad

Overall style:
Bright vintage

Type of photos:
Lifestyle

Colors in the photos:

White, peach/pink, brown,
green

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2. Choose a Grid Layout

Once you know what your style is going to be, you can
choose a grid layout.

A grid layout will help you organize your feed. You will
know exactly what type of photo you need to post and
when.

There are 7 types of Instagram grid layouts:

1. Squares
2. Tiles
3. Line by Line
4. Follow the Line
5. Rainbow Feed
6. Puzzle
7. White borders

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1. Squares

Let’s start easy. This is the traditional Instagram grid. Post a

photo each square at a time.

There are a few tricks you can use to make this layout flow.
I’ll explain everything after. I’ll also show you how to
rearrange your photos to make a theme.

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2. Tiles

The most popular way to use the tiles layout is by sharing

a photo, then a quote, then a photo, then a quote.
Of course, you don’t have to only use quotes. Be creative.
For example, you can share a blog post, a tip, an emoji or
a drawing like @finelinervretert.

Tutorial: 3 Tools to Design Quotes for your Feed

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3. Line by Line

This layout is very beautiful because it looks like you are

reading a magazine.
Our eyes naturally go from left to right to read. Again, you
can get very creative and tell a story. Line by line.

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4. Follow The Line

One of my personal favorites. The line in the middle of

your feed will be white - or another color (look how
@elskabody uses her middle line). The line in the middle
will guide your viewers as they scroll down your feed.

This is so cool! It just makes you want to scroll, scroll,

scroll!

Tutorial: How to Make this Instagram Theme in Preview App?

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5. Rainbow Feed

Rainbow feeds are rare. If you pull it off, your account will
stand out.

A rainbow feed is when the colors in your feed change

when you scroll. It looks like a rainbow.

Tutorial: How to Design the Perfect Rainbow Feed?

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6. Puzzle

Next level layout. The trickiest part of doing this layout is

maintaining high quality of each single image after you
split it. You also want to make sure that each individual
photo makes sense on its own (otherwise people won’t
click on it).

Tutorial: How To Make a Puzzle Feed (+ Free Template)

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7. White borders

You can also add white borders on your photos.

Favorite white borders in Preview: Aura, Sole and Vela.

Tutorial: How To Make a Puzzle Feed (+ Free Template)

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 3. Choose a Color Palette

The colors in your photos also have a big impact on the

overall look of your feed.

Choose 3 – 5 colors and stick to them.

This is going to be your color palette.

Let me explain.
Look at the accounts below. Do you notice something?

Brown
Black Blue
White White
Green Green

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 Pink
Pink &
Green
white
Blue
shades

They all stick to a color palette. You can see the same
colors in all of their photos. That’s how they achieve
consistency.

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 Note
The color palette tip is for you especially if you are a
business, a shop or if you want an aesthetic feed.

This tip does not apply to you if you are taking photos of
a lot of different things, with a lot of different colors all
the time (example: travel / lifestyle account).
What should you do then? Just stick to the same filter
more than ever to make your feed look cohesive. Your
filter will become your trademark. People will recognize
your account as soon as they see a photo with your filter.

Example: @doyoutravel travels all over the world. Yet you

instantly recognise his photos. Why? Because his filter
has become his visual signature.

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4. The Background of
Your Photos

The background of your photos can make a very big

difference - especially if:
• You want to make a professional / cohesive page
• Your want to make a white theme
• You are showing products / food
• You are color coordinating

Pay attention to the background of your photos and

quotes. Keep it clean. Don’t distract too much (unless the
background is the most important part of your photo - like
a cool wall or the Eiffel Tower 😉 ).

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5. What Should You Post
About

A theme is also about what you post.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What is your account known for?

• What do you love to post about?
• What’s your specialty?

What do your photos say about you — without having to

say a word?

Here’s my biggest recommendation:

Choose 1 – 5 things you love, and always post
about these things. That’s your theme — your
story.

Look at the examples below:

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Outfits
Food
Flatlays Puppy
Landscapes Food
Plants

Wood
Skincare Plants
Plants Interior
Quotes Nature

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Puppies,
weddings, Girl,
quotes, travel, fun,
nature puppies

Tips,
quotes,
pink
photos Lettering &
(flower) Calligraphy

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Now you know exactly how
to start a theme.

Let’s go in Preview App.

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6. Add Your Photos in
Preview

Time to upload your photos in your Preview App! Let’s

plan your whole feed before you post anything on
Instagram.

To add photos in Preview:

• Tap the “+” icon
• Select “Library”

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As you can see above, there are many other options.
You can also:

• Repost
• Create multiple photos / videos in one post
• Add free stock photos using the Explore feature

“The Rule of 9”
• Do you want to start your theme with a strong
base? Use our “Rule of 9”.
• Upload only 9 photos in your Preview App to
start a new theme.
• It is the easiest way to start designing your feed
perfectly.

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7. How to Rearrange
your Photos to Make a
Theme

Alright. Now the fun begins!

How can you organize your photos? What photos

should you put next to each other?

It’s easy.

The secret is to alternate your photos.

Alternate your photos based on:
• The colors in the photos
• The subjects in the photos

The goal is to balance your feed. How?

Generally, avoid putting photos that are too similar next to

each other - unless you only take photos of the same thing
all the time.

Here are some examples:

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There are no strict rules. Take your time to move photos
around until you’re happy with the look of your feed.

Remember, it’s all about balance.

3 ways to rearrange your photos in Preview:

• Drag and drop
• Swap
• Shuffle

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 8. How to Choose the
Perfect Filter for your
Theme

Time to choose your filter! A filter will make or break your

theme.

Choose one filter - and stick to it!

Using the same filter on all your photos is the
easiest way to create a cohesive feed.

Filter C3 Filter D2
Fall White
Filter Pack Filter Pack

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Filter M6 Filter K7
Dark Colorful
Filter Pack Filter Pack

Choosing the perfect filter depends on 3 things:

• The theme style you chose in Step 1

• The photos you take
• The colors in your photos

It’s very easy. I've explained everything in more details in

this tutorial.

Tutorial: How to Choose The Perfect Filter for Your

Instagram Theme?

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Now your feed looks good.
You need people to find it.

Let's talk hashtags and

best time to post.

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9. What Hashtags Should
You Use

People need to find your account. How? You have to use

the right hashtags. I’m going to tell you:

• What hashtags you should use, and

• How to find the best hashtags for your account

What hashtag should you use?

There are 6 types of hashtags you can use.
This is very important if you have a business.

Mix different types of hashtags:

• Descriptive
• Category
• Specialty
• Brand
• Community
• Location

How to use Instagram Hashtags (My Golden Rules)

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 Descriptive Category

Hashtags that describe What industry

what is in your photo. are you in?
For example, flowers:
#photographer,
#flowers #wedding, #travel,
#flowerstagram #nature #hairstylist
#naturelover…

Specialty Brands

Your specialty in Find brands in your category.

the category. Chance to be featured.
Gain more exposure.
Wedding photographer:
#weddingphotographer Wedding photographer:
#WeddingPhotoMag by
Woman traveller: @weddingphotomag
#dametraveler

Community Location

Be part of different Very important for

communities. local businesses.

#weddingchicks Wedding
by @weddingchicks photographer
based in Sydney:
#SydneyWeddingPhotographer

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How to find the best hashtags
for your account

There are 4 tools you can use to find the best hashtags for
your account:

1. The Hashtag Finder in Preview

2. Other Instagrammers’ hashtags
3. “Related” Hashtags on Instagram
4. Hashtag Analytics in Preview

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1. The Hashtag Finder in Preview App

Preview App comes with a Hashtag Finder.

It is a collection of the best Instagram hashtags based on
different topics, locations and Instagram communities.

• Press “Find” to search for hashtags

• Press “Add All” to add all the hashtags in your
caption
• Or press on one hashtag to add it in your caption

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2. Other Instagrammers’ hashtags

A lot of people do their hashtag research. So check their

hashtags.

• Find 3 - 5 Instagrammers in your category

• Look what hashtags they use
• Write down some of the hashtags you want to use for
your account

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3. “Related” Hashtags on Instagram

“Related” hashtags are hashtag recommendations given

by Instagram based on what other people use.

• Search a hashtag on Instagram

• Look at the “Related” hashtags on top of your screen

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4. Hashtags Analytics in Preview App

Preview automatically tests the hashtags you’ve used. You

can see which hashtags give you the most likes, comments
and engagement.

• Go in your Preview Analytics

• Check your “Top Hashtags”
• Press “See More” to see what hashtags give you the
most likes, comments and engagement

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 10. Save Your Hashtag
Groups in Preview

Don’t waste time typing your hashtags every time you post
something on Instagram. Save your them in Preview.

To save a hashtag group:

• Open your caption

• Write hashtags in the caption
• Press the “+” button
• Give your hashtag group a name

Press on the hashtag group to reuse it in another caption.

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2

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You can save as many hashtag groups as you want.

Test your hashtag groups.

Preview will automatically test your hashtag groups.
You will know which hashtag group give you the most
likes, comments and engagement.
I recommend you save 5 hashtag groups. It’s a good
start.

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11. What’s Your Best
Time to Post

Post when your followers are on Instagram.

Preview gives you your personalized best time to post

based on your activity on Instagram.

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12. Schedule

Ready to schedule your posts?

• Select a photo
• Go in your caption
• Turn on “Schedule Post”

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Does Preview automatically posts for you?

Not yet.

Instagram didn’t allow any apps or websites to

automatically post for you. Instagram only recently allowed
auto-posting.

They brought out a new system (API) which is currently in

beta version. Once they make this new system available to
companies, we will add it in Preview.

Did you know?

Some Instagram tools are not approved by Instagram
and are dangerous for your account.
Read: How to Avoid Instagram Shadowban: 4 Crucial
Tricks

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 You are done!

You made it to the end!

Now you know all our secrets.
You are ready to go.

Was the Guide useful?

Leave us a comment on our Instagram page

@preview.app.
And tell us #instagramguidecompleted 😉

See you on Insta!

Alex & Andrew

© Preview App Pty Ltd 2017

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