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Learn About Instagram Business Account Features and How to Create an Instagram Business Profile
Picture this: You run a small business and you’re growing, but not fast enough.
You’re an avid Instagram user and see one of your local competitors posting killer content. They’re getting likes, they’re getting followers and you better believe they’re getting leads.
Does it really work?
Consider the direct-to-consumer luggage brand, Away. There’s nothing special about selling luggage, yet Forbes listed them not too long ago as one of their Next Billion-Dollar Startups.
How did they do it? Well, largely through Instagram marketing. From telling Stories to engaging with leads—Away did everything right to get rolling with their Instagram business page.
And Instagram works for all businesses too. Did you know that over 50% of small businesses use Instagram? Maybe it’s because 83% of users find new products or services on Instagram.
The key to leveraging Instagram to grow your sales is with an Instagram business account. But what is an Instagram business account and how does it differ from a regular Instagram account?
If you’re wondering how to use Instagram for business and take advantage of an Instagram business account, this blog post will answer all your questions. Let’s dive in!
What’s the Difference Between a Personal and Business Instagram Account?
At this point, you might be asking what exactly an Instagram business account is and how it differs from the regular personal account you already have.
On the surface, an Instagram business account and a personal account look the same, but there are some important differences.
A personal account on Instagram is great for simply sharing posts and Stories with friends and family; it also gives you the option to stay private so strangers can’t interact with you.
An Instagram business account offers unique features to help companies scale their reach and improve lead-generation metrics, such as analytics data and Stories links.
With an Instagram business account, you can more easily promote your business and share examples of social proof like customer reviews or photos of the amazing work your team does.
And as an extra bonus, there is no barrier for entry. Is a business Instagram account free? Yes, creating an Instagram business account is completely free and easy.
Let’s look at some of these features and ways to take advantage of an Instagram business profile. Then we’ll go over how you can create a business page on Instagram for your company.
How to Use Instagram for Business
If you’re curious about how an Instagram business account can help you attract more customers, we’ll go over those details here.
Then we’ll review the steps to set up an Instagram Business account.
But first, here are the five benefits and features of using a business Instagram account to your advantage:
- Create a More Professional Profile
- Access Useful Analytics
- Post Stories with Swipeable Links
- Schedule Multiple Posts
- Set Up an Ecommerce Store
Benefits of an Instagram Business Account
1. Create a More Professional Instagram Profile
For starters, an Instagram business page allows you to add more specific details to your profile. You can give your visitors a complete brief about your brand through the bio. It usually includes:
- Your business category
- Details about what you do
- Website and contact details
- Location and directions
For example, check out Sephora’s business Instagram page that features details about their business category, what they offer, a webpage link and location & and contact details.
2. Access Useful Analytics
One of the most significant differences between an Instagram business account vs. personal account is Instagram Insights for analytics.
With access to an analytics dashboard from an Instagram business account, you can analyze data ranging from follower activity and demographics to impressions, reach and other insights.
With such data, you can see what works and what doesn’t. You can also uncover information about your target audience to help boost your Instagram performance.
Now you can measure the success of how your profile performs when you share Instagram reviews, photos of your team hard at work or fun posts that show your company’s personality!
3. Post Stories with Swipeable Links
A great way to leverage your Instagram business to drive growth for your company is to use Instagram Stories for small business.
Once you’ve mastered best practices for Stories for your company, with a business account, you can direct your followers to any webpage simply by asking them to swipe up on your Story.
That’s because another unique business-profile feature is adding clickable links on Stories once you cross the 10,000-follower mark. This feature is particularly helpful in driving traffic.
Some of the most common ways to use swipeable Story links are:
- Promoting blog posts and other content
- Directing traffic to landing pages, like information pages about your services
- Gaining sign-ups and newsletter subscriptions
- Sharing product links
4. Schedule Multiple Posts
Maintaining a business page is easier with a scheduling tool. Using a tool for scheduling posts allows you to stay a step ahead in your content creation and distribution strategy.
When you schedule all your content beforehand, managing an Instagram business page becomes a lot easier.
You can use any of these tools to easily schedule Instagram posts:
5. Set Up an Ecommerce Store
Instagram has truly become more than just a networking app with its shop feature.
If you sell products online, you can list your product catalog and set up an Instagram store for a more convenient shopping experience for your followers.
Given that 46% of users buy products after seeing them on Instagram, creating shoppable posts can significantly boost your revenue.
Offer your followers the ease of buying from Instagram itself as soon as they view the product(s).
How to Set Up an Instagram Business Account
So, if you’re ready to make the switch but don’t know how to make your Instagram a business account, then here’s a step-by-step guide for you.
Step 1: Open Your Account Settings
To begin the process, open your Instagram account either on the app or desktop. Visit your profile section and go to the settings icon. Within the settings page, locate the account option.
Step 2: Choose the “Switch to Professional Account” Button
Within account settings, you will find an option to switch to a professional account at the bottom. Click this button to start the transition from a personal to a business Instagram account.
Step 3: Pick the Business Option
You will receive a prompt to choose between a creator or a business account in the next step.
These two options mainly differ by the ideal user profile. A creator account is for artists, content creators and influencers while a business account comes with features to market your brand.
Since you wish to create an Instagram business page, choose the business option.
Here are all the Instagram business account features you can benefit from:
- Insights about your audience in terms of demographics and activity
- Various metrics about the reach and visibility of your page and posts
- Options to add call-to-action buttons to prompt purchases
- Targeting a customized audience for amplifying your content
- Options to create shoppable posts with different products
Step 4: Connect Your Business’ Facebook Page
After choosing the business profile, connect your Facebook business page with your Instagram account. You would need admin access to your Facebook page to perform this step.
Step 5: Pick the Most Relevant Category for Your Business
Your business profile is ready once you link it with Facebook. However, if you wish to optimize your Instagram business profile by adding a business category, follow these steps:
- Go to the edit profile button
- Locate the option for category
- Choose any relevant category for your business
Set Your Company Apart With an Instagram Business Account
Instagram is a lot more than just a social media platform today. Amid all the conversations and connections, the app offers a wonderful avenue for small businesses to scale their brands.
Building visibility, growing awareness and boosting sales is only one step away with an Instagram business page.
With detailed metrics and marketing perks, when you make your Instagram a business account, it will skyrocket your marketing strategy.
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