Instagram’s Grid is Changing: What Law Firms and Professional Services Need to Know

For years, Instagram grids have been synonymous with the perfect square. Whether meticulously curated or casually arranged, brands and businesses have relied on the familiar 3x3 layout to create visually cohesive profiles. Now, Instagram is moving away from the square format, changing how firms and businesses approach their content strategy.

While you can still upload images in square, landscape, and portrait formats, how they display on your grid is evolving. Whether your firm’s Instagram strategy is focused on thought leadership, firm culture, or recruitment, adapting to these changes will help ensure your profile remains cohesive, engaging, and aligned with your brand identity.

What is an Instagram Grid and Why Does it Matter? 

Your Instagram grid is the collection of posts displayed on your profile page in a three-column layout. It’s the first thing people see when they visit your profile, making it an essential element of your visual identity. 

• Strengthen brand identity with a consistent visual style.
• Showcase expertise through thought leadership, firm updates, and culture posts.

Enhance credibility by maintaining a professional, polished appearance.

When potential clients, recruits, or referral sources visit your Instagram profile, their first impression is shaped by how your content is presented. Many businesses carefully plan their grid layout, using design elements like alternating colours, coordinated branding, and strategic image placement to create a polished and professional look. 

Out with the Square: Changes to Instagram Grid

Here is what you need to know

• Profile Grids will Display Portrait Images: Previously, all images appeared as squares on profile pages regardless of the orientation in which they were posted. Now, Instagram will show images on your profile in a portrait orientation. They recommend a 4:5 ratio.
• Square and Landscape Photos will be Cropped or Stretched: If you continue posting squares or landscape images, Instagram will resize them on your grid to fit the new portrait format, which may distort or crop parts of your image.
• Your Profile’s Aesthetic may Shift: If your firm has carefully curated a square-based grid, this change will alter the look of your profile, making certain posts appear off-balance or inconsistent.
• Some Users are still Seeing Squares: Some accounts may still see the old square format, but the change is gradually rolling out to all users.

What Does This Change Mean? 

For firms using Instagram for branding, recruitment, or thought leadership, this update affects how posts contribute to your profile’s look and feel. A visually inconsistent or poorly cropped grid may appear disorganized, whereas a well-adapted profile reinforces credibility and professionalism.

Here’s what you need to consider

• Brand Consistency: Your previous posts may no longer display as intended, potentially affecting your firm’s polished aesthetic.
• Visual Storytelling: Portrait images allow for more vertical space, which could enhance how you showcase firm culture, behind-the-scenes moments, and professional insights.
• Post Formatting Challenges: While individual posts will still appear as intended in followers’ feeds, your profile grid will display them in portrait format. If your team posts square or landscape images, they may appear stretched or cropped on your grid.

Why Did Instagram Make this Change?

Instagram’s decision to update the grid format is part of a larger shift in digital marketing trends. Several factors influenced this change, including:

• Mobile Optimization: The majority of Instagram users access the platform through mobile, where portrait images take up more screen space and create a more immersive experience.
• Video and Reels Integration: With the rise of Reels and Stories, Instagram is streamlining its visual experience to make it more cohesive across content types.
• Competitive pressure: Instagram is adapting to stay competitive with platforms like TikTok, which prioritizes vertical video formats.

In short, Instagram is moving away from its original square format to adapt to the modern way people consume content—vertically.

Benefits of this Change

While change can be challenging, this update offers new opportunities for law firms and professional service providers:

• More Visual Impact: Larger thumbnails make it easier for users to engage with the content on your grid at a glance.
• A More Cohesive User Experience: Since Instagram’s Reels and Stories are already optimized for vertical viewing, this update creates a more cohesive brand presence across the platform.
• More Design Flexibility: The larger portrait display allows for more detailed images and text, making it easier to highlight firm updates, testimonials, and insights.

How Should Your Firm Adapt?

Social media is an ever-evolving space where best practices shift rapidly, and staying relevant means adapting before your competitors do.

Here’s how your firm can adapt:

1. Start Posting in Portrait Format
   • Posts should now be sized to 1080x1350 pixels (4:5 ratio) instead of the traditional 1080x1080 square format.
   • While Instagram recommends posting in a 4:5 ratio, profile thumbnails will actually be displayed in a 3:4 ratio. To account for this, ensure key visual elements and text are not placed too close to the edges to avoid unwanted cropping. 
2. Adjust Existing Posts for Visual Consistency
   • Use Instagram’s “Adjust Preview” tool to manually reposition thumbnails of older posts that appear stretched or cropped.
   • Consider updating pinned posts or key visual elements to fit the new portrait format.
3. Update Your Content Creation Strategy
   • If your firm has been designing graphics or selecting images using the square format, it may be time to adjust your templates, layouts, and photography guidelines to prioritize portrait-friendly compositions.
4. Maintain a Strong Visual Identity
   • While a visually cohesive grid is important, focus on high-quality, individual posts that provide value and showcase your firm’s expertise.
   • Focus on maintaining consistent colours, fonts, and imagery across your posts to represent your firm’s visual identity and reinforce professionalism.
   • Ensure your profile is well-branded and visually appealing without sacrificing the quality or diversity of your individual posts.
5. Monitor Engagement and Adjust Accordingly
   • Monitor how these changes affect engagement, impressions, and follower growth.
   • Test different post formats and content types to see what resonates best with your audience.

What’s Next? More Instagram Updates on the Horizon

This update is just one of several changes anticipated in 2025 for Instagram. Here are a few more updates to keep on your radar:

• Grid Reordering: Instagram is testing a feature that allows users to rearrange the posts on their profile grids, regardless of when each post was shared. This could help firms present their most important posts first (similar to pinning).
• A Dedicated Highlights Section: A separate area for story highlights may soon appear on profiles, making it easier to showcase practice areas, firm culture, and key services. The current bubble-style of Instagram highlights will be removed.
• More AI-Powered Content Recommendations: Instagram continues prioritizing content discovery and video content, meaning firms should focus on posts that provide value in dynamic formats. 

Staying Ahead in a Changing Social Media Landscape