Why brand values are an important part of your Instagram Strategy
If your Instagram strategy starts with hashtags and ends with post and hope for the best, you’re missing the bit that makes everything click. The real magic isn’t in chasing the algorithm. It’s in knowing exactly what your business stands for and letting that shape everything you share.
Your values are the non-negotiables that shape how you show up, what you share and the way your audience experiences you. They aren’t just fluffy words you stick on your About page. Done properly, they’re the golden thread running through your business and your social media.
For me, my business values are Love, Stability, Expression, Growth, Freedom, Adventure and Fun. They’re not just words I plucked from thin air. They’re what I lean on when deciding what to post, how to speak to my audience and even which clients to work with.
Here’s what they mean to me:
Love - for myself, my family, my clients, my work, everything I do. It’s about accepting everybody as I find them.
Stability - for my family, for my clients and their businesses, for my business.
Expression - being creative and letting my personality shine through in my work, my home, what I wear and how I spend my free time.
Growth - personal growth, business growth, helping my clients grow.
Freedom - to work around family life, to work with my dream clients when and where I choose, and freedom for everyone to be who they want to be.
Adventure - I’ll never stop being curious, exploring new things, going new places, meeting new people and bringing those experiences with me in everything I do personally and professionally.
Fun - because life is too short to sweat the small stuff.
These values influence everything I do on Instagram, whether it’s the kind of content I create, the way I engage with my community or the partnerships I take on.
So how do you identify your own and why is it so important?
Why values matter on Instagram
Instagram is crowded. Your audience has hundreds of businesses they could follow. What makes them choose you? Often, it’s not just your product or service. It’s how you make them feel.
Strong brand values:
Guide your content: If you know creativity is a core value, you’ll naturally share more behind the scenes, process driven posts. If community matters most, you’ll lean into engagement and conversations.
Keep you consistent: When trends shift, values stop you from chasing every shiny idea that doesn’t fit your brand.
Build trust: People can spot when your content doesn’t line up with who you say you are. Values keep things authentic.
Help decision making: Wondering whether to jump on a viral meme? Check it against your values. If it doesn’t align, skip it..
Common mistakes
Not all values are equal. Some businesses throw around words like “integrity” or “excellence” because they sound nice, but they don’t mean much unless they’re lived. I call these vanilla values. They’re so bland and overused that they don’t tell your audience anything real about you. Others choose so many that none stand out.
A few traps to avoid:
Being too vague: If your value is quality, what does that look like on Instagram? How are you showing up to reflect that value?
Aspirational values only: It’s fine to have values you’re working towards, but at least half should reflect what you’re already living.
Copying others: Your values aren’t supposed to sound like your competitor’s website. They’re meant to sound like you.
How to identify your values
This is where you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Try these prompts:
Think about your best clients: What three words would they use to describe working with you?
Look at your business journey: When did you feel most in flow? What was true for you in that moment?
Notice what frustrates you: Sometimes values show up as the opposite of what drives you mad. If you hate rigidity, maybe freedom is a core value.
Mood board it: Collect images, quotes or colours that feel like you. Spot the patterns or, excitingly, uncover something new.
Cut it down: Start with a messy list, then narrow to 5–7 values. Any more and they lose impact.
Bringing your values into Instagram
This is the part many people skip. Don’t just identify your values, use them. They should shape the way you communicate, create and connect on the platform.
Captions: Your tone of voice is a powerful way to express your values. A business that values warmth and community might use friendly, conversational captions, while one that values expertise and precision might lean towards clear, informative language. If playfulness is central, humour and lightness can shine through.
Imagery: Visual choices say a lot before anyone reads a word. A brand that values boldness might choose striking colours and dynamic photography. One that values calm and simplicity could go for softer tones and clean layouts. Even the editing style you use can echo your values.
Content themes: Your values can help shape your content pillars. A business that values learning might regularly share tips and behind the scenes insights. If innovation is a core value, you might showcase new ideas, trends and experiments.
Engagement: How you interact matters just as much as what you post. A value of community might show up as thoughtful replies and active conversations in comments or DMs. A brand that values excellence might take extra care in providing factual, thorough answers to questions.
A simple check before posting: Does this reflect at least one of my values? If the answer’s no, it’s a sign to pause and rethink.
When to revisit your values
Your business evolves and so do you. Values don’t need changing every few months, but check in at least once a year. Do they still feel true? Do they still guide you on Instagram? If not, get that pen and paper out and refine them.
Your Instagram strategy isn’t just about algorithms. It’s about connection and values build that connection. Get them clear, live them out and your content won’t just look good, it’ll feel right.
Brand values are one of the first things we work together on when I’m creating your Instagram Strategy. Together we figure them out and once we have them nailed that’s when the magic really starts to happen. I promise the rest of your Insta approach will soon start to click into place as we use your values as a guide for identifying your audience, content strategy and how you choose to show up on the platform.
If you’d like to know more about this process or my Strategy Package book a free consultation today and I’ll guide you through all the details. Don’t forget to subscribe to my weekly newsletter for all your Insta and Pinterest news and updates too!
