How to Choose a Cover Photo on Instagram?

Think Broadly About Your Grid, Not Just the Post

It’s easy to focus solely on optimizing a cover photo for an individual video, forgetting how it will appear within your overall Instagram grid.

One of Gen’s earliest insights was that top creators strategically use cover photos to shape their Instagram aesthetics, particularly in the lifestyle and beauty space.

Now, Gen approaches each thumbnail by first considering its impact on the full feed, explaining that this helps ensure new users instantly grasp the essence of your page.

"There’s an app I use called Preview — it helps me plan my grid layout and ensure posts align. Showcasing a consistent editing style helps people understand your page’s theme much quicker."

But cohesiveness isn’t just about attracting followers. As Gen discovered, it also affects monetization:

"If you’re a brand browsing a creator’s page with random cover photos, it’s harder to discern their style or fit. If your covers clearly communicate your niche and aesthetic, you’re far more likely to attract brand partnerships."

Adding Text Is a Great Way to Make Content Stand Out

Gen has tested covers with and without text. While each post is evaluated individually, she’s found text to be a powerful tool for adding context to a feed filled with hundreds of videos.

“If people visit your page searching for a specific video, having a text title makes it far easier to locate. It’s especially useful when the video’s purpose isn’t clear from the thumbnail alone.”

Hearing Gen discuss these small but crucial details reminded me of SEO: you’re optimizing content for discoverability, except here you’re using text on cover photos instead of keywords in written content. The principle is identical, and it works.

Maintain a Cohesive Color Palette

Consistent color usage is pivotal for reinforcing brand identity and enhancing recognition. In fact, consistent brand colors can boost brand recognition by up to 80%.

This principle applies to both influencers and businesses. Taking the time to select a small color palette (typically 3–5 colors) and using them consistently across your Instagram—including on cover photos—helps strengthen your brand’s visual identity and voice.

"When it comes to cohesiveness, I aim to stick to a core set of colors—not just for fonts, but also for clothing and props. It doesn’t have to match perfectly across every post, but there should be a visual similarity, especially in themed clusters like seasonal posts. Around Halloween, for example, you’ll see more oranges, browns, and greens."

And the Same Goes for Fonts

Fonts require the same level of consistency as your color palette. You aren’t expected to pick the perfect font from day one—your style will naturally evolve as your brand grows.

When Gen transitioned from beauty content to focusing more on her real estate career, her font style evolved too:

"Instagram’s algorithm is constantly changing, but I’ve found that using a consistent font style has boosted my engagement, especially saves and shares."

Noticing these patterns is key. Monitor your Instagram analytics and replicate font styles that perform well—while staying flexible to adjust as trends shift.

"I experimented with fonts for a few months, but now I stick to just a few for headers, secondary text, and smaller copy. It seems more effective. If you want chaotic, random fonts, let it be a deliberate stylistic choice, not an accident."

"Most of the time, I’ll pull a screengrab and tweak it slightly in the iPhone photo editor. It’s easy and keeps things consistent."

Gen’s low-key editing style taps into Instagram’s growing trend towards more "natural" aesthetics and stepping away from overly polished, heavily filtered looks.

Consistency is what matters most,  so long as you have access to the same fonts, colors, and filters.

Pro Tip: Kapwing is a great tool for editing cover photos. It offers over 1,000 fonts, custom font uploads, color correction tools, and more. If you’re ready to start optimizing your cover photos, just jump into the editor and start creating for free.

Experiment With Cover Thumbnails That Aren’t Screengrabs

While 80% of her posts use stills from the video itself, Gen occasionally experiments with custom covers.

"You can pick something related to the video, even if it’s not in the video. The tricky part is making sure it’s still relevant and doesn’t feel misleading."

On YouTube, for instance, research shows that custom thumbnails can increase video watch rates by up to 30%, although this trend isn’t as common on Instagram.

It’s important to remember that while custom covers can hook attention faster, especially on a crowded grid, make sure the visual still accurately matches expectations.

Unlike TikTok, where massive viral moments can skyrocket growth, Instagram more commonly rewards slow, strategic content building.

"There are creators with huge followings who still don’t know what their strategy is. They’re just riding a viral wave, which might bring numbers but not necessarily brand partnerships or loyal audiences."

For Gen, constant testing — in thumbnails, colors, fonts, and editing styles — has been the key to organic growth over five years.

"I definitely still do a lot of testing to see what works best and what’s going to help my page grow organically."

Instagram’s algorithm evolves constantly, so continuing to adapt, without rushing major overhauls, is key to sustainable, meaningful growth.

Find what works for your brand, keep refining it slowly, and remember: a thoughtful cover photo isn’t just aesthetic, it’s a smart strategy for real Instagram success.