There’s a lot of hoopla about Instagram for individuals — whether that be an influencer, a celebrity or your average Joe. But what about businesses? According to eMarketer, an estimated 75.3% of U.S. businesses will be using Instagram in 2021. Is your business one of them? Not sure if it even should be? We’re here to let you know why your business should be utilizing Instagram to its full advantage and how to set it up and get the party started. 

Why should my business use Instagram? 

If you’re on the fence about setting up an Instagram for your business, know that you’re not alone. Many brands see it as an investment of time that may or may not pay off. But in today’s world, it’s almost a no-brainer. 

Instagram is more than a social media platform. It’s a marketing tool, a means for connecting to your customers and a channel that fosters feedback and growth for your business. With more than 1 billion monthly active users, you have the opportunity to increase your reach and brand awareness. 

According to Facebook for Business, 83% of people use Instagram to discover new products and/or services and 81% of people use Instagram to research those products and/or services. In today’s world, consumers may be scrolling through their feed to make business decisions — and your business should be ready for it. 

How to set up an Instagram Business Account

Sold? Then let’s get started. First thing’s first, visit the app store and download the ‘Instagram’ app – Then follow these 6 easy steps to successfully set up and optimize your profile
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1. Sign-Up and Create a Username

   Once you’ve downloaded the app, think about a username that represents your business. It should tell the name or story of your brand, be recognizable and easy to remember. Oftentimes, this is a group effort and you’ll want to involve key stakeholders of your business. Remember: It’s more than marketing. It’s how people will identify you and speak about your brand. 
   
   

2. Make it a Business Profile 

   So you have an Instagram profile. The next thing you should do is switch to a business profile. 
   
   
   
   Click Here to learn the benefits of having a business profile on Instagram.
   
   To make the switch, head to the Settings tab of your profile and then tap Account. Once you’re in your Account screen, scroll to the bottom and tap Switch to Professional Account. Here you’ll be able to choose how you define your account, as a creator or a business. After you make that choice, you’ll be prompted to choose a category that your business falls under. 
   
   
   
   

3. Keep a Branded Aesthetic

   Once your Instagram is set up and you made a business profile, you’ll want to make sure your profile is entirely on-brand. That means picking a captivating profile picture, writing a strong bio and coming up with a game-plan for your content. This doesn’t mean you have to figure everything out right at this moment, but it’s a good idea to get started on refining your strategy. For example, get a feel for how often you’ll want to post, how long your captions will be and what types of images you’d like to post. Some businesses rely heavily on content creation, videography or stock photos, while others create graphics using various programs. This is all part of your brand and the more you pay attention to this the more your following will start to grow, with the right audience! 
   
   

4. Engage with Your Demographic Audience

   Like any social media profile, connections are everything. Start following accounts you like or people you know. As a business profile, you’ll want to connect in a professional way. It’s not necessarily the same caliber as LinkedIn, per se, but the voice will be more professional than casual — meaning a farewell bid to text lingo like “u,” “sup,” or “lmao.” A good rule of thumb? If you wouldn’t put it in a presentation, don’t put it on your Instagram. There are so many ways to engage an audience on Instagram, for example through story prompts such as polls, questions, quizzes and more to your dm’s, likes, follows, captions, content & highlights. Instagram provides the strongest tools to connect directly with your ideal consumers.
   
   
    

5. Explore analytics 

   Instagram business accounts have access to Insights, which is a way to see how your Instagram is performing. You can look at your audience, profile visits, website clicks, content performance and overall profile activity. It may take some time to understand the best way to use these analytics to your advantage, but it’s definitely helpful to browse and get a feel for the tool from the start of your Instagram journey. 
   
   So if you haven’t already, go ahead and hop on board the business profile bandwagon. With so many powerful tools at your fingertips, it’s hard to say no!