How to Use Instagram for Business Like a Pro – Step to Step

Instagram is one of the largest social media platforms, boasting 1.5 billion active users each month, who utilize it for both entertainment and business promotion.

Companies worldwide are establishing accounts with the goal of promoting their products and attracting more customers, seeking to learn how to use Instagram for business effectively.

If you believe you need to create an Instagram account for your business but are unsure where to start or which features to utilize, then this article is the perfect choice for you.

How to Optimize Your Instagram Business Account?

Once you have set up Instagram for business, you will need to optimize it and include all the essential information.

Business profiles must include significantly more information than regular users, and the more details you provide to the platform, the better your account will perform.

These are all the elements you need to include in your profile to optimize it and convert it into an Instagram business account.

Profile Photo

To have any type of Instagram profile, particularly a business profile, you must add a profile photo.

The ideal profile photo for a business account is an image of your company logo or a sign that allows people to recognize you without needing to read the username or description.

Just as you would upload a selfie as a profile photo on your personal Instagram account, you should add the logo that represents your business on your business profile.

Ensure that your profile picture is properly adjusted to fit the shape and size of your Instagram profile circle for an appealing logo appearance, and consistently use the same logo that you employ on your other social media platforms.

Instagram Username

When setting up a business profile on Instagram, it is advisable to use your business name as your username; otherwise, people may have trouble recognizing you.

Instagram usernames do not contain spaces between words, and it is advisable to avoid using dots or numbers in the name, as they can appear somewhat unappealing.

Instagram Display Name

Your Instagram display name is important, and you should use it to represent the name of your brand or company.

If your brand name is already your username, you can use this field to enter your brand slogan or the catchphrase for which you are known.

It will increase your visibility in search results, and your account will likely appear if people search for your slogan as well.

Bio

Your Instagram bio is a crucial element of your profile; it should be crafted to capture users’ attention.

This is the ideal location to describe your business, the services or products you provide, and your areas of expertise.

If you haven’t added your brand slogan, you can include it here to excite users about your services and products.

Writing a strong bio is crucial, as it can influence whether users will consider visiting your account and making a purchase.

Website

Anyone with an Instagram business account must include a link to their website if they wish to be taken seriously.

If you are selling a product or offering services, you likely have a website or at least a landing page that provides users with additional information.

This approach allows you to direct potential customers to a page with more information. If you are keen to share updates from your webpage daily, you can always include multiple links in your Instagram stories.

You can also create a link tree with several important links for your business, but your official website is the most valuable addition.

Contact Options

If you want to attract new clients or customers, you must provide them with information on how to contact you.

Most businesses offer various contact options, allowing you to provide your email and phone number or even direct individuals to Instagram direct messages, depending on your business model.

If you have a physical store, always include your exact address and provide a link to Google Maps.

Action Button

The most effective way to encourage people to purchase your products or hire you for a job is to include an action button in your Instagram profile.

If you want to encourage people to make purchases from you, the most effective method is to include “Order Now,” “Book Now,” and “Get Now” buttons that will direct them to the shopping page immediately.

Facebook Page

To ensure that people can find you on all social media platforms, it is best to connect your Instagram account to them, particularly to your Facebook business account.

Facebook and Instagram are part of the same company, allowing you to connect them to your Facebook page in seconds and provide your potential customers with a more enjoyable experience.

Category

When using Instagram for business, select the category that best fits your business. Always choose the most specific option that accurately describes your brand and services.

Instagram Story Highlights

Many people underestimate the impact of high-quality Instagram story highlights, yet they are the most effective way to enhance your performance on Instagram and engage with your audience.

By posting Instagram stories consistently and sharing various tips or discussing pertinent events within your niche, you can reach a broader audience and encourage more people to engage with you.

It will also make you appear more interesting and trustworthy, which is what you want to achieve.

These are some of the fields you need to complete if you want to optimize your Instagram account, and each of them significantly impacts the appearance and performance of your profile.

If you are using Instagram for business and want to stand out from the competition, approaching these tasks in a unique way will help you attract a larger audience and establish your brand more effectively.

Strategy to Grow My Instagram Business Profile

Many people think that simply creating an Instagram account and posting content will automatically attract followers.

However, achieving success on Instagram has become increasingly difficult due to the saturation of millions of accounts promoting the same or similar content.

To stand out on this social media platform, you will need to put in some effort, and investing time and energy into marketing is essential.

If you are uncertain about how to grow your Instagram account, here are some of the key steps in any Instagram marketing strategy.

Identify Your Target Audience

When you choose to install the Instagram app and begin using this social media platform to promote your business, you must define your target audience and understand whom you are trying to reach.

It is essential to understand who your customers are—what they do, how they approach purchasing, and what they need to simplify their lives.

Every brand and product has its own customer, and you need to identify who that is if you want your Instagram account to succeed.

Once you identify your target audience, research the content they post on Instagram, as well as what they like and share. This will help you understand the types of Instagram posts and stories that will draw them to your account.

Additionally, observe how other brands with a similar target audience post and promote themselves on this social media platform; note down all the best ideas and determine which ones resonate with you the most.

An analysis like this can help you understand which types of Instagram posts, stories, and reels you should create to attract your target audience to your profile.

Track Your Statistics

All Instagram users with a business profile can access their Instagram insights, analytics, and statistics to understand how well their stories and posts are performing.

These are the most valuable features that the Instagram app offers to business users, as they help you determine whether your strategy is effective and allow you to identify which types of posts are most engaging to your followers.

You will view your top Instagram posts and stories, allowing you to determine which types of content to create in the future for optimal engagement rates.

Always monitor your interaction rates and statistics, particularly if you are learning how to use Instagram to attract your target audience.

These statistics will assist you in reinventing your social media strategy when necessary and enhance your experience on Instagram, making it far more successful than if you were posting without careful consideration of your content.

Set Goals

Once you understand how Instagram analytics functions and begin collecting and analyzing data regarding your performance, you can establish performance goals for your Instagram profile.

You should always establish goals for the amount of website traffic you desire, the number of followers and likes you aim for, and the appearance of your engagement tab on this platform.

Once you have figured this out, you will need to sit down and consider the best strategies to achieve it efficiently.

You can achieve the desired number of likes, followers, and engagement rate quickly; you just need to learn how to use Instagram effectively.

When you are clear about your goal, it becomes easier to identify a marketing strategy that will help you achieve it, allowing you to maximize the impact of your Instagram stories and posts.

Create a Schedule

To achieve results from your Instagram strategy, you must master the art of planning and scheduling content.

Scheduling is essential for both Instagram posts and Instagram stories, as people engage with each equally.

Once you determine the type of content you need to create and the frequency of your posts, you can develop a content plan for all the posts and stories you will share on your Instagram profile.

Plan your content, shoot it, create the copy you will use, and document everything in your business calendar.

It is essential to adhere to the plan if you wish to succeed on the Instagram app. If you find that you do not have enough free time, it would be advisable to install an app that can post photos and videos according to your schedule.

How Often Should I Post On My Business Instagram?

Using Instagram for business differs from having a personal account, as you must be mindful of what you post and when you post it.

In this scenario, Instagram will serve as a medium for promotion, requiring you to adopt a different approach to the platform.

Many people are uncertain about how often Instagram should be used for business and how many posts and stories should be added to their accounts daily or weekly.

The key to success on Instagram is to maintain an engaging feed and consistently post, whether through regular posts or Instagram stories.

To stand out from the competition, your Instagram for business should be updated daily with at least some type of content.

Marketing strategists today recommend posting stories daily to remind your audience of your presence and offers each time they open Instagram.

Stories are currently the most popular form of interaction and require minimal time to create, making them ideal for staying connected with your audience.

You should share your special offers, advertisements, and niche-related content through your stories. Additionally, you can repost some interesting pictures and videos that inspired your creative process.

However, you will also need to invest some time in your Instagram feed and publish at least 3 posts per week to remain relevant.

Your Instagram posts must be unique and authentic to the brand, which can make it quite challenging to generate that much original content each week. However, it is essential if you want to remain relevant.

An engaging and visually appealing Instagram feed will draw customers to your brand, so invest time in creating original posts and incorporating user-generated content.

If your customers have shared pictures or videos featuring your products, reposting them is always a fantastic idea.

It will help you connect with the audience and demonstrate that people are genuinely enjoying and purchasing your products.

Connecting Instagram to Your Facebook Page

Every business has multiple social media profiles, and if you want to offer your customers a pleasant experience, you will likely want to link your Instagram to your Facebook page.

Instagram and Facebook appear to be the most popular platforms for promoting businesses. If you have profiles on both and wish to enhance your customers’ experience, here’s how to connect them:

After connecting your social accounts on Instagram and Facebook, you can adjust the settings on both platforms.

You can decide whether to share your Instagram posts on Facebook, whether to include the same photos and captions, and explore many other options.

Based on your preferences and social media strategies, you can establish these and create distinct business calendars for them.

How to Use Instagram Ads?

Instagram boasts over a billion users who log into the platform daily, making its ads one of the most effective ways to promote your products and services to a larger audience.

This is how you can utilize Instagram ads to enhance the popularity of your high-quality content and attract new followers and customers.

Instagram ads are among the latest features on this social media platform and are likely the most effective way to achieve the desired reach and engagement.

Achieving organic reach is quite challenging; however, by selecting the desired demographic and targeting a specific audience, you can connect with individuals who are likely to engage with your content, even if it is not sponsored.

All of the ads also feature call-to-action buttons that increase the likelihood of users purchasing or booking what you are offering. Therefore, if you sponsor a post, you can anticipate that people will make a purchase as soon as they see your ad on their homepage.

There are specific campaigns you can run on Instagram, and although they are mainly short-term, they can yield significant success in just a few days.

They are cost-effective compared to other advertising options on the internet and deliver impressive results within a day, making them a worthwhile investment.

Is Instagram Beneficial for Business?

Despite Instagram having nearly 1.5 billion active users each month, some individuals remain unconvinced of its value as a business platform.

However, the growing number of Instagram business accounts and the many highly popular brands that invest significant effort into their Instagram presence indicate that this platform is worthy of your time and attention.

Here are several reasons why Instagram is beneficial for your business, and why you should create your business profile today.

It Attracts Billions of People

When you aim to sell your product or promote your services, you want to do so on a website or platform that has a substantial user base.

Ideally, you would select a platform that attracts a diverse range of individuals, allowing you to connect with a wider audience and promote your products and services to all.

Instagram content is consumed by nearly 1.5 billion people each month, making it a far superior option for promotion compared to any e-commerce website or freelancing platform.

If you have engaging content and can effectively showcase the advantages of your company, you will attract attention and acquire clients.

Every Business Can Succeed

Many individuals refrain from creating Instagram business accounts because they believe their company and products lack popularity and will not succeed on such a vast platform.

Achieving overnight success on Instagram is unrealistic, regardless of whether you have a large or small business. Therefore, managing Instagram accounts demands significant time and effort from everyone involved.

Having a small business doesn’t mean that, with dedication and consistent Instagram posting, you can’t grow it significantly.

Instagram can help you connect with your target audience and increase your sales; all you need is a strong social media marketing strategy.

Connects You With Your Target Audience

The reason many brands achieve significant success on Instagram is that they can closely connect with their target audience through Instagram stories and captions.

By using Instagram stories and captions, you can express your thoughts and opinions on various topics, explain how a particular business or product has enhanced your life, and engage in discussions related to your niche, as this will encourage audience interaction.

Once you have established interaction with your potential clients and customers, you will be able to quickly convince them of the necessity of your products and services.

Engaging with your audience is essential to understand what types of products and services they require but cannot find elsewhere. This will help you identify ways to meet their needs through new ideas and projects.

User-generated Content

User-generated content is among the most effective methods to promote your products, and contemporary social media marketing primarily centers on influencers and partnered promotions.

By sending your products to an influencer or someone with a larger audience on Instagram and having them create content for you, you will gain many more followers and customers.

This type of content enhances your brand’s image, making it appear trustworthy, useful, and reliable. After all, why would people make purchases if it were otherwise?

However, if numerous customers are sharing posts and videos featuring your products, this can serve as excellent content to repost on your account, helping to attract more people and demonstrating that you have a loyal community as well.

This is the best type of content to share. Therefore, if you have a significant amount of user-generated content created by your customers, you should repost it as often as possible.

These are just a few reasons why brands and companies are increasingly creating Instagram accounts for business. If you learn to utilize all the features and options to your advantage, you will notice a significant improvement in your business performance.

FAQ