It’s Not All About The Grid Anymore

Remember when the Instagram grid felt like the holy grail of bringing your brand to live on social? Carefully planned photos with perfect aesthetic consistency. Don’t get us wrong, those days aren’t exactly gone, but the rules are changing. With the platform officially announcing 3 billion monthly users now living in Reels and DMs, the grid isn’t the main stage anymore.

Meta knows it too. Tests are already underway to make Reels the default home screen in some markets, and algorithm updates are shifting how content is surfaced. In other words, the platform is telling us: what you post matters more than how it looks stacked in threes.

So, where does that leave brands who’ve been “grid-locked”?

Prioritize Storytelling: Your grid doesn’t need to look like a Pantone chart but it certainly does need to tell a story. When someone lands on your profile, they should instantly see personality, cultural relevance, and proof of why you matter.

Embrace the Mess (Strategically): Raw video, trending audio, memes, and UGC are winning because they feel unfiltered and real. But that doesn’t have to mean your grid has to look messy or chaotic. Finding a balance between content that feels immediate and authentic while still being intentional is how brands show up on social in a way that feels true to who they are. 

Shift the Focus to Content That Travels: A perfect grid is static. Great content moves. Invest in posts that get saved, shared, stitched, or remixed. That’s where growth is happening.

Cohesion Still Wins: Consistency in tone, fonts, and brand personality is what ties it all together. The days of obsessing over perfect rows may be over, but cohesion gives your audience something to recognize and trust.