Ah, Instagram. The app we love, hate, leave for three days, come back to, swear we're quitting, and then somehow end up spending an hour scrolling through beautifully designed carousel posts. If you're a brand designer, chances are you've felt the pressure to keep up with the platform. 😵‍💫

Post every day.
Jump on trends.
Use this audio.
Use that hook.
Create 17 reels before breakfast.

AND IT’S EXHAUSTING.The biggest shift we've seen heading into 2026 is that audiences are becoming incredibly good at filtering out noise. People are consuming more content than ever before, but they're paying attention to less of it. Which means the goal isn't necessarily to create more content. It's to create content that actually says something.

So if you're trying to use Instagram to attract better clients, build a memorable brand, and create content that feels like you, here's what we'd focus on.

Trends are like fillers ( not always the good kind ) 😅

Bear with us. A trend can absolutely make something look more exciting. It can help grab attention. It can even give your content a little boost but if there's nothing underneath it? People move on, PRETTY FAST. One thing we tell designers all the time is that your content should be packed with the good stuff. The valuable stuff. The stuff that makes someone stop and think "Wait,  that's actually helpful." because 5 followers who genuinely love your work, trust your perspective, and might eventually become clients will always be more valuable than 100 followers who found you through a random trend and never engage again. The goal isn't views for the sake of views. The goal is connection. Sometimes that means posting less ( We know. Revolutionary.)

When every post delivers something useful, interesting, or memorable, people start expecting value from you. They become excited when your content appears. That's a much stronger position to be in than posting seven times a week and having people scroll straight past because they've learned your content isn't giving them much. Quality creates anticipation. Quantity creates familiarity. The sweet spot is finding the balance.

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Stop thinking about content pillars 🧠
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For years, social media advice and content pillars has looked something like this and we’re pretty fried hearing the same things 

• Lifestyle
• Client Projects
• Educational Content
• Personal Content

While that's not technically wrong, we think there's a more useful way to think about content. Instead of asking: "What pillar does this fit into?" Ask: "What message am I trying to communicate?"

For example: Maybe you want people to know:

• You're fun to work with.
• Your process is strategic.
• Your clients get incredible value.
• You care deeply about the details.
• You create brands that feel intentional.

Now suddenly content becomes much easier because instead of forcing yourself to create a "lifestyle post", you're creating a post that demonstrates you're fun to work with.

Let's use some examples from ATNN’S Instagram. Our recent post about a freelance profit formula wasn't actually about spreadsheets or calculations. The message was:
"I understand the business side of being creative."

The reel about, what I include in brand guidelines and wasn't actually about guidelines.The message was:"My process is detailed and intentional."

The "day in the life" reel wasn't just another lifestyle pillar content .The message was: "Here's what it's actually like working with a real designer behind the scenes."

The Figma carousel wasn't even really about Figma.The message was: "Good design starts with strategy, not aesthetics." See the difference? The topic is just the vehicle. The message is what people remember.

Maybe that's a behind-the-scenes video, maybe it's a client voice note, maybe it's a chaotic day in the studio. The format becomes flexible because the message stays consistent.When someone lands on your profile and scrolls for thirty seconds, what should they learn about you? That's the question worth answering.

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Stop copying other designers, no one wants copy-cat energy 🙅🏻♀️

If your content strategy is: "See what successful designers are posting and recreate it." You're always going to be one step behind. The thing is, what works for another designer might not work for you. They might have:

• A different audience
• Different offers
• Different goals
• Different strengths
• A completely different personality

If you're constantly looking outward for content ideas, you'll end up creating content that feels disconnected from who you actually are. One of the biggest mistakes we see designers make is posting content for other designers when their goal is attracting clients. Those are two completely different audiences.

Now, we talk to creatives quite a bit over here at ATNN because that's genuinely part of our audience. We love sharing processes, strategy, and behind-the-scenes insight If your dream clients are wellness brands, photographers, interior designers, or wedding professionals? You need to create content for them, not for other designers.

Instead of asking: "What's everyone else posting?"

Ask:
"What conversations am I naturally having with clients?"
"What do I wish more clients understood?"
"What part of my work gets me excited?"
That's usually where the best content lives, look inward, not outward.

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Give people something to remember 💡
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I don't mean using the same template on rinse and repeat every week. I mean creating something people associate with you because one of the biggest challenges on Instagram right now is recognisability. Everyone is using similar hooks, similar editing styles, similar content formats. Which makes everything blur together.

The creators I remember all have a thing. When I think of Coming Up Roses, I immediately think of polka dots. When I think of Xanthe Appleyard, I think of yellow text overlays. When I think of Identity Haus, I think of cool-girl energy, quick cuts, and beautiful visuals.

You instantly know whose content you're looking at, that's branding and it doesn't have to be visual. Maybe it's your humour,maybe it's how you write, maybe it's the way you tell stories, maybe it's your editing style.

For ATNN, you'll notice we often combine thoughtful design education with personality. We love a good analogy, we love a strong opinion, we love making branding feel approachable, that's part of our signature. The goal isn't to become predictable. The goal isn't to blend in with every other designer on the feed,  it's to be remembered. That's why we're loyal to our colours, fonts, stickers, and all the little ATNN touches that make our content feel like home. (PS: we'd bet good money you could spot one of our posts from a distance).

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Your Instagram shouldn't feel only like a portfolio 👀
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This might be controversial but I don't think your Instagram should function as a mini version of your website. Your portfolio already exists for that Instagram's job is different. Your website shows people what you've done Instagram shows people how you think. 

That's why some of our highest-performing content isn't necessarily project reveals. It's the content that gives people a glimpse into our perspective. Our process, our personality, our opinions. The things happening behind the polished portfolio, because people don't hire designers based solely on aesthetics. They hire designers they trust. Designers they connect with, designers they can imagine collaborating with. Your Instagram is often the thing that bridges that gap.

There you have it, besties. The biggest thing I want you to take away from this post? Instagram doesn't need more content. It needs more you. More of your perspective. More of your personality. More of the things that make your business different from the hundreds of other designers popping up in your feed and if creating content still feels like pulling teeth, don't worry, we've got you.

Our Bold & Fun Social Media Templates were designed specifically for creatives who want their content to look polished, on-brand, and personality-packed without spending hours designing every post from scratch. Think less staring at a blank Canva file and more actually sharing your work with confidence. I want to be REALLY honest, your future clients can't hire you if they never see you. 

Don't forget to browse the rest of the website for more resources, tips, and behind-the-scenes insights for creatives and brand designers, and swing by our digital shop if you're looking for templates, tools, and resources to make running your creative business a little easier and a lot more fun

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xx love,
Alyssa 🤠

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