With 2 billion monthly active users, there’s a very high chance you’re already on Instagram, both personally and professionally.
The growth potential on the platform is endless, and you can easily leverage all of its features to build an engaged, loyal audience.
While you’re likely familiar with the platform through personal use, harnessing the power of Instagram for business is a bit different. You need a strategy to guide you through the process so you don’t get lost in the platform’s possibilities.
Let’s dive into how you can turn Instagram into one of your most powerful business tools, plus the key details you need to know before getting started.
Setting up your Instagram business account
To unlock the advantages of using Instagram for business, you need to set up a dedicated account. Using the same account for personal and professional updates confuses both your customers and your family.
Creating an Instagram account for your business is as easy as inputting your email address and mobile phone number. Or, if you already have a business Facebook account, you can sync your contact information and connect the profiles. But to make the most of your business’s Instagram account, there are two key steps you need to take.
1. Choose a recognizable account handle
Your account handle is your calling card on Instagram. It’s how new customers find you online and how existing customers tag you when sharing your product or service with their followers.
Choose an account handle that’s as similar to your business’s name as possible. If your desired handle is taken, be creative and come up with something that still speaks to what your brand is about. For example, the prebiotic soda brand Poppi goes by @drinkpoppi on Instagram.
Keep your account handles on all of your social media profiles the same. Even if you’re not posting on X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok as often as you are on Instagram, having an official profile will still bring in new customers. This is great for brand recognition and will make it easier for fans of your business to find you across platforms.
2. Enable your professional account
When you create your new account, Instagram will apply basic personal settings by default. But if you keep these in place, you’ll miss out on the platform’s amazing business features!
To update your account, open up your profile in the Instagram app and click on Edit Profile. Scroll down to click on Switch to Professional Account. From there, choose the category that best suits your brand and click Switch to Professional Account again. You then have the option to add your business contact information and display it on your profile. Once you’re all set, click Done and see your new business account in action! Instagram business accounts come with tons of benefits, from profile analytics and ad capabilities to opportunities to get paid through Instagram’s monetization features.
How to effectively use Instagram for business
Your next step? Start posting your business’s content! Get creative and follow these three posting pillars to build a profile your audience loves.
Create and share content in a snap
Instagram makes it easy to share content with your followers no matter what form it takes. The platform has expanded past its original photography focus to include videos (Instagram Reels), livestreams (Instagram Live), time-based posts (Instagram Stories), and text posts (Instagram Threads).
With all these content options at your fingertips, avoid getting overwhelmed by focusing on two or three formats at a time. Start by sharing photos, videos, and Stories with your followers, then experiment with the rest!
Instagram has an editing suite inside the app, but you can also post content you’ve edited on other software, like Adobe Photoshop or Canva. Their web platform has the same capabilities as their mobile app, so posting from your computer is a breeze. Plus, since Instagram is part of Meta, cross-posting your content to your Facebook profile is as simple as clicking a toggle.
Prioritize visual storytelling
Instagram is the place for visual storytelling on social media. The platform allows brands to tell a story with every post, giving their content more artistic value, continuity, and brand recognition than other social media apps.
When using Instagram for business, new followers should know exactly what your brand is about as soon as they visit your page. Your posts, profile photo, and bio should all tell a cohesive story, communicating your brand values through a consistent color palette, font choice, and logo design. Instagram’s storytelling capabilities go beyond standard photo posts, Instagram Reels, and Instagram Stories. You can showcase your business through Instagram Live and chat directly with customers who participate in your livestream, or utilize their Subscriptions feature to share content with your most dedicated fans.
Don’t overlook your Instagram insights
For small business owners just getting started on social media, Instagram has everything you need to set yourself up for success. Their analytics platform, Instagram Insights, gives you robust engagement metrics for your posts, Reels, Stories, and Live videos.
With an Instagram business account, your Insights will be broken down into multiple categories, including views, interactions (likes, comments, shares, and saves), accounts reached, audience demographics, and more. Instagram Reels comes with even more data, including average watch time and the number of users who followed you after watching a particular Reel.
Every post results in more data at your fingertips. Use Instagram’s analytics capabilities to determine what’s working for your brand and what isn’t resonating with your audience. Double down on the content that brings in engagement and leave the low-performing posts by the wayside.
5 powerful ways to make the most of your Instagram profile
You know you need to use Instagram for business, and you know you need to do it now — so, let’s get started! Here are five tips to turn your Instagram profile into a business growth machine.
1. Use your posts to tell a story, not blast your branding
If you sell a product, use photos and videos that show the real-life experience of your product, not just basic ecommerce images. You know what your customers want, so craft posts that speak directly to their needs while catching their attention with some thoughtful storytelling.
Dr. Martens is a brand that does this really well. Their Instagram profile is filled with highly stylized images and videos — like the one below — highlighting their craftsmanship. That’s exactly what their fashion-loving customers want! Their followers can get style inspiration and imagine how Dr. Martens shoes fit into their wardrobes, encouraging them to make a purchase.
Today’s consumers scroll past cookie-cutter content and have a low tolerance for blatant brand marketing. Keep the focus on your customers and show them why your product is the perfect fit.
2. Be strategic with your content
Don’t post just for the sake of posting. Make sure every picture, video, and Instagram Story you share is there for a reason. Intentionality and authenticity attract followers and turn them into engaged, dedicated customers.
For example, adding humor to your content shows off your company’s playful side, while putting your unique twist on popular memes tells followers you have your finger on the pulse of what’s trending. Featuring your employees reminds your audience of the real people behind the brand, and sharing customer reviews and testimonials increases your followers’ trust in your business.
No matter the content you share, what’s important is that it’s posted because you love it and because you have a specific goal or purpose in mind.
3. Stay consistent and push through trial and error
As a general rule, you should only post an Instagram photo or Reel 1-2 times a day. If you post more often than that, you run the risk of clogging your fans’ feeds or getting flagged as a spam account by Instagram’s algorithm. There’s more wiggle room on Stories, so don’t limit yourself there!
Effectively using Instagram for business is all about consistency. Instagram’s feed algorithm no longer shows posts in chronological order, so to ensure your posts are shown on your followers’ feeds, you’ve got to stay consistent.
Experiment with different types of content, posting schedules, and posting amounts to see what your followers respond to most often. It’ll take a bit of trial and error to discover what your audience likes, so keep going and don’t get discouraged.
4. Use hashtags, but not every hashtag
Adding hashtags to your posts helps users outside of your existing audience discover your brand. They might be scrolling through hashtags and find your posts, or your chosen hashtags could align with their interests and cause their algorithm to show them your content.
Pick a few hashtags that align with your location, brand values, industry, and products or services. Don’t be afraid to get niche! Say you run a bakery in Denver, CO. Sure, you could tag your photos as #bakery, but using #denverbakery or #coloradobakery will reach more local customers and put you on the map for tourists.
It’s tempting to use every hashtag imaginable on your posts, but keep it simple! Stick to 5-10 hashtags per post and always use the most relevant tags for your content. You wouldn’t tag a photo of a brownie as #birthdaycake, right?
5. Share your content outside Instagram
When you’re dedicating so much time and effort to building your Instagram profile, you want as many people to see it as possible! One of the most powerful ways to use Instagram for business is to share that content outside the platform.
If your Instagram account is synced with Facebook, cross-posting content there is easy. But you should also link to your Instagram on your other professional social media profiles, like LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest, so followers know they can find you there.
Don’t forget to share your Instagram content with your email list! Embedding your latest posts into your weekly or monthly newsletter drives more traffic to your profile and gets customers engaged on multiple platforms.
How to use Instagram ads
When you’re using Instagram for business, implementing Instagram Ads is a no-brainer. They’re the perfect way to promote a new product or service launch, get the word out about an upcoming event, or share customer testimonials with a wider audience. Here’s what you need to know before you put out your first ad.
Boost your existing posts or create brand-new ads
Instagram makes it easy to turn your best-performing content into advertisements for your business. With Instagram Ads, you can boost feed posts, Reels, and Stories to reach users outside of your following and increase your brand awareness.
If your Instagram account is linked to your business’s Facebook page, you can use Facebook content for ads, too! Plus, your post will be boosted on both platforms, getting you double the exposure without doubling your time commitment.
Meta Ads Manager is the best way to create and share ads on Instagram and Facebook. With a Meta Ads account, you can create new ads and save audience targeting strategies to your profile. The next time you promote an ad, you can speed up the process by automatically using your saved strategy.
Track your ad analytics
Once your first ad is up, it’s time to dig into your data! Just like with Instagram Insights, regularly reviewing your ad analytics is a key part of using Instagram for business.
Meta Ads Manager provides a comprehensive suite of ad metrics, including click-through rate, impressions, conversion rate, and more. You’ll learn what’s working with users outside of your established audience and what gets them interested in your business. From there, you can invest further into the ads that are garnering the most engagement for your brand or develop new and improve ads based on your learnings.
Grow your brand and expand your reach with Instagram for business
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. But when you’re using Instagram for business, a picture is also worth thousands of likes, comments, and shares!
Focus on consistency, creativity, and authenticity. Post regularly on your business account and experiment with different content types and styles until you find what works for your audience. Platforms like Constant Contact have powerful integrations that allow you to create, schedule, and post content, making managing your profile a breeze.
Remember, content that feels true to you and your brand will always be more impactful than half-hearted content you made just to have something to post. Don’t forget to use Instagram Ads to get your most compelling content in front of fresh eyes.
You have a business you’re passionate about and the drive to make it succeed. Now, you’re ready to funnel that energy into your Instagram account and make it the springboard for your brand’s success!
Subscribe to our Hints & Tips newsletter today to stay on top of trends and take your social media to the next level!
