Ready to set up an Instagram business account?
A whopping 62.4% of Instagram users use Instagram to follow and research brands. Not only that, but conversations with customers in Instagram DM’s convert 70% of the time.
Creating an Instagram business account not only links you to an engaged audience, but it also opens the door for more conversations, connections, and sales.
This post will walk you through the basics on how to set up your business profile, the benefits you’ll get from switching over, and how to delete it if you change your mind.
Plus, we’ve included a handy chart to compare business, personal, and creator profiles.
Bonus: Claim your free pack of 15 creative Instagram post templates made by Hootsuite’s professional graphic designers. Easily customize them in Canva, and start getting more engagement today.
What is an Instagram business account?
An Instagram business account is a special type of account designed for businesses, brands, and creators to promote their products or services on the platform. Unlike personal accounts, which are mainly for sharing content and connecting with friends, a business account offers additional features tailored to help businesses grow and engage with their audience.
With an Instagram business account, you can:
- Get valuable insights about your followers and how they interact with your content.
- Boost your posts with paid advertising to reach a wider audience beyond your followers.
- Display important contact information such as email address, link to your website, phone number, and physical address directly on your profile.
- Use tools like Instagram Shopping to tag products in your posts and stories.
- Gain access to professional features like Instagram Ads Manager and Meta Business Suite.
Overall, an Instagram Business Account offers a suite of tools and features specifically designed to help businesses leverage the platform for marketing and growth. Whether you’re a small startup or a well-established brand, creating a business account on Instagram can significantly enhance your online presence and drive results.
Instagram business account vs. personal account vs. creator account
Ready to learn how to create a business Instagram account? Before you get started, let’s take a look at the different types of accounts offered by Instagram, currently.
Here’s that handy chart we promised you! It has all the features of each type of Instagram account at a glance. If you’re looking for more on what creator accounts really look like, head here.
| Feature | Business account | Creator account | Personal account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private profile capabilities | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Instagram Insights dashboard | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Access to Meta Business Suite | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sortable inbox | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Ability to create quick replies for DMs | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Display category in profile | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Contact information on profile | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Location information on profile | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Third-party app integration | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Instagram Storefront with shoppable products and Shop insights | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Meta verification badge | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Linked permissions between Instagram and Facebook | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Ability to rank requests | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
How to create an Instagram business account
To create an Instagram business account, you’ll need to start by creating a general Instagram account. You can also convert an existing personal account into a business account.
We’ll walk you through both options, below.
Creating a new account
If you want to set up a completely new account for your business Instagram, start by downloading the Instagram app from your device’s app store. Or, go to Instagram.com to get started.
Once there, simply click Sign up, and enter in your information.
You’ll get a confirmation code to your email address or mobile number which you can then enter in the app. Finally, create a password, a username, and add a profile picture. Your Instagram account is now set up!
If you already have an existing Facebook account, you can also log in with Facebook by clicking the button at the top of the page.
Then, choose a username, agree to Instagram’s terms and conditions, and you’re ready to go.
Next steps? Turn it into an Instagram business account by following the steps below.
Switching from a personal account
Wondering how to switch to a business account on Instagram?
To switch an existing personal account to a business account on Instagram, start by navigating to your Instagram profile. Click the three lines in the top right corner, and choose Account type and tools from the dropdown.
Then choose, Switch to a professional account, and tap Continue.
Choose a category that best describes your business. Toggle the button at the top on or off to have your category show up on your profile, underneath your username.
Next, choose whether you want to set up a business or creator Instagram account. If you aren’t sure which one to choose, check out our handy table above for more insights.
Now, add your contact details including your business email, address, and phone number. If you have a Facebook account you’d like to connect to your business Instagram account, add that on the next page. If not, click Skip.
Here, you’ll be prompted with a few more steps to get your business account set up. This includes completing your profile, growing your audience, and exploring your goals. You can do these now or later, depending on your needs.
Congratulations! Your Instagram business account is now set up.
The benefits of an Instagram business account
Now that you know how to create a business account on Instagram, it’s time to understand why it matters.
The benefits of an Instagram business account are plentiful. Here are just a few.
Access to Insights
Instagram’s insights may not be a crystal ball, but they are an excellent tool for understanding your followers.
A business profile gives you access to a deep dive into your audience’s profile views, reach and impressions, along with demographic information about them. You can tailor your posts to appeal to specific interests when you know more about the folks that follow you.
Enhanced bio options
Your Instagram bio is your digital storefront — a concise, compelling introduction to your brand.
With an Instagram Business Account, you can enhance your bio with additional contact options, including email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses. This makes it easier for potential customers to connect with your business directly from your Instagram profile.
Crafting the perfect Instagram bio is an art form in itself. You want it to be clear, catchy, and give people a taste of what your brand is all about. And don’t forget to sprinkle in some keywords to boost your visibility while you’re at it. After all, you want to make sure your bio pops up when people are searching for products or services like yours.
Promote content
Wish you could give your top-performing posts an extra boost? With an Instagram Business Account, you can.
Promoting your posts is like giving them a turbo boost. Instead of relying solely on your existing followers to see your content, you can put your posts in front of a whole new audience. And the best part? You get to choose exactly who sees your posts based on factors like age, location, interests, and more.
But promoting your posts isn’t just about reaching more people – it’s about reaching the right people. By targeting your promotions to specific audience segments, you can ensure that your content resonates with the people most likely to engage with it. And with access to analytics, you can track the success of your promotions in real-time, making it easy to see what’s working and what’s not.
Use of professional business tools
Running a business is no easy feat, but Instagram’s business tools can make it a whole lot easier.
With a business account, you get access to a whole suite of tools designed to help you manage your presence on the platform. From Instagram Shopping to product tagging in posts and stories, these tools make it easy to showcase your products and drive sales directly from your feed.
Source: Instagram
But the benefits don’t stop there. You can also use other tools to manage things like inventory and track how well your posts are performing. With features like Instagram, Insights and Ads Manager, you’ll have all the data you need to make informed decisions about your marketing strategy and keep your business moving forward.
6 best practices for Instagram business accounts
Follow these tips and tricks to make your Instagram business account stand out.
1. Find the optimal content mix
Finding the right mix of content is crucial for capturing your audience’s attention and driving engagement. Here’s how to strike the perfect balance:
- Understand your audience: Take the time to grasp your audience’s preferences, interests, and behavior patterns. Tailor your content accordingly to keep them engaged and coming back for more.
- Experiment with content types: Don’t stick to just one format. Try out various types of content, like static posts, Reels, carousels, and Stories, and adapt your strategy based on what works.
- Keep it authentic: Social media is all about authenticity. Let your brand’s values and personality shine through in your content, and avoid being overly promotional or sales-y.
- Monitor and adapt: Pay attention to what content performs well and what doesn’t. Be willing to pivot and try new approaches to keep your audience engaged and excited.
2. Know your audience
Understanding your audience is the cornerstone of effective marketing. Take the time to research and analyze your Instagram followers’ demographics, interests, and behaviors. Use this insight to tailor your content to their preferences and create posts that resonate with them on a deeper level.
But knowing your audience goes beyond just demographics. It’s about understanding their motivations, pain points, and aspirations. What are they passionate about? What challenges do they face? By diving deep into these insights, you can create content that not only captures their attention but also speaks directly to their needs and desires.
3. Try Instagram ads
Don’t be afraid to dip your toes into Instagram advertising. With targeted ads, you can reach a broader audience and drive meaningful engagement with your content. Experiment with different ad formats — from photo and video ads to carousel and story ads — to find what works best for your brand.
Pro Tip: Use Hootsuite Boost to create and manage promoted post campaigns from within your Hootsuite dashboard.
4. Schedule your content for the right times
Timing is everything on Instagram. Schedule your posts for times when your audience is most active to maximize engagement. But finding the right posting schedule requires a bit of trial and error. Pay attention to when your audience is most active — both in terms of time of day and day of the week — and adjust your posting schedule accordingly.
Tools like Hootsuite Planner make it easy to plan and schedule your content in advance, ensuring that your posts go live at the optimal times for maximum impact.
Plus, with the built-in Best Time to Post feature in Hootsuite Composer and Analytics, you can easily hone in on the best times to post for your unique audience.
Psst… Check out Hootsuite’s recommended best times to post on Instagram here.
5. Optimize your Instagram profile
Your Instagram profile is often the first impression users have of your brand, so make it count. Use a clear, high-quality profile picture and write a compelling bio that succinctly communicates your brand’s value proposition. Don’t forget to include relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
Use your bio to showcase what sets your brand apart and why users should follow you. And don’t be afraid to switch things up – updating your bio regularly with new promotions, product launches, or events can help keep your profile fresh and engaging.
Pro Tip: Use Hootsuite’s Instagram bio generator to get an optimized, eye-catching bio in just a few clicks. Plus, check out our Instagram bio ideas here.
6. Analyze and iterate
When it comes to your Instagram business account success, don’t set it and forget it. Instead, regularly analyze your Instagram performance metrics to identify trends and opportunities for improvement. Use this data to refine your content strategy, optimize your posting schedule, and continuously evolve your approach to Instagram marketing.
If you’re serious about improving your content, you’re not limited to Instagram’s built-in analytics tools. When you use Hootsuite Analytics with your Instagram business profile, you can track Instagram metrics in more detail than the native Instagram Insights.
The Hootsuite Analytics dashboard allows you to:
- Review data from the distant past
- Compare metrics over specific time periods to get a historical perspective
- Find the best posting time based on past engagement, organic reach, and click-through data
- Generate downloadable custom reports
- Look at specific post performance using your preferred metrics
- Rank Instagram comments by sentiment (positive or negative)
#1 Analytics Tool for Growth
Beautiful reports. Clear data. Actionable insights to help you grow faster.
Manage your Instagram Business Profile alongside all your other social media profiles using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can create and schedule posts, engage followers, monitor relevant conversations, measure (and improve!) performance, and much more.
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