Instagram is a powerful marketing tool if you use the right practices. Here’s how you create a Business Instagram Account.  

Although Instagram is 11 years old, it has made a name for itself. Being one of the top social media platforms in the world isn’t easy but with all of its unique features, it’s no surprise more than one billion people use Instagram every month. Set your business apart using Instagram’s Business profile.

STARTING A BUSINESS ACCOUNT

1. Download the Instagram app for Android, iOS, or Windows
2. Create a personal Instagram account
3. On your profile page, click the three horizontal lines in the upper-right-hand corner.
4. Click “Settings”
5. Click “Account”
6. Scroll down and click “Switch to Professional Account”
7. Select your business category 
8. A pop up will appear after selection, click the tab “Display on profile”
9. Click the blue “Done” button 

CREATING YOUR PROFILE

A key to having a strong profile is portraying your brand voice through your bio. A bio is crucial as it lets users know why they should follow you. Your profile should follow these guidelines

1. Your bio should be straight to the point and give insight into your brand
2. It needs to be 150 words or less
3. Include emojis to add personality and draw attention to important information 
4. Add line breaks to organize your bio 
5. Put the link to your business’ website 
6. A profile picture with your logo, keep the picture uniform across all your social media platforms
7. Provide contact information with the corresponding Instagram buttons 
8. Add story covers and highlights

DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE

For a successful marketing strategy, define your audience in three simple ways

1. Determine your consumers/users
2. Review your other social media channels using media analytics tools
3. Research competitors and how your audience compares 

Defining your audience, what content and posts they interact with will help you decide what business content is most effective. Using the SMART framework refer back to your business objectives to help structure your Instagram content.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA CALENDAR 

Keeping a social media calendar ensures you have consistent content/posts and that you don’t miss any important dates. Start your content calendar by adding in holidays and specific occasions your customers shop. Using algorithms, post when your followers are online. The Instagram business account has an “Audience” feature where you can check what hours your account gets the most engagement. To find this feature follow these simple navigational steps.

1. From your profile page, click “Insights” 
2. Click “See All”
3. Scroll down to “Most Active Times”
4. Switch between the hours and days to find the most popular times

CONTENT

Create content with a uniform look to foster a recognizable brand aesthetic. Inclusive content helps users identify with your business and fosters a positive relationship. Along with posts decide what kind of caption themes your business will use to advertise your brand. Don’t forget to have fun with it!