A Love Letter to Square Grids…

Deary me! Okay, peeps, let's be real. We knew it was coming, but now that it’s here… ugh! Instagram's recent shift to, shall we say, "encourage" us all to embrace the glorious 4:5 aspect ratio for our grids has been…an experience. It's like they've thrown a perfectly curated aesthetic into the washing machine and thought , hrmm a little bleach can’t hurt.

Suddenly, our perfectly symmetrical square grid, the one I meticulously planned with the precision of a Masterchef, is looking more like a drunken game of Tetris. My carefully chosen crops are now looking like a zoomed in nightmare.

But fear not, my fellow content creators! I, your humble guide through this Instagram-induced chaos, am here to help you navigate this turbulent new landscape. Because let's be honest, our mental health depends on it.

Phase 1: Denial

"Oh, they wouldn't really force us to change everything, would they?"

We clung to this hope, like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. We scrolled through our perfectly square grids, whispering sweet nothings like, "It's fine. It's fine. It's just a phase."

Phase 2: Anger

"INSTAGRAM! You MONSTERS! Why would you do this to me? I spent HOURS meticulously planning this grid pattern!"

This is where things got ugly. Things were said and tempers flared. We considered mass-deletion of Instagram in a fit of digital rage.

Phase 3: Bargaining

"Okay, lemme give it a whirl, I'll try the 4:5 thing. But only for some posts. And I'll keep posting squares too, just to spite them."

This was the stage of begrudging acceptance. We started experimenting, cautiously dipping our toes into the 4:5 pool. We'd post a 4:5 here, a square there, hoping to find some sort of harmonious balance. Secretly we kinda like the extra height in the layout.

Phase 4: Depression

"Nothing looks right anymore. My grid is ruined. My brand is dead. I'm going to become a hermit and live off the grid (literally)."

This is where the existential dread set in. We scrolled through our grids, feeling a deep sense of despair. Our carefully curated aesthetic was now a chaotic mess of squares and rectangles. Curated grids aren’t a thing anymore - its time to let go.

Phase 5: Acceptance

"Okay, fine. I'll embrace the chaos. But I'm going to do it my way."

This is where the magic happens. We started to see the 4:5 format as an opportunity, not a limitation. We experimented with different layouts, embraced the asymmetry, and even found a certain charm in extended space that is a the 4:5 layout. Maybe, I did need that extra bit of space after all…

Here are a few tips to help you thrive in the age of 4:5

(even if it’s just a survive thing at the start)

• Resize your brand templates, like now. Jump into canva or get your friendly neighbourhood designer on the phone and get resizing. Take the time to do it once and do it right. Resize them all - adjust the layout and shapes to suit the new format.

• If you still love a curated grid, get yourself a planning tool. There are tons of apps and websites that can help you visualize your grid and plan your posts in advance. I like PLANN.

• Try different crops, shapes, filters, and layouts. You might be surprised at what you discover.

At the end of the day, it's just a social media platform - it has always and will always change and evolve. Don't let it stress you out too much. Embrace the breath of fresh air and change your stuff up. Through the change, we will persevere. We will adapt. And we will continue to create beautiful content, one 4:5 image at a time.

Now go forth and conquer, my friends. You've got this. And if all else fails, just remember that you can always delete Instagram and live a life of blissful ignorance.

Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for entertainment purposes only. I do not actually condone mass-unfollowing Instagram (although I understand the temptation).

P.S. If you're still struggling to cope, feel free to join my support group for Instagram-grief-stricken content creators. We meet weekly to collectively mourn the loss of what Instagram once was (Just kidding…kind of.)

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to resize all of my clients templates.