Pull up your Instagram grid right now and be honest: does it look like a personal brand or a billboard FOR a brand? Does it look like a magazine or a grid of Canva graphics? Because there's a difference, and it's quietly killing your reach.
Somewhere along the way creators started making content that looks like advertising and magazines from the 80s and 90s. Then they added polished graphics, Canva templates, stock photos, perfect carousels, and more; then both the algorithm and the audience scroll right past, because nobody stops for an ad.
In this live coworking session we fix your Instagram in real time: less graphic design, more human, and the hook rules that decide whether anyone stops at all. Then we audit YOUR grids live.
WHAT WE GET INTO:
→ The "uncanny ad" problem:why graphics and stock photos = instant skip → Hook University: everything needs a hook (feed, carousel, reel, caption) → Reels vs. carousels vs. photos: what the algorithm ranks and in what order → Captions are SEO now: helpful, not stuffed (the "tiny blog post" method) → The 5-hashtag cap and what it's really telling you → LIVE: drop your IG handle and we'll tell you if your grid looks like a brand or an ad
👇 Describe your Instagram in 3 words. We'll know instantly.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Brand or Billboard
01:12 Why Polish Kills Reach
01:51 Less Production More Person
02:27 How We Got Here
04:57 Poll Your Current Feed
05:32 Canva Features Tagged AI
08:38 Instagram Tells to Avoid
09:41 Ditch Templates and Stock
14:06 Stop Chasing Perfect Grids
16:36 Clean Up Your Content
18:11 Create Shareable Feelings
19:24 Stop Auto Promo Graphics
22:02 Avoid AI Clip Tools
23:48 Slow Down and Give Grace
26:06 Build Your Own Stock Library
30:42 Normalize Editing Time
31:40 Reels Without Hooks
35:39 Be Unique and Vulnerable
37:29 Boundaries and Storytelling
42:37 Formats and Reintroductions
47:21 Every Post Is First Impression
50:22 One Point Videos
51:34 Challenge Content Spiral
54:03 Start With The Answer
56:27 SEO Tricks And Give
01:06:50 No Recap Posts
01:11:17 Monthly Focus Content
01:16:19 Entertainment And Opinions
01:23:52 Captions And Community
01:30:35 Less Production Wrap
👇 JOIN THE FIX YOUR BRAND CHALLENGE:
https://youtu.be/M8ZPlEzd_90
💼 ABOUT THE BRANDING FIX:
We're two solo bloggers documenting how we rebuild and future-proof our content and brand.
🔔 New videos every Friday! Live co-working every Monday at 10am EST.
🎧 Also available wherever you get your podcasts.
Visit our website: https://www.thebrandingfix.com
FREEBIES TO GET STARTED:
- Get 15 Free Brand Boards: https://thebrandingfix.myflodesk.com/branding-boards
- Get 3 Free Lightroom Presets: https://thebrandingfix.myflodesk.com/u860o8ig3h
Subscribe for more branding tips: https://www.youtube.com/@thebrandingfix?sub_confirmation=1
