Instagram is a must-have social media platform for many businesses, but do you need an Instagram business account?
The visuals-first app generates about 1 billion active monthly users and is particularly popular among consumers 34 and younger. Features have diversified since its founding in 2010, with Instagram Stories, Reels and more available to engage with your target audience.
You can opt for a personal or business account on Instagram. The platform has more than 200 million business accounts that users visit daily. In fact, about 90 percent of Instagram users follow at least one business.
The following are eight benefits of using an Instagram business account.
Scheduling posts
The ability to schedule posts due to having an Instagram business account is huge. Scheduling helps you save time and be more efficient as a content creator and publisher.
Various third-party applications, such as Hootsuite, can make it easy to connect and schedule away. Finding the right tool for you can make all the difference in your social media presence.
Check out these 11 free (or almost free) social media management tools that can help you do it all on social media with a limited budget.
Access to Instagram analytics
Data matters in digital marketing, particularly in social media, such as Instagram. It’s all about understanding your followers and what content resonates with them.
An Instagram business account gives you access to dive deep into your audience’s profile views, your total reach, your post impressions and even the demographics of your followers.
With this information, you can pivot your content strategy accordingly.
Get a better understanding of Instagram Insights with our guide.
Instagram Shop features available
If your business sells products specifically, you’ll want to be able to leverage Instagram Shop features within your strategy.
With Shops, you can upload a product catalog, tag your products and (depending) you can even process sales directly within the Instagram app. In addition, you can set up:
- Collections of products (such as “new arrivals” or anything else that makes sense for your business)
- Shoppable Reels
- Brand affiliations that can then share and sell your products for a commission (with controllable permission for who can tag your products)
Plus, you’ll have additional insights data related to Instagram Shop specifically.
Ability to add a contact button
Instagram business accounts can add a contact button on your profile so that when a user clicks it, they can either email you, call you or view a map of your location.
You also can sync your public contact information with your Facebook business page, which means that when information needs to be updated, you only have to do so in one place.
In addition, Instagram business accounts can use action buttons, including “Order Food,” “Book Now” and “Reserve,” if appropriate for your business.
Showing your industry on your profile
With an Instagram business account, the industry you selected that best represents your business when creating your linked Facebook page will show on your Instagram profile.
Of course, this is editable within Instagram.
Adding links to your Instagram Stories
If you’re using a personal profile, the only clickable link you can share is on your profile. An Instagram business account changes this.
You get the option of adding link stickers to your Instagram Stories, which allow you to multiple images and/or videos in a vertical format, where you can layer on various doodles, text and/or interactive stickers. They last 24 hours before disappearing, but they can be pinned to your Instagram profile in Highlight groupings and last longer.
Since about 75 percent of Instagram users take action after looking at a post (such as visiting a website), this feature can help users easily do what you’re compelling them to do with your content.
Age verification
If your business is in a restricted industry (such as alcohol), your Instagram business account can set a minimum age.
This is important because you can then ensure that you aren’t showing your content to potential underage Instagram users.
Instagram advertising
If you have a marketing budget to spend on your Instagram presence in any way, an Instagram business account will enable you to run advertising campaigns and boost posts on the platform.
Facebook and Instagram and intricately linked in this way. You can build campaigns in the Facebook (now Meta) Business Manager that can serve on both platforms.
In addition, Instagram Shoppable posts allow users to tap on product tags to view a full product description with a “Buy Now” button. This makes it easier than ever to purchase from your business through the app.
How to set up your Instagram Business Profile
In the Instagram app, navigate to “Settings,” then click “Account” and “Switch to Professional Account.”
You’ll want to select the category that best describes your business, and then select “Business.”
And that’s it! You’re ready to roll.
In conclusion
While there are big benefits to switching over to an Instagram business account, keep in mind that there are two features you will lose when you convert, which is the ability to:
- Make your posts private
- Link multiple Facebook profiles since you’ll only connect to your business’s Facebook page
Dive deeper to better understand the differences between personal, creator and business Instagram accounts.
