Symbol Instagram Highlight Icons – How to Make Instagram Highlight Covers Using Canva (2023 Guide)

When it comes to making first impressions on your Instagram account, you may be thinking about the perfect bio for Instagram.

However, you should know that other elements such as Instagram highlight covers play a contributing role too! These highlights help give your customers an idea of what you have to offer, which can even include social proofs and FAQs.

You don’t need to be a seasoned designer to create eye-catching Instagram highlights. In this article, we’ll show you how to design symbol Instagram highlight icons using the free-to-use online graphic design tool, Canva.

How To Create an Instagram Highlight?

Instagram is one of the top social media sites that’s all about visuals, as it comes with plenty of features. This includes the usual Instagram post, Instagram reels, Instagram stories, and more.

Highlights are a compilation of the Instagram stories that you post. While Instagram stories stay up for a mere 24 hours, saving them as part of your Instagram highlight keeps them viewable longer to your potential customers and fans.

If you have a blank space for Instagram highlights and want to start, you will need to post to your Instagram stories first and then you can save it to your highlights.

For example, say you’ve posted stories of the latest product releases for the season and you want to create a Highlight called Latest Launch. Here’s how to create highlights:

1. View your story by tapping on your Instagram profile image and tapping Highlight in the lower right corner.
2. If you haven’t created a Highlight with the name you want it under, tap on the New button, type in the name, then tap add.
3. Select the Highlight to which you wish to attach the story to.
4. The first Instagram story selected will become the highlight cover by default.

You can also create a new highlight on your bio, and use past stories from there should the stories you want to include in your highlight are already past the 24 hours. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Go to your Instagram profile using the app.
2. Under the bio section, look for the circle with a plus sign with the word new. Tap on that.
3. New and past stories will appear, so select the ones relevant to your Highlight. Tap Next when done.
4. Name the highlight collection.
5. Choose an Instagram story highlight cover, then tap done to complete.

By default, your highlight Instagram cover depends on the first story you use in the collection. To make your highlight cover Instagram more attractive and even suitable for your brand, it’s best to design your own IG icon highlight.

How To Design Your Instagram Highlight Cover Effectively

Before you begin designing your story highlight cover for Instagram, there are a few tips to consider to make sure the design is effective and gives you the results that you want:

Use Your Brand Voice and Style

Branding is everything as it helps define what your business is about to your target audience. Done well, people can recognize it even with a glance! You will want to do the same for your Instagram highlights, as they also represent your brand.

Whether you like your Instagram highlight cover black or with any design, it all ultimately boils down to the brand.

If your brand uses specific colors, or has a particular vibe to it such as cheerful or calm, try to incorporate it as best as possible. This can include the types of icons or symbols you choose to use for the highlights as well.

Be Specific and Clear on the Style

You may have noticed that the size of the Instagram Highlights icon is quite small, so you will want to be specific and clear on the cover highlight Instagram design. This means your design should be straightforward and legible even for the smallest sizes.

For example, if you want to make a food Instagram highlight cover, consider using food symbols such as burgers or chicken. Focusing more on Asian food? Then add a noodle bowl or onigiri icon!

Stick To That Style As Best As Possible

Instagram as a platform is all about aesthetics, so creating an aesthetic Instagram highlight cover means having a specific and clear style.

This means not just relying on using random Instagram stories as the highlight cover, or even having a mix and match of different styles and covers. You will need to curate each icon to fit that style as best as possible.

This is why before creating any highlights, it’s always good to have a design for the icon prepared beforehand.

Have a Specific Order on the Highlights

As people check out your Instagram bio, they’re going to see the first five sets of highlights first. You can have more than five sets of highlights of course, but you want to ensure that the first five help your brand in various ways.

Done correctly, the order of the highlights can help pique your customer’s interest, know what you offer, help them learn more about you, or even address possible concerns.

How to Make Instagram Highlight Covers Using Canva

Out of the many free-to-use online graphic tools available, Canva is one of the most popular! With plenty of available free cover templates and custom highlight cover makers to choose from, creating any type of design using the tool is a cinch.

So if you’re wondering where to begin in making Instagram Highlight Covers using Canva, here’s how to start:

1. Log in to your Canva account or create your free account. In the search bar, type out Instagram highlight cover.
2. The first selection on the left gives you the option to “Create a blank Instagram Story Highlight Cover” with the correct Instagram highlight cover size. Click on that.
3. You can use the other custom highlight covers on the left to help keep track of where the focus would be for the highlight cover, but it’s recommended to stick to your own style and aesthetic.
4. Click on elements and use the search bar to find relevant icons or designs.
5. If you’re using a circle to guide you, click on the circle and change the colors to your brand on the top left of the tool.
6. Add text and use the brand-appropriate font by clicking on the Text button on the middle left side of the tool.
7. Once you’re happy with the design, click on the Share button on the top right of the screen. Click download.
8. Save your preferred file type.

Using Canva is easy as it all depends on your preferences and mainly depends on click and drop. Here are some tips and additional notes to consider when using Canva:

• You can find similar-looking icons in the elements section. Hover over your selected icon until three dots appear. Click on those three dots, scroll down, and click on “See more like this”. More icons similar to the artist and that style will appear.
• Look out for elements, icons, or designs with the crown symbol if you’re using the free version. If you select it, you can still use it in the design. But you can’t download it as you either have to pay for specific elements individually or subscribe to Canva Pro to be able to download the design.
• Downloading with a transparent background is only available for those subscribed to Canva Pro.

Ideas To Creating Aesthetic Instagram Highlight Covers

Still need more tips on how to create a more aesthetic style of Instagram Highlight Covers? Here are more ideas you can consider to inspire you on your quest for effective branding on one of the top social media sites out there!

Use Colour Gradients

Color gradients add dimension to your highlight covers and are perfect for boosting moods and creating the right aesthetic. Feel free to use the right range of colors, especially your company’s brand colors to help create that gradient. A good gradient can really make your profile look more fitting and stylish.

Use One Striking Colour

Alternatively, consider using one color for all your icons, especially if that color is well-linked to your brand. For example, if your brand color uses pink, then create Instagram highlight covers pink.

You can make this color stand out further by choosing minimalistic icons that help accentuate the color more.

Use the Same Filter for All Highlight Covers

If you’re using images of your products or service, use the same filter or color gradient on all the images so they look uniform. Make sure all the photos are in high-res too to give it a consistent look!

Use Minimalistic Company Symbols as Cover Icons

If your company already designs its own symbols for marketing, you can also use them for your IG highlight icon. Be sure to pair this with your company’s brand color!

Use Business Icons for Your Services

Listing your services as part of your highlight cover is a great idea for entrepreneurs and the likes. So use business icons for highlight covers such as Testimonials, FAQs, Announcements, and more.

You can even be more specific by using Content or SEO symbols if you do content marketing or SEO services! Just be sure to use the same colors and style for the business icons.

Promote Your Business On Instagram

For those using Instagram for Business, it can be challenging to develop the right look and feel to your account. Add on to the fact that, you also need to develop the right marketing strategy for the platform to increase website conversion, and you may be overwhelmed.

If you need help promoting your business on Instagram and need to develop a better marketing strategy, we can help.

As one of the best Digital Marketing Agency in Malaysia, One Search Pro offers a wide range of online marketing expertise, including platforms such as Instagram.

From design to strategy, you can be assured to see results. Contact us today for a free proposal and get started on your marketing journey!