There’s a huge difference in audience perception between a painfully raw image and a nicely manicured Instagram post. In fact, editing and layering over a filter can increase views by more than 20 percent, and boost engagement levels and comments by over 45 percent.
If you want to compliment your Instagram channel with even more professional-looking images and/or videos, consider using the apps listed below.
A Beautiful Mess
One of the go-to apps in the heady realm of lifestyle, fashion and home blogging. A Beautiful Mess will make your images stand out from the masses in any feed. With it you can add custom filters, fonts and even hand-drawn sketches taken from their award-winning blog.
A Color Story
Apple named A Color Story as the best new app of 2016. It comes with more than 100 filters, 409 movable effects, and 20 tools. It also enables users to save custom filters from previous editing sessions. A Color Story’s filters produce bright whites, vibrant colors and clean editing. Use the #colorstory hashtag for the chance to get featured on their fabulous feed.
Afterlight
Afterlight’s amazing portfolio of 78 natural textures, 74 filters and a range of editing options make it a favorite with social media managers. Excellent shooting capabilities are complemented by professional filters, frames, special effects and editing options. These features make Afterlight a great choice if you’re looking for exceptional posts.
Cinefy
Video is gaining momentum on Instagram. Cinefy ensures your video is up to the same standard as your photos. With the app you can edit video clips, overlay soundtracks, dub in music and add special effects. Check out the Cinefy website to view some brilliant examples of videos that showcase the fabulous range of features.
Clips Video Editor
Named “the simplest video editor in the world,” this app packs a lot of functionality. With Clips, you can add music, dissolving transitions, speed up or slow down a video, add text slides, edit in voiceovers, and share to Instagram and Facebook.
DSCO
Adding a custom GIF or two to your content has been shown to produce an increase in conversion rates by up to 104 percent. DSCO makes creating GIFs simple and easy. You can capture, edit and share your GIF directly to Instagram via the app.
Font Candy
The option to overlay text on an image can add depth to a post. Font Candy originally introduced text overlays and remains a leader in the field. The app allows you to add captions and text to your images and provides a choice of fonts, symbols, and color washes.
Fused
Fused allows you to exercise your creativity and go far beyond simple photos or video posts. The app enables you to blend photos and videos to create one-of-a kind visuals. Choose from a panel of blend modes and colors. You can even tap into the app’s artist collection as a source for your own image blends.
Hyperlapse
Created by Instagram, Hyperlapse helps you create professional-looking time-lapse videos. The app stabilizes shaky video and can increase their speed by up to 12 times. Hyperlapse is a great way to package highlights in an Instagram feed.
Iconsquare
A great platform that helps you manage and monitor your Instagram account and interact with other Instagram users. Sign in to Iconsquare using your Instagram login and navigate between the tabs. The platform also generates stats for your feed. Data sets such as “Talk Rate”, “Love Rate” and “Spread Rate” provide indications of how well your posts are performing.
Pic Collage
Pic Collage allows you to combine multiple images an intriguing way to tell a story in a single post. With 100 million subscribers, Pic Collage is one of the most popular Instagram apps on the market and will take your profile to a whole new level. It allows users to seamlessly create a square or portrait format set against a choice of 80 backgrounds, 150 stickers, and 60 templates.
Priime
Priime comes complete with filters created by top international photographers and produces amazing results. One feature that sets Priime apart from a crowded competitive space is the filter recommendation feature, which assists you in selecting a filter style based on subject, color palette, and exposure.
SKRWT
Once labeled “the missing link in high-end smartphone photography” SKRWT comes packed with features such as lens correction for Smartphones, GoPro cameras, DSLRs and wide angle adapters. It can also fix photos with problem perspectives and skewed horizons making previously unusable images show stoppers.
Slow Shutter Cam
The Slow Shutter Cam brings back the slow shutter speed effect that’s so beloved by DSLR camera buffs. The app has three modes; motion blur, light trail and low light enabling you to capture truly unique images that your smartphone could not have snapped on it own.
Vibbi
It’s not an app, but it’s certainly one of the most powerful tools on this list. Vibbi allows you to get more likes on Instagram for a small fee. If you’re in the process of starting a business and still need to build up a following on social media, it can really help get the ball rolling.
VSCO Cam
Considered one of the go-to apps for social media photographers, VSCO Cam is an easy-to-use editing app that allows you to take photos with the built-in high definition camera and adjust the focus, brightness and resolution afterwards using editing tools and filters.
