Let us introduce you to the Instagram Puzzle Feed. If you want to step up your Instagram game then maybe it’s time to create a gorgeous, curated Instagram feed. We show you how in this post (and yes, we have free templates for you).
The Puzzle Feed lets you place each and every image so that it it interacts with the images posted around it – in a grid! If you’re like us and a little bored with seeing the same thing on Instagram (we hear ya!) – you’ll love the results when you see this puzzle-feed layout.
It looks complicated but it’s not – not when you have our stunning Easil Puzzle Feed templates to work with. You’re most likely thinking that this will require a professional graphic designer, or at the very least, basic Adobe Photoshop skills, right?
Well, no ;o)
We’re on a mission to make this easy for everyone! So, we’ve included the templates and everything you need to create a gorgeous curated puzzle grid in this post. You’ll find the following below:
- Step-by-step instructions for creating a stand-out Instagram Puzzle Feed using this fun technique.
- 5 Free Puzzle Feed Templates for you to get started with. Our awesome design crew have created stunning templates so you can drag-and-drop your way to awesomeness.
- Tips for how to get the most out of your Puzzle Feed – and how to create and share your new stunning Instagram posts quickly and easily.
Did You Know?
The beauty of the Puzzle Feed doesn’t just lie in the way that it’s put together. Although we’re not gonna lie, the images and layout ARE stunning. But the magic also lies in the intrigue of “what’s next?”.
Your followers will start to follow your feed not just for the gorgeous images themselves, but for the layout and the way it fits together like a puzzle. In fact, they’re more likely to click through with curiosity to see how your puzzle feed looks as a cohesive layout. There’s less incentive for them to do this for single images on the feed.
How to use the Instagram Puzzle Feed Templates
- Sign up for a Easil Account. We’ll gift you a 30 day upgrade to our Plus plan to get started too (no credit card required).
- Once you’re logged in, click on the Puzzle Feed Template of your choice below (direct from this post). It will open up in Easil.
- Follow the instructions and tips in our post below to edit the Puzzle Feed Template to reflect your own style and brand. You can do this by swapping out images/icons, colors and text.
- Publish your Instagram Puzzle Feed and then use an image splitter tool to divide up the images read to schedule, one-by-one in the correct order. We walk you through the steps, below.
- Pop your final set of images into an Instagram scheduler like Agorapulse, and share them to Instagram. Prepare to Wow!
There are a few steps, but believe us when we say that this is way quicker than doing images one-by-one. You’ll be scheduled ahead …. and can breathe easy!
5 FREE INSTAGRAM PUZZLE FEED TEMPLATES TO USE RIGHT NOW!
It’s important that you take a little time to plan your ‘Gram Puzzle Feed first before diving into the images. It’s not all about the images. A little strategy at the beginning sets you up for a stunning and cohesive Instagram Puzzle Feed.
Filters
If you have a well-loved, go-to filter that you currently use for your feed, you can continue to use that filter in your new grid layout. Simply Click Filters in Easil and paste in the filter code. Your custom filter will be applied to the entire template. Easy!
If you don’t yet use an image filter, we highly recommend choosing one from the Easil image filter pre-sets. You can also create your own filter by applying with the adjustment sliders. Have fun with it!
Colors
It makes sense that color is an important part of your finished Instagram Puzzle Feed, and should be on-brand. Use our Easil Color Palette Generator to pick out the dominant colors from your photographs. It’s our Puzzle Feed Secret Weapon!
Now you can create a perfect color palette upon which to work with. Remember to repeat your chosen colors in the graphical elements and text components of the grid design. They’ll certainly pull together the cohesiveness of your Instagram Puzzle Feed graphics.
Now that you have that sorted, let’s apply it to our Puzzle Feed Templates:
#1 GLITTERY GOLD & SOFT PASTELS INSTAGRAM PUZZLE TEMPLATE
This is a gorgeous base template to use for daily posts for 3 weeks, with 21 spaces in the puzzle grid template overall.
Hot tip: Play with filters, particularly the ‘Hue’ slider, to change the color of the watermark splash images in the background.
#2 Pastel Splashes & Brush Stroke Instagram Puzzle Template
This is another stunning Instagram puzzle feed template, giving you a 21-image space to create a beautiful curated feed! It’s filled with pastel splashes and brush strokes, and once edited, you’ll have another 3 weeks of Instagram posts, planned and sorted.
Hot tip: This design includes a few options for quotes or short phrases. Remember that with Instagram, the power is not just in the images. It’s in the captions. Use your captions to expand on the meaning or message behind your images. They work hand-in-hand.
#3 Blue Hues Instagram Puzzle Template
This is the last of our 21-image Instagram Puzzle Feed templates in this post. This template lets you showcase a few different image sizes and gives you the option to add a little more text on the images if you wish. It’s super easy to edit with way more wow-factor than you would expect for the effort it takes to customise the grid!
Hot tip: Work with our Color Palette Generator to pull colors from your images. Find the core 2-3 colors you wish to work with, and then work them back into the background, hearts, dots, strokes and icons! Don’t like Blue? Change it to your preferred brand color and you’re good to go.
#4 THE MIGHTY MINI INSTAGRAM PUZZLE TEMPLATE
Let’s change things up a bit with our Mighty Mini Grid design. If you want to stand out with your Instagram Puzzle Feed, a 3 x 2 grid can do just that! The beauty of this design is that you can use it between your ‘normal’ image blocks.
Hot Tip: The “puzzle” works through the centre of this grid. This means that the top (and bottom) areas that sit before and after the Mighty Mini squares will work together seamlessly with your existing photo feed. To ensure it all blends in with your current feed, match the background color to your existing feed color palette.
#5 POWER OF 9 GRID INSTAGRAM PUZZLE TEMPLATE
Our ‘Power of 9 Grid’ might just be the perfect place for you to start. Especially if the 21-image grid is too overwhelming and the Mighty Mini is not enough. This grid is just right.
Hot Tip: It’s easy to plan your feed using the 9-image cycle of these grids. Stack them together if you wish. Three of these grids will almost cover one month of posts or just level up to a 21-image Instagram Puzzle Grid when you’re ready.
Download and Share Your Instagram Puzzle Feed
Once you’re happy with your design, you’ll need to download it as a PNG file, then use an external source to split it up – ready for loading to Instagram.
We recommend ImageSplitter, a free online resource that you can use without any registration.
- Simply upload your image, and hit the Split Image tab at the top of the screen.
- In the Rows and Columns entry field, enter 7 (Rows) and 3 (Columns). This is for one of our 21-image puzzle feed templates.
- Ensure that Jpeg is selected as the output option. Adjust as required for The Mighty Mini and Power of 9 Grids.
- Check the Preview provided. If it’s good to go, hit the Split Image button and you’ll get an instant download of all your files, nicely trimmed to 1080x1080px. This is the perfect size for each piece of your Instagram puzzle feed.
- Get organised for the days (or weeks!) ahead by adding your files to a ‘Gram planner. We love Agorapulse for its ease of use on a desktop and you can also pre-prepare your captions and hashtags, which saves time.
Promote your new Instagram Puzzle Feed posts by featuring it in an Instagram Story – or even show a behind the scenes showing how you created your social media graphics on the grid – in a video!
OVER TO YOU!
Which of these Instagram Puzzle feed templates will you try out? We’d love to see your new creations! Use #madeineasil on your posts and Tag @teameasil in your Instagram Stories so we can share them in our Stories too!
