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Learn How To Create an Instagram Business Account 2023
- by Lizzie Davey
- Social Media Optimization
- Feb 24, 2022
- 11 minute read
An Instagram business account gives brands, influencers, and creators performance data to understand how followers interact with their content—insights to guide business decisions and advertising functions to action on them.
Ninety percent of Instagram users follow a business account, and 81% use Instagram as a platform to research products and services.Instagram, in short, is no longer just a visual platform for pretty pictures. Its library of content types—Instagram Stories, Reels, and IGTV—make it an ideal platform to reach new audiences, learn about users’ content preferences, and share powerful visuals.
And it’s easy to get started.
Three types of Instagram profiles
Instagram business accounts are just one type of account you can have on Instagram. In total, there are three types of account, each created for different types of users:
- Personal account : the vast majority of users have personal accounts, which don’t have analytics or advertising features
- Creator account : for influencers and content producers who want audience insights and Instagram Shop features
- Business account: for brands and companies selling products or services who want access to advertising, links, scheduling posts, and deep insights
The benefits of an Instagram business account
Detailed analytics, the ability to track post performance, additional information in your profile, and features like Quick Replies provide plenty of reasons to create a Business account.
Tools like these make it easy to:
Learn about your fans
Instagram Insights not only highlights the demographics of your followers, like their age and location, it tells you what content they prefer and when they’re usually online, so you can plan content campaigns and share photos when your audience is most active.
Sell directly to followers
Avoid disrupting users’ scrolling with Instagram’s in-app purchase feature. Your audience can browse and buy products without ever leaving the app, reducing friction in the customer journey and increasing conversion rates.
Start selling your products on Instagram
Shopify comes with powerful tools that help you list, promote and sell products on Facebook and Instagram. Create product collections, showcase your brand and products, and make sales on Facebook and Instagram from one place.
Run ad campaigns
Instagram ads can expose your brand to new followers and potential customers through powerful targeting capabilities. Analytics show which content is performing best and how many users follow through on your call to action.
Control the customer journey
In the past, it was almost impossible to direct Instagram users away from the app—the only links allowed were in profiles (hence the ever-present “Link in bio” CTA). Creators with a business account can add links to their Instagram Stories if they have over 10,000 followers, giving them the chance to use Instagram as a lead-generation tool.
How to create an Instagram business account
There are two ways to create an Instagram business account in the Instagram app:
- Switch from an existing personal profile
- Create a brand new business account
Most existing brands who want to start using Instagram will create a new account from scratch. But if you already have a solid following, it makes sense to convert your personal profile to a business account to retain those followers. If you don’t have any followers, start fresh.
There are other considerations to this. If you’re an influencer who's grown a following for sharing humorous fitness videos and have created a line of workout gear off the back of it, you might consider creating a separate business account for your product, or you might convert your existing profile to a business account and continue sharing content as both an influencer and a brand owner.
If you’re on the fence, think about:
- Time constraints (Do you have the resources to post regularly on both a business account and your personal one?)
- Brand personality (Are you synonymous with your product? Is the main purpose of your account to entertain and connect rather than sell your product?)
- Brand awareness (Do you want to create a separate online presence for your product so that it’s easy for people to find through search?)
Fashion influencer Arielle Charnas started out sharing posts on a personal account about her family, lifestyle, and clothing. After growing a huge following, she launched a fashion label, Something Navy , under a separate account.
Switching to a business profile from a personal profile
If you already have a personal profile you want to change into a business account, tap Settings in the top right corner, click Account, and scroll to the bottom, where you’ll see a blue link that says Switch to Professional account.
Tap that and you’ll be asked what type of business you have and whether you want to add your phone number and contact information to your profile.
How to create an Instagram business account from scratch
Businesses that are ready to get started on Instagram can create a business account from scratch in just a few steps:
- Create a new Instagram account.
- Choose your username and password and enter your contact details.
- Set up the account (it will automatically be created as a personal profile).
- Once you have set up your account, go to Settings > Account and tap Switch to Professional account.
Note: Choosing your username is a bit like choosing your domain name . Ideally, you want it to be the same as your brand name, but there are ways to tweak it when an exact match isn’t available:
- Using your actual domain name (e.g., with .co or .com on the end)
- Adding punctuation to break up separate words (like Hannah.Rochell and Nanda_Schwartz )
- Adding a prefix at the beginning of your name (like mrdrewscott )
- Adding extra letters to the beginning or end of your brand name (like xosarahmorgan )
- Adding your location suffix to the end of your name (like thedoersuk )
The process from there is the same as if you were switching from a personal profile.
When creating your Instagram Business profile, bear in mind that:
- You can’t have a private business account
- The algorithm treats business posts the same as posts from personal profiles
- You can run Instagram and Facebook page ads in tandem
Quick tips for making the most of your Instagram business account
Make the most of the available features.
Business accounts have access to more features than personal profiles. You still have up to 150 characters to use in your Instagram bio , but you can add your location, address, and the type of business without taking up any space. You can also include links in your Stories, schedule posts, set up an Instagram shop, and create Quick Replies.
Loftie includes its website, a link to its shop, and a contact button, while Irma makes the most of Instagram’s Quick Replies feature.
Use a branded profile picture
It’s easy for brands to get lost in the crowd on a jam-packed Instagram feed. Use a branded profile photo that includes your colors, logo, and any recognizable brand features to stand out and spark brand awareness.
Athletic Brewing uses a two-tone logo with its bright brand colors.
Create a cohesive feed
Don’t let the suite of powerful business features distract you from ensuring your feed looks good. Use a limited color palette and consider how each individual post will look as part of the bigger picture.
Dollar Shave Club posts content in varying forms on its feed, but it sticks to a designated color palette so it looks uniform.
How creators can start an Instagram business account
It’s not just LLCs and corporations that are benefitting from Instagram’s business features. Influencers and content creators are leveraging the detailed insights and engaging features to build huge followings and serve their followers their favorite content.
The creator economy is booming right now . Never before have we seen celebrities made in bedrooms, their curtains tightly drawn as they stream their favorite game to millions of viewers or film a strangely mesmerizing unboxing video for their YouTube admirers.
Instagram has become one of the go-to social media platforms for creating and sharing content. The selection of content types means creators can engage with their audience in a variety of ways, building a repository of guides, videos, behind-the-scenes footage, unboxing videos, and everything in between.
Instagram Business accounts are best suited to influencers and creators who have started their own product lines or sell services, as the access to targeted ads and demographic data makes it easier to reach people who might be interested in becoming a client or customer.
As a small business owner, don't be afraid to own the low production value. If you're making your products in the messy basement, that can actually be endearing to an audience. Gretta van Riel, in an edited excerpt from the course Grow Your Business with Instagram
Play as you go: things to consider when you post on your business account
Creating a huge, hypothetical strategy probably isn’t as valuable as learning through experimentation. Trial and error will give you insights into what content is a hit and what’s a miss, as well as who it is you’re reaching and their main pain points.
Understanding who your audience is, planning content out to fit their needs, and creating a monetization plan (whether it’s through affiliates, selling products, or via brand partnerships) can help focus your efforts and drive your experimentation–-here are some questions to ask yourself.
1. WHO you’re posting for
- Who do you want to reach?
- What are their biggest problems?
- How can you solve those problems?
- What kind of content do they want to see?
Dig deeper by conducting audience research, scouring relevant hashtags, running audience surveys, and digging into any available insights you have.
Look at the questions your target audience is asking on social media, check competitor feeds to see what kind of posts get the most interaction, then use this information to craft an image of your ideal follower.
2. WHAT you’re posting
- What kind of content will you post ?
- What type of posts get the most engagement?
- What are your goals with Instagram?
Figure out what your goal is with each post—Driving consumers to your site? Selling your latest product ? Encouraging comments?—and determine what type of Instagram posts fit that need. Experiment with a mixture of Stories, Reels, feed posts, and videos to see what works best with your audience.
For example, if you’ve created a recipe for your latest nut butter product, you might show it in action via a Reel, or if you’ve collected UGC of consumers unboxing and using your products, you might post a series of Stories to highlight them, like Glossier.
Glossier reshares UGC in its Stories under its Top 5 series.
Consider your posting schedule and how often you’ll share content each week . Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, suggests “a couple of feeds a week, a couple of Stories per day.”
3. HOW you’ll make money
- Will you sell a product or service or generate money in another way?
- What monetization methods work with your business model?
- What Instagram features can you use to monetize your business?
There are two clear streams of monetization for business accounts:
- Support marketing efforts: traditional businesses can use Instagram to support their marketing efforts. Even if you sell products directly on the platform, your content is marketing for those on-platform sales.
- Sales sans products: creators don’t necessarily have to sell a product (although that’s always an option). You can make money through affiliate links, brand partnerships, links, running courses, and taking part in ambassador programs.
Brand deals are the most common way for creators to generate an income on Instagram, followed by ad revenue and affiliate links. For brands that sell products, Instagram Shopping and shoppable posts can generate revenue through in-app purchases.
Thinking ahead: how to start growing your business account
With your business account set up and a plan for moving forward, you can start to consider the bigger picture and how you’re going to get more followers.
The Insights feature and ad capabilities mean you can track which methods are working best, but to get you started, here are some ways you can promote your business account:
- Instagram ads. Set up and run campaigns through your Instagram business account. Choose the demographics of the users you want to target and create eye-catching graphics to grab their attention, whether it’s in their feed or Stories.
- Hashtags. Research hashtags that are trending in your industry, discover what’s popular on the Explore page, and spy on your competitors to see what hashtags they’re using in their posts.
- Partnerships. Partner with similar brands that have a similar audience, create content together, and promote each other’s accounts. Perhaps you run a giveaway together or create a collaboration with your products ( Instagram’s Collab feature makes this easier than ever).
- Influencers. Team up with influential accounts in your niche and have them promote your products or services.
Building an Instagram business from the ground up
Instagram for Business has made it possible for creators, influencers, and brands of all different shapes and sizes to make money from social media. All they need is a loyal, engaged audience, which is where Instagram comes into play.
Engagement rates on the platform are higher than any other social channel , and the range of content types allows businesses and creators to reach their audience in a variety of ways.
Get to know your audience. Build an Instagram strategy . Then put it to work with Instagram for Business’ array of features.
Instagram Business Account FAQ
How do i create a business account for instagram.
- Go to www.instagram.com and log in with your current Instagram account (or create a new one).
- Tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and then tap the three-lined icon in the top right corner to access your Settings.
- Tap Switch to Professional Account.
- Select the type of professional account you'd like to create, either Creator or Business.
- Follow the prompts to complete your account setup, including connecting your Facebook Page (if you have one) and selecting a category for your business.
- Once you've finished setting up your account, you'll be taken to your profile page. From there, you can customize your profile, add stories and posts, and start connecting with potential customers.
Can I create a business Instagram account without a personal account?
Is a instagram business account free, can you have a personal and business instagram account, join 446,005 entrepreneurs who already have a head start..
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How to Create an Instagram Business Account (2023)
Instagram brings together more than 28% of the world’s internet users . Among those people are your future customers .
In this article, you’ll learn how to create an Instagram business account to access features like post scheduling, paid ads, and analytics.
These tools will help you drive sales and increase your store’s revenue .
Create an Instagram Business Account in 7 Easy Steps
Setting up an Instagram professional account only takes a few minutes , and you’ll gain access to features that will help you run ads and promote posts for years.
Switch to a professional account from your Instagram personal profile to analyze and increase the number of people who see your posts.
Read our step-by-step guide on enabling this feature via your Instagram app:
1. Create an Instagram Account
Use your existing profile or create a new account just for this purpose. It’s available on web browsers, but we recommend the Instagram app, as some features are only available there.
It’s free for iOS and Android devices.
2. Switch to a Professional Account
New users have personal accounts by default. The switch to a professional account isn’t permanent – you can switch between personal, business, and creator accounts at any time .
Navigate to your Instagram Settings by tapping on the hamburger menu at the top right corner of your Instagram profile.
3. Tap Account and Switch
Scroll down and click Account → Switch to professional account . Later, you’ll be asked to select a creator account or business account.
A creator account is for public figures, content creators, artists, and influencers working on their brands, while Instagram business accounts are for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations, and service providers.
Remember that all business accounts are public , so you won’t have the option to have a private business account.
Switching back to a personal account will erase data from your business account. The system will turn off all in-app insights and permanently delete your content and ad insights.
4. Choose Your Category
Instagram will ask which field or profession best describes your business . If you don’t know how to define it, browse the suggested options to find the closest match.
Categories help the Instagram algorithm show your page to other Instagram users. You can change it anytime.
5. Add Contact Details
Your business page needs to include contact details in case shoppers have questions about your services or have encountered a problem .
Openness to communication cultivates customer trust and helps secure loyal shoppers in the long run.
Add your website address, business email address, phone number, and working hours. There’s also an option to link Instagram with WhatsApp Business for faster communication.
6. Connect a Facebook Page
Link your Instagram business account with your business Facebook Page to increase your brand’s exposure and access different audiences .
These two social media platforms go hand in hand, offering organic post-scheduling and content sharing with your customers.
Remember that your Instagram business account can only connect to one Facebook Page.
7. Finish Setup
That’s it! You’ve completed the Instagram business profile setup. Now go and try out all the features in your brand-new account.
The professional dashboard provides a complete overview of your account and post performance. It offers other account management tools like hiding your business category and adding contact information.
You’ll also see Instagram’s carefully curated content – from how to make Reels to working with brands.
Make It Happen Today!
Benefits of having an instagram business account.
The Instagram business profile has several features that will help grow your business but are unavailable on a personal profile.
If you already have a presence on Instagram through a personal account, a business profile could be your way to gain more followers and reach new audiences.
Access to Analytics
See your business profile analytics through Account insights . You’ll find detailed information on how many profiles you’ve reached and engaged with through the Instagram feed or Explore.
Content interactions display the number of likes, saves, comments, and shares your posts have generated.
Profile activity shows profile visits, follows, and direct messages you’ve received in your inbox.
Audience insights break down demographics like gender, age, and approximate location of the people interacting with your posts. These insights will help you create more successful content.
Create Instagram Ads
Advertising is an effective way to reach people and have them Buy Now or Learn More about your product or service. The idea behind Instagram ads is fairly simple – paid ads help you easily target specific audiences with little investment.
Learn how to use Instagram ads and track Instagram app insights to ensure the success of your Instagram marketing strategy.
Be Trustworthy
Use Instagram for business to gain the trust of your audience and translate it into sales.
Create content that resonates with your followers and engages them with your promoted posts.
Become a verified Instagram business profile – it’s the fastest and most secure way to build trust.
Request verification by tapping Settings → Account → Request verification . This is how your business profile gets the verified badge – a blue checkmark next to your business account name.
Tag and Sell Products
Instagram provides the necessary advertising tools for your products and makes buying them easy . Instagram business accounts and other qualified public accounts in select countries can add shopping tags to their Instagram posts.
Read our article on how to sell on Instagram to learn the technicalities of Instagram Shopping.
Add up to five products within a post and up to 20 in a carousel post. A carousel post lets you share ten photos or videos in one go.
Check out these tips and tools to learn more about selling on Instagram.
Schedule Posts and Use Links
Head over to the Creator Studio of the Facebook/Meta Business Suite and log in with your Instagram credentials to access various services for busy business owners.
Here, the most useful feature is post-scheduling , which is not something you’re currently able to use through your Instagram business account.
The Creator Studio dashboard gives you a clear timeline view for creating and scheduling posts and reviewing your current, past, and future scheduled posts. Don’t forget to add photos, videos, and any relevant links.
Run A/B testing with different text versions, photos, and videos to find the best-performing content for your audience.
Bring Success to Your Instagram Business Profile
Keep an eye on growing trends, but always stay authentic to your business niche.
Your goal is to reach customers with eye-catching Instagram Stories and posts and invite them to place an order. How can you achieve this? Let’s take a look!
Find Your Target Audience
Start by defining your customer niche, creating buyer personas , and checking out our list of the top Instagram niches for 2023.
Remember that your audiences might vary across different platforms. For example, if you’ve linked your Instagram account with a business Facebook page, the message you share on Instagram might not work for your Facebook audience and vice versa.
Create and Follow a Strategy
Instagram marketing strategies are constantly evolving, so think of your business in the long term. Set relevant and achievable goals and objectives, and track your performance through Instagram insights.
Carry out A/B testing to see which marketing strategy works best for your Instagram business account, follow a marketing calendar with important eCommerce sales dates , and create a reliable posting schedule.
Prepare Your Instagram
Make sure your Instagram business profile is ready to receive customers. In addition to a profile photo, you should have a bio, relevant website links, and your store’s contact information.
Group several Instagram Stories into highlights to feature them on your business profile for as long as you want .
Instagram archives standard Stories after 24 hours. Go to the Archive to view, repost, and highlight them. This is a great feature for reusing seasonal and holiday content .
Focus on Visuals
Instagram is a visual platform, so you’ll want to create Instagram business account images that catch and keep the attention of your target customers.
Create an engaging visual identity with high-quality Instagram content. A dazzling profile picture and complimentary visuals in your Instagram feed will do the trick.
Explore the benefits of creating Instagram Reels , which are 15-second multi-clip videos you can edit with creative tools.
Learn how to take product photos before making content to ensure your unique images turn into sales .
Excel at Copywriting
Whether it’s your business Facebook account or Instagram profile, good copywriting draws people to your store . We can’t overstate its importance, so we won’t even try.
Consider every aspect of your customer journey , starting with viewing your small business from a personal profile and ending with placing an order.
Answer these questions:
- How do you want your customer to perceive you?
- Will you use casual or formal language?
- Are you going to sound neutral, serious, funny, or a mix of all three?
Check out our free copywriting course and learn how to write copy for your target audience, use relevant keywords in your descriptions, and write an Instagram business profile bio that stands out.
It will give you the necessary structure and confidence to generate memorable, SEO-friendly text that leads business accounts to more sales .
Engage With Your Audience
People appreciate businesses that make an effort to connect with them. This is why you should consider replying to comments on your posts, Stories, and direct messages. Engage your customers by asking for feedback and work on creating a community.
Of course, that’s easier said than done – you can’t spend an entire day talking to customers. Thankfully, these useful tools will help you efficiently connect with your customers on another level.
Advertise Your Business
Run Instagram ads, use relevant hashtags, reach out to Instagram influencers to form collaborations , and use your Facebook Business Page and other social media channels to advertise your Instagram page.
Working out a solid Instagram marketing strategy will help you monetize your business . Keep in mind that sponsored content regulations may vary between countries.
How to create an Instagram business account?
Create an Instagram business account by switching from your personal account to a professional one. Tap Settings . Scroll down and click Account → Switch account type .
Switch to a business or creator account based on your preferences at any time. Do it for free on the Instagram app.
Why should I have an Instagram business account?
An Instagram business account offers various analytics and advertising tools to find new customers and grow your business . You’ll be able to promote products on a schedule with different ad formats and use content analytics to work out a winning advertising strategy.
If you’re a business owner with only a personal account on Instagram, you are missing out on features that will help you grow your business .
Can I switch back to an ordinary Instagram account?
Definitely! Switch back to a personal account in just a few steps – go to your Instagram Settings → Account → Switch account type and select the personal account.
Remember, switching back to a personal account will delete most of the data associated with your business account.
What’s the difference between Instagram business and creator accounts?
Instagram business profiles are best for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations, and service providers, while creator accounts are for people with a personal brand – public figures, content producers, artists, and influencers.
You can add a shop through either of these Instagram profiles.
To Summarize
If you plan on using Instagram for business, boost your brand , and create noteworthy social media content, getting a business account just makes sense. It will help you connect with your audience, build a following, and run a successful business with growing sales.
Instagram for business gives access to useful features , allowing you to monitor account performance, manage ads, engage in influencer marketing, and work out a solid Instagram strategy.
Switch between a personal Instagram account and a professional Instagram account anytime . It’s free and easy when you follow the steps mentioned in this article .
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How to Use Instagram for Business in 2023: 6 Pro Tips
Everything you need to know about using Instagram for business — from setting up your account to creating a winning strategy.
Instagram is the top media platform for building relationships with brands, according to a Meta-commissioned Ipsos study . And half of Instagram users say the platform helps them discover new brands. Even better for brands, 44% of users shop weekly on the platform.
If you’re not using Instagram for business purposes, those potential new customers might never find their way to your products or services.
Here’s how to use Instagram for business growth in 2023.
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.
How to set up Instagram for business in 4 steps
1. switch to a business account.
You need to create an Instagram account first, then convert it to a business account. If you have an existing personal or creator account you want to convert, that works too. It’s free and anyone can do it.
You can have up to five Instagram accounts, so go ahead and keep your personal Instagram account personal if that’s what you prefer.
- From your profile, tap the hamburger (three lines) menu icon in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Settings . Some accounts may see Switch to professional account on this menu. If you do, tap it. Otherwise, tap Account , then tap Switch to professional account.
- Tap Continue (you may need to tap it multiple times as Instagram previews the available features of a professional account).
- Select a Category and use the slider to choose whether to show it on your profile, then tap Done .
- Choose Business (unless it makes sense for you to choose Creator ), and tap Next .
- Use the slider to opt in or out of promotional emails from Instagram for professional accounts, then tap Next .
- Add or edit relevant contact details, then use the slider to choose whether to show your contact information on your profile, then tap Next (or tap Don’t use my contact info to skip this step).
- If you plan to connect your Instagram business account with a Facebook business page, follow the prompts to connect your account to your Facebook Page. This is technically optional, but it’s necessary in order to use Instagram shopping features or run ads on Instagram.
- Tap the X in the top left corner to close this window and return to your profile.
Learn more about the difference between Instagram business and creator accounts .
2. Add business information to your bio
In 150 characters or less, your Instagram bio should describe your brand and showcase your brand voice . We’ve got a full guide to creating an effective Instagram bio for business (complete with templates), but here’s a quick video to walk you through the basics:
Also be sure to make the most of the other components of your Instagram business profile:
- Profile pic: Most brands use their logo. Your profile photo displays as 110 x 110 pixels (cropped to a circle), but it’s stored at 320 x 320, so that’s the size you should upload.
- Link in bio: Link to your website, your latest blog post, a current campaign or a Link Tree .
- Contact information: If you didn’t add contact info during your account creation, you can do so at any time by tapping Edit profile . Instagram will then add a Contact button to your profile.
- Action buttons: If relevant, you can add a button that allows customers to book or reserve appointments or to order food. To use this feature, you need an account with one of Instagram’s partners . Tap Edit Profile , then scroll down to Action Buttons .
- Story highlights and covers: Instagram Story highlights are another way to maximize your profile real estate by providing more information about your brand or your products. Organize Stories into saved collections, then add some polish with Highlight covers.
3. Connect your product catalog
To tag products in Instagram content, or to run certain kinds of Instagram ads, you need to create a product catalog. You can do this in Meta’s Commerce Manager.
- Head to Commerce Manager and click Get Started , then select Create a catalog and click Get started again.
- Select Ecommerce , then click Next .
- If you have a shop on an ecommerce platform like Shopify or Big Commerce, click Connect a partner platform and follow the prompts to create your catalog. Otherwise, click Upload product info , name your catalog and click Next .
- Click View catalog to open your catalog, then Add items to start adding products.
We’ve got a whole post on using Commerce Manager if you’d like more details on how this tool works.
4. Turn on Instagram shopping
Once your catalog is full of products, it’s time to turn on Instagram’s shopping features.
- Tap Settings , then Business , then Set up a Shop .
- Tap Get started and follow the prompts to submit your shop for review.
- Wait for approval. You can check the status of your shop at any time by going to Settings > Business > Shopping .
- Once your shop is approved, go to Settings > Business > Shopping , select your product catalog and tap Done .
We’ve got a full blog post explaining everything you need to know about Instagram Shopping if you want to focus on this particular aspect of using Instagram for business.
Using Instagram for business: 6 tips
1. research your audience.
A good social media strategy starts with a sound understanding of your audience.
Instagram’s audience demographics give you an overall picture of who uses the platform. For example, 18-34-year-olds represent the largest ad audience on the site.
Source: Hootsuite Global State of Digital 2022 (October Update)
However, that doesn’t mean your specific audience on Instagram will be made up of 18-to-34-year-olds. For example, looking at the audience insights for my own Instagram account, I can see that my audience skews older than the Instagram average:
Source: Meta Business Suite
You can find demographic information on your existing audience using Instagram Insights , Meta Business Suite , or Hootsuite Analytics . But if you’re just getting started using Instagram for business, you might not have a large enough following to gain meaningful insights here yet.
In that case, take a look at the demographics of your audience on other social channels and of your existing customer base. While this won’t translate exactly to Instagram, it should give you a sense of who’s interested in your business and what you have to say.
Understanding your audience puts you in a better position to create targeted content and business captions for Instagram that resonate. Since audience research is an important foundation for your content strategy, we’ve got a whole post dedicated to helping you find your target market .
2. Figure out your content mix
Now that you know who your audience is, you need to determine what to share with them. Rather than posting random content whenever the mood strikes, you need to develop a content strategy that speaks to your audience and keeps them engaged, all while contributing to real business goals .
While you should certainly post some promotional content to get people excited about your products and drive sales, you also need to provide content that builds community and sparks engagement.
That might mean including user-generated content or other curated resources , sharing insider expertise about your industry, or joining in on a trending meme. (But tread carefully here – only join in on trends that are appropriate for your brand voice.)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wendy's 🍔 (@wendys)
Look for opportunities to develop themes or regular installments that you can build into a series. “Content buckets” allow you to check certain boxes without having to overthink creation. The more planning you do upfront, the better you’ll be able to produce regular content and respond to last-minute or unplanned events.
3. Schedule your content in advance
From Reels to Stories to posts, there are many options when it comes to Instagram content.
The best way to create a unified strategy is to schedule your content across all Instagram surfaces (and other social platforms) using a content calendar . Or, take it up a level and schedule all your content to publish automatically at the right time using a tool like the Hootsuite Publisher . Yes, you can even schedule Stories and Reels in advance.
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The added advantage here is that you can create your content in dedicated blocks of time and schedule it to post at the best time for your audience . Even if that time is outside business hours, on the weekend, or in the middle of the night.
4. Tag products
When you share content about your products on Instagram, tagging makes it much easier for people to learn more or buy. You can tag up to 20 products in a photo feed post.
To tag products, create your Instagram post or Reel as usual. Then, on the final screen before posting, tap Tag products. You can tag products from your own shop or someone else’s, which creates great opportunities for collaboration and cross-promotion.
Source: @reitmans
In Stories, you can tag products using the Product link sticker.
Source: @allbirds
5. Track your results (and learn from wins and losses)
With an Instagram business profile, you have access to the platform’s built-in analytics tools to help you understand how well different types of content perform.
There are several other analytics tools available, including Hootsuite’s , that can track longer time frames, automate reporting and make it easier to compare Instagram metrics across other social media platforms.
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No matter which social media marketing tools you use, the important thing is to check in regularly to learn what kind of content resonates best with your target audience. You’ll start to see patterns about what generates the most engagement, as well as what kinds of social media content increase views beyond your existing follower base. (Hint: Try Instagram Reels .)
Use these lessons to hone your content strategy over time.
6. Treat Instagram as a customer service channel
Success on Instagram requires you to engage with your followers rather than just blast content out and hope someone likes it. One important component of this two-way communication is monitoring your DMs for questions, comments, and customer service requests.
Instagram business accounts have access to a couple of DM features that make managing customer service easier on the platform. First, your inbox is divided into Primary and General tabs to make it easier to keep track of your messages. And second, you can create saved replies to commonly asked questions that you can access via keyboard shortcuts.
Hootsuite Inbox makes it even easier to manage your DMs by allowing you to assign messages to the appropriate team members. If you really want to take customer service on Instagram seriously, a tool like Sparkcentral allows you to integrate Instagram with your CRM.
FAQs about using Instagram for business
Is instagram free for business.
It’s free to set up an Instagram business account, promote your business, and even set up an Instagram shop.
The only fees for Instagram business accounts are ad costs if you choose to run Instagram ads, and selling fees if you use Commerce Manager to allow your customers to check out and complete their purchase within the Meta platform.
So, there is no fee to use Instagram Shopping to tag products and direct users to your website to buy them. However, if you use Meta’s native checkout through Commerce Manager, you will pay the following selling fees :
- $0.40 for shipments up to $8.00
- 5% for shipments of $8.01 or more
Instagram is waiving these fees until 11:59 PST June 30, 2023.
How does Instagram work for business?
As you’ve seen in the Instagram for business tips throughout this post, Instagram offers many useful features for businesses. Some of the most important features only available for professional accounts are:
- Instagram Insights for audience demographics and details about how your content performs
- Instagram Shopping to tag products in your content
- Instagram Direct features to better manage DM communications
But on the whole, Instagram for businesses works just like it works for creators or personal accounts. Create great content that inspires, informs, or entertains your audience to grow your following and build community around your account.
What are the disadvantages of using Instagram for business?
For most businesses, the benefits of using Instagram for business far outweigh the disadvantages. That said, there is one important disadvantage that’s especially important when using Instagram for small business development.
For micro businesses, it can be tempting to use Instagram as your entire business presence. But this puts you at risk if you ever have an issue with your account, like being hacked, locked out, or blocked. It’s a good idea to also have a website you control where you can continue to make sales and grow your audience if there’s ever a problem with your Instagram business account.
Save time managing Instagram for business using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance and run all your other social media profiles. Try it free today.
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Easily create, analyze, and schedule Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels with Hootsuite. Save time and get results.
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Set upyour Instagram Business Account In settings, find Accountand tap Switch to Professional Account. Pick a category that best describes your business, then select Business. You’re all set, you’ve got an Instagram business account. Now complete your profile using the tips below.
Sign upfor an Instagram account and choose a username that clearly represents your business, like your business’ name. 2. Add a profile photo, a biography and a link to your website. 3. Switch to a business profile. From your profile, tap the gear icon in the upper right corner and select and then tap to switch to business profile.
Create an Instagram Business Account Instagram business account features. Instagram business accounts have features and settings that can help your business... Convert your personal Instagram account into a business account. To get started, you'll need to have the Instagram app... Getting started on ...
How to start a business account on Instagram Tap Account. Tap Switch to professional account. Tap Continue. Select a Category for your business and tap Done. Tap OK to confirm. Tap Business. Tap Next. Add contact details and tap Next. To skip this step, tap Don’t use my contact info. If you'd like, ...
Businesses that are ready to get started on Instagram can create a business account from scratch in just a few steps: Create a new Instagram account. Choose your username and password and enter your contact details. Set up the account (it will automatically be created as a personal profile). Once ...
Create an Instagram Account Use your existing profile or create a new account just for this purpose. It’s available on web browsers, but we recommend the Instagram app, as some features are only available there. It’s free for iOS and Android devices. 2. Switch to a Professional Account New users have personal accounts by …
How to set up Instagram for business in 4 steps 1. Switch to a Business account You need to create an Instagram account first, then convert it to a business account. If you have an existing personal or creator account you want to convert, that works too. It’s free and anyone can do it.