How to Create an Instagram Business Account Easily

If you’re thinking about starting a business account on Instagram, this post is for you. Creating an Instagram business account is a simple process that unlocks valuable features not available on personal profiles.

From Instagram Insights offering more detailed analytics to Shopping tags to promoted posts, a business account empowers you with the tools you need to succeed on this visual platform. So, if you want to learn how to create an Instagram account for your business, keep reading.

Why Choose an Instagram Business Account

You might be wondering, what's the difference between a personal Instagram account and a business one? While they may look similar on the surface, a business profile offers several key advantages: 

1. Instagram Insights provide detailed analytics about your followers and how your content is performing. You can learn more about your audience demographics, see which posts generate the most engagement, and find your best times to share content. This data is crucial for refining your Instagram marketing strategy over time. 

2. Business accounts can run ads and promoted posts right within the Instagram app. Whether you want to boost an existing post to a wider audience or create a multi-photo carousel ad with links, a business profile allows you to take advantage of paid marketing opportunities. 

3. With a business account, you can add contact buttons to your profile, making it easy for customers to get in touch via phone, email, or direct message. You can also add a physical address or directions to help people find your brick-and-mortar location.

4.  For eCommerce brands, one of the biggest perks is the ability to add Shopping tags to your photos and Stories. Customers can tap to see product details and pricing without leaving the app, then complete their purchase on your website with a seamless checkout process.

5. Finally, business profiles can integrate with social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to plan and schedule your Instagram posts in advance. No more forgetting to post at the optimal time - your content calendar takes care of it all for you!  

How to Create an Instagram Account for Business: Step-by-Step Guide

The process to create Instagram account business is pretty straightforward, whether you're starting from scratch or converting an existing personal profile. Let's walk through it together!

Starting Fresh: Creating a New Business Account

If you don't already have an Instagram account set up, you'll first need to download the app for iOS or Android. Once you open it up, tap "Create New Account" and enter your preferred email address or phone number to sign up.  

Next, choose a username for your business account. This handle will be how people can find and tag you on Instagram, so make it something close to your brand name and easy to remember. You can always change it later if needed. 

From there, you'll be prompted to create a password and fill in a few basic profile details like your full name and phone number. You can also add a profile photo at this point - most businesses use their logo to make it easily recognizable. And that's it! Your new account is live. Now just switch it from a personal account to a business account, and it's ready to go.

Converting an Existing Personal Account to Business

Already have a personal Instagram account that you want to switch over for your brand? No problem. The process is even easier. First, log in to the account you want to convert, and click over to your personal profile.  

Then tap "Settings" (the hamburger menu icon in the top right corner). From there, scroll down until you see the section "For professionals, and click "Account type and tools." Finally, you'll select "Switch to Professional Account," and follow the prompts.

Instagram will ask you to choose what type of business you are - i.e. Digital creator, artist, "Shopping and retail," restaurant, etc... In this case, choose the category that most closely represents your brand. Then, click "Switch to professional account."

Next, you'll be asked if you're a Creator (public figures, content creators, artists, and influencers) or Business (retail shops, local businesses, brands, service based businesses, and other organizations). It will feel a little redundant, but we can only surmise Instagram is just trying to get more data to ensure they are showing you off to the right potential followers. 

Once you have transitioned from a personal account to a business account, you can add elements to your Instagram bio, tell Instagram your goals, introduce your business to the world, etc... If your business has a Facebook Page, now is the time to connect it. This is required for several business features on Instagram, including advertising and shopping tags.

Click here for Meta's full instructions on connecting your business account on Instagram to your Facebook business page. Once your accounts are linked, you can edit your profile to add relevant business details like contact info, business hours and so on.

Optimizing Your Instagram Business Profile

Now that your business account is all set up, it's time to make it work for you! Let's talk about some key areas to focus on.

Essential Profile Elements

Think of your Instagram profile as your business card on the platform. You want to make a great impression and give potential customers all the info they need. Some tips: 

Choose a profile photo that represents your brand, like a logo or storefront. Make sure it's clear and recognizable even when scaled down to a small circle.  

Your bio is precious real estate. You have 150 characters to convey what your business does and convince visitors to take action. Include your slogan, a couple emojis to show personality, and a strong call to action leading to your link in bio. Learn how to craft a better bio on Instagram here.

While Instagram now allows you to add multiple links to your business page, most folks will only click the first link. So, it's best to make it count! Some businesses create a dedicated Instagram landing page, while others use a tool like Linktree to cleanly present multiple links to featured content or product pages.

Don't neglect the contact options for your business profile. Add an email address, phone number or physical address to give customers direct ways to reach out, book an appointment or visit your store.

Creating Your Content Strategy

Consistently posting quality content is key to growing your following and keeping them engaged over time. Rather than taking a scattershot approach, it's important to develop an intentional content strategy that supports your business goals. 

Look at your Instagram Insights to understand what content formats tend to perform best. Do Reels drive the most views, or do carousel posts get the highest engagement? Maybe your audience loves a good poll on Stories. Double down on what's working. 

Develop content pillars that relate to your brand values, your products/services, and what your audience cares about. These themes will help guide your brainstorming and keep your feed feeling focused. 

Brainstorm a big list of content ideas, from educational infographics to product highlights to user-generated content. A tool like Castmagic can help by turning your long-form audio or video content into snappy captions, titles, and post ideas optimized for Instagram. 

Use a scheduling tool like Hootsuite or Later to plan out your Instagram content calendar at least a couple weeks in advance. Aim for at least one feed post per day, plus a few Stories. Consistency is more important than quantity here. 

As much as you can, repurpose existing content to be Instagram friendly. Trim your newest YouTube video down to a 60-second teaser, or recap your latest blog post with a carousel of text graphics. Work smarter, not harder!

Related: Learn the right way to promote your business on social media

Making Your Instagram Business Account Work for You 

You didn't go through the effort of creating an Instagram business account just to post pretty pictures. Let's dive into some of the most powerful features you can leverage to turn your audience into paying customers.

Setting Up Instagram Shopping

For product-based businesses, Instagram Shopping turns your profile into a mobile storefront. When you tag products in your photos or Stories, customers can tap to get more info and then head to your site to buy - all without needing to search. 

To get started with Shopping, make sure your business meets the eligibility requirements, including having an eCommerce website where you sell physical items that comply with Instagram's merchant agreement and commerce policies. 

Next, set up your product catalog using Facebook Business Manager or one of Instagram's ecommerce platform partners, like Shopify or BigCommerce. Once your account is approved and your catalog is synced, you're ready to start tagging products in your feed and Stories!

Leveraging Instagram Insights

Another major perk of having a business profile is the detailed analytics available through Instagram Insights. Here you can learn more about your audience and how your content is performing over time.  

At a glance, you'll see key metrics like the number of accounts reached, post interactions, and total followers gained or lost. For individual posts, you can view impressions, engagement, likes, comments, saves and shares. But that's just the beginning. 

The Audience tab provides valuable demographic info about your followers, including their gender, age range, and top locations. You can also see a chart showing the average times your followers are on Instagram each day of the week - helpful for optimizing your posting schedule! 

Finally, in the Content tab, you can analyze how each content format is performing. Perhaps your Reels get twice as many views as regular videos, or your vacation photos always generate the most comments. Use these insights to shape your ongoing content strategy.

Integrating Instagram with Your Overall Marketing Strategy

For maximum impact, your Instagram business account should be one component of a broader marketing mix. Look for opportunities to connect the dots between platforms and create a cohesive brand experience for your customers. Click here to learn how to easily create a social media marketing strategy.

Make sure your Instagram profile is linked in the footer of your email newsletters and on your other social profiles. Conversely, promote your email list on Instagram with a link in your bio. You could even run a giveaway exclusive to your newsletter subscribers! 

On your website, embed your Instagram feed to show off your latest posts. Consider adding "Link in Bio" CTAs at the end of relevant blog posts to drive targeted traffic. Some businesses go a step further and create custom landing pages just for their Instagram audience. 

Tools like Castmagic can be a huge help when it comes to repurposing content across channels while staying on-brand. You may have a long-form video on your YouTube channel or audio on your podcast - Castmagic's AI can help you quickly turn it into Instagram-friendly clips with engaging captions.

Are You Ready to Grow With Instagram?

We've covered how to make my Instagram account a business account, but that's really just the first step. Building a thriving presence on this platform takes time, creativity, and consistency.  

To recap, start by setting up your business profile with strategic profile elements and contact options. Develop a content strategy around your strengths and schedule posts in advance. Explore features like Shopping and Insights to turn your audience into customers. And integrate Instagram with the rest of your marketing efforts for maximum impact. 

There's a reason so many businesses are flocking to Instagram. With a global audience hooked on mobile-first, visually-driven content, it's an incredible way to boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales. Now that you know how to make a business account on Instagram, it's time to put these tips into practice! 

Not quite sure where to start with your content? Let Castmagic be your secret weapon. Our all-in-one platform helps you repurpose your long-form audio and video into on-brand social posts, captions, titles and more. See why businesses and creators alike are using Castmagic to skyrocket their Instagram strategy - start your free trial today.