Why drool over those “perfect” Instagram photos when you can make them instead? These days you don’t need mad skills, a professional camera, or complicated software to get similar results. Using just your smartphone and some of the best photo editing apps, you can easily create Instagram-worthy photos whenever and wherever you like!
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We thought we’d share our top 5 favourite photo editors so you could create beautiful photos for your feed. Don’t worry. We made sure to include apps available for both iOS and Android so no one is left out.
 
#5 – Facetune 2 by Lightricks Ltd.
Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
Influencers and brands that post a lot of “selfies” and portraits will love this app. That’s because it can do so much more than remove blemishes. Facetune 2 lets you tweak bone structure, apply faux make-up, and instantly whiten teeth just to name a few.
Unlike Adobe Photoshop, it isn’t as intimidating. It’s also more user-friendly than the original Facetune app thanks to its sliding bars and built-in tutorials. Facetune 2 is free to download but if you opt for a paid yearly subscription worth $9.99, you get full access to their facial enhancement features.
 
#4 – Pixlr – Photo Collages, Effect by 123RF Limited
Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
Pixlr is the ideal photo editor for creatives who want a splash of colour in every image. There are dozens of filters, font styles, and stickers to choose from so your photos never look boring. You can use the app for simple edits such as resizing, sharpen, and blur. Or, you can use it to turn photos into works of art like a pencil sketch or a painting.
 
#3 – Photoshop Express: Photo Editor by Adobe Inc.
Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
Take professional editing to your smartphone with Photoshop Express. It has all the features you would expect of a photo editor – like crop, rotate, smooth, and remove red eye. But if you want to create more interesting images with layering effects, you might want to pay the premium so you could access advanced features.
 
#2 – VSCO: Photo & Video Editor by Visual Supply Company
Cost: Free (with in-app purchases)
VSCO is hands-down one of the best apps for content creation. Apart from the usual editing tools and sliders that allow for quick adjustments, you can also take photos and videos straight from the app. There are a bunch of cool filters and effects too. Though if you want more, you can always purchase extra photo filter packs from their store.
 
#1 – Snapseed by Google LLC
Cost: Free
If you want a no-nonsense photo editing tool, this is it. Snapseed is equipped with over 20 tools and features. It lets you do all the basic stuff such as crop and straighten, adding text, applying filters, or changing the saturation, temperature, and sharpness of images. However, it also comes with advanced features like removing objects from the background and isolating areas for editing.
Snapseed lets you apply multiple filters at a time. Other remarkable features include the ability to compare edits and reverse changes you’ve made. Even though it takes a bit of learning curb, it’s easily the most powerful photo editor once you get past the initial hurdle.

Frame Social Media assists small to medium business owners have a social media presence. Talk to us about the vision for your business and brand and we can craft  professional looking and engaging social media platforms for your business.

Social media isn’t a game of who gets the most followers. It’s about attracting the right audiences and “converting” them from fans to customers. Every social media platform plays by different rules, so there’s no single effective strategy for reaching this goal. But generally, you should focus on putting out engaging content.

You want posts that your target market would actually be interested in, and maybe get them to buy from you. But if you haven’t a clue of what to post, here are some great ideas to get you started:

1. At work photos
Works for: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedInPeople like to see who runs a business and what goes on behind the scenes. When you share photos of employees and what they do at the office, it humanises your brand and makes you more relatable and trustworthy. Don’t forget to include short descriptions with each photo so your audiences know what they’re looking at.

2. Educational content
Works for: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
You can never go wrong with tips and other information which followers can learn from. It could be a video tutorial of your new product, infographics, or some interesting research related to your field.

3. Customer reviews 
Works for: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Don’t be afraid to share reviews on your feed. In a study conducted by Reevoo, they found that 70% of consumers place more value in customer reviews than they do on professionally-written copy. People are also more likely to buy products and services with positive reviews.

4. Funny videos or photos 
Works for: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
People like to be entertained. So consider sharing funny clips and photos that you created to drive engagement. This strategy isn’t for everyone but it can work for influencers, personalities, and some small businesses.

5. Ask a question
Works for: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
Ask your followers a question they couldn’t resist – and start a poll. You can do it for fun, to get fresh ideas and inspiration for a new product, or learn more about the needs of your audience.

6. Latest blog post
Works for: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Unless your followers are glued to your blog (which, they probably aren’t), it would be wise to share the link to your latest blog post so they could stay up-to-date. This increases the engagement on your social media and helps drive traffic to your website.
Tip: Instagram doesn’t let you share clickable links from your feed, but you can place it on your bio. The trick is to post a related photo with a description that says “Click the link on my bio” so your followers know where to find it.
 
7. Company accomplishments
Works for: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
Did you recently get an award? Or maybe you got featured in the news? Brag about these milestones on your feed. It’s going to increase your credibility among followers and make them trust you more.

More Tips for Posting on Social Media:
On a final note, only share high-resolution photos on your social media. Low-quality photos will reflect badly on your brand. You should also try using emojis with your posts. Studies show it increases click-through rates. And lastly, experiment with different types of content until you discover which ones work best for your audience.

Frame Social Media assists small to medium business owners have a social media presence. Talk to us about the vision for your business and brand and we can craft  professional looking and engaging social media platforms for your business.