Instagram for Business: Everything You Need to Know 2023

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Instagram is a wonderful marketing tool for your business. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Instagram is a popular social media network that may also function as a beneficial company marketing tool.

Create a business account on Instagram, and then utilize photographs, live videos, and hashtags to sell your business.

Advertise your business with Instagram advertisements and leverage the platform’s sales function to sell your products.

This article is for small business owners and marketers that wish to use Instagram to expand and market their enterprises.

Instagram is a major photo-based social networking site, but it does more than keep you up to date on your friends’ travels. Influencers and small companies utilize Instagram as a medium for audience interaction, engagement, and revenue.

Instagram’s robust business capabilities are available only if you create a business or creative account. We’ll cover setting up your Instagram business account and show you how to make use of Instagram’s top connection, engagement, and sales options.

How to create an Instagram business account

How to use Instagram for business

Between posts, advertisements, and stories, there’s no shortage of potential small business marketing strategies on Instagram. Here are some basics to help you start utilizing Instagram for business.

1. Add professional-looking photographs.

Instagram is a photo-sharing social media network, therefore it’s crucial to share visually appealing material. Generic images won’t cut it. Take photographs, edit them, and take time to ensure you’re establishing a consistent grid on Instagram.

To add a new photo post:

Tap Create (+ symbol) at the top of your screen.

Select Post.

Tap the camera icon to snap a new photo, or select a photo from your camera roll.

Tap Next to choose filters and edit parameters.

Tap Next and then write a caption, tag individuals and add a location.

Optionally, opt to share the post on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

Tap Advanced Settings to control like and view count visibility, turn off commenting, and more.

When you’re satisfied, press Share to share your photo post.

2. Use Instagram Stories.

Instagram Stories is a popular tool for personal accounts and business pages. Instagram Stories feature photographs, videos, and more that disappear 24 hours after sharing them.

Instagram Stories helps you build a colorful montage that can attract viewers’ attention and convey more information than a standard post. You can utilize recorded videos, still images, live videos, boomerangs (videos that loop back and forth), text, music, and focused photos.

Add stickers to show your location, the temperature, user tags, and hashtags.

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Interact with your visitors by generating polls and inviting questions, making it easy to collect valuable feedback. For example, some accounts use the questions feature to organize a weekly Ask Me Anything session, a fun approach to address popular questions.

Use Instagram’s Stories Highlights tool to build categorized stores that stay on your profile so viewers can go back and watch them.

3. Stream live videos.

In addition to Instagram Stories, users may take and share a live video that disappears — sort of like a combination between Facebook Live and Snapchat. Give them a live view behind the scenes of interesting elements of your business, and exhibit items or answer live queries via the comments.

Once the video ends, it lives in your Instagram story for 24 hours. If you want a video to remain on your Instagram feed, upload a video you’ve taken or shoot one directly through the app to post. If you opt to capture or upload a video, you can still add filters and modify the cover.

4. Interact with your followers.

As with other social media sites, it’s vital to engage and communicate with your fans on Instagram.

Liking: Liking is an easy method to connect with other users. To like a photo, double-tap the image or hit the heart button under the post.

Commenting: To remark on a post, hit the comment icon (speech bubble), and the app will take you to that article’s comments page. Type your remark into the text box, add emojis if you like, and tap Post.

Mentioning: As on Twitter, use the @ symbol to tag other users in your Instagram comments or post captions. They’ll be informed of the mention and may loop back and interact more.

Tagging: Instagram allows you to add tags before and after sharing content. To do so, touch Tag People before sharing your photo, and tap where you want to place the tag in the shot. The software prompts you to key in the person’s name to look for their account. Once you’ve tagged people in your shot and shared the image, other users can touch on the photo to see the tagged people.

Direct messaging: To access Instagram Direct, go to your home page and press the Messenger button on the upper right. (Facebook’s Messenger is integrated into Instagram.) Send private instant messages, including photographs and videos, to other users. To send a new direct message, press the notepad button in the top right corner and search for the person or business you want to contact. Once you’ve sent the message, you and the receivers can message back and forth. Users who are not already following you will be asked whether they wish to allow you to send them photographs and videos before they can view your DM.

5. Use hashtags.

Hashtags are an effective technique to help consumers find content on Instagram. Hashtags can include letters and numbers, but they can’t contain any non-numerical characters. For example, #DaveAndBusters works as a hashtag, but #Dave&Busters does not.

Because users can search for hashtags and click on hashtags they find in postings, relevant hashtags can be a highly effective technique for being discovered. However, verify you’re utilizing the proper hashtags for your business.

Follow these excellent practices for hashtags:

Use relevant hashtags. Hashtags such as #nofilter (a photo that hasn’t been severely manipulated with filters), #selfie (a picture of yourself), and #tbt or #throwbackthursday (old photographs) are popular on Instagram, but they may not work for you or your brand. Look at other established companies or users and bloggers in your field for examples of what hashtags to use.

Don’t use excessive hashtags. Instagram permits 30 hashtags in a post or comment (and up to 10 in an Instagram story), but that many would be excessive. The fewer hashtags you can use to garner excellent responses, the better. Using several famous hashtags could gain you a lot of likes from other users, but it definitely won’t expand your following all that much, and the interactions you get will likely not be from individuals interested in your brand, but rather from those who noticed and liked your image.

Experiment with hashtags. Once you understand hashtags, venture out and experiment to determine which ones work best for your brand. It’s also good to establish a special hashtag for your business or an event you’re hosting. This way, customers may follow along with an event, even if they aren’t present in person.

6. Use Instagram Reels.

Instagram Reels are short, entertaining films that can help you bring your business to life. Offer a behind-the-scenes tour, or show how your product is manufactured. Add effects and transitions, tag products from your inventory, highlight paid partnerships, and more.

Reels are a wonderful method to construct a campaign for a specific target customer or expand on an Instagram story’s product or service focus.

To get started producing a Reel, press Create (+ sign) from your home page and select Reel.

7. Advertise on Instagram.

Like on other social media, businesses can advertise on Instagram. You have a few things to examine.

To create a new Instagram ad, you choose from three basic formats: photo, video, and carousel advertising.

Photo ads: These appear like typical photo uploads, but they include a Sponsored label over the photo. They also include a call-to-action button at the bottom right of the shot. Many photo ads are boosted posts, where you pay to increase an existing post’s reach.

Video advertisements: Like the photo ads, these look like regular video posts but with a Sponsored label on top.

Carousel advertisements: These ads seem comparable to photo ads but offer numerous photos that users may swipe through.

Of course, you also have other advertising choices on Instagram.

Instagram Stories advertisements: Instagram Stories ads display when users browse through other accounts’ stories. Stories advertising covers the complete device screen, so ensure you’re utilizing a visually compelling image.

Collection advertisements: Collection ads have the main image with a product list at the bottom. This is a wonderful method to invite viewers to investigate your offerings.

Explore advertisements: Explore ads appear on a user’s Explore page, where Instagram shows posts that might appeal to their interests. Explore advertising are a wonderful approach to getting your business in front of people likely to be interested in your brand.

When you advertise on Instagram, you can go through the Instagram app or the Facebook Ads Manager (if your account is connected to your business Facebook Page) (if your account is connected to your business Facebook Page). Both choices let you define your ad’s objective, set an audience base, determine the ad’s budget, and set the length of time it will run. Facebook’s Ads manager gives more settings, formatting, and demographic options.

Instagram ad objectives include video views, click-throughs to your website, mobile app installations, and public exposure.

Need help with your whole social media marketing strategy? Visit our detailed overview of social media marketing solutions. Before paying for a solution, though, build a marketing budget to figure out what precise services you can afford.

8. Obtain audience insights.

Anyone with a business account can access insights about their audience and engagement levels. In your Instagram business account, enter the menu and pick Insights to get analytics on your followers and their activity with your material. On each particular post, tap View Insights to see metrics for that post.

The information you gather from Insights can help you improve your publishing schedule, determine your target audience and find out what’s working.

9. Sell items on Instagram.

Instagram is a terrific method to start selling online. In November 2020, Instagram released the Shop tab, allowing users to browse and purchase products from brands directly through the app. Instagram’s Shop capability is likely a response to continued social media and mobile commerce growth.

You may sell your products under the Shop page or make shoppable content by adding product tags to your posts, stories, and reels.

To set up shop on Instagram:

Connect your Instagram business account to your Facebook business page.

Confirm that Instagram supports your market.

Choose if you want to start up a shop using Facebook’s Commerce Manager or a supported partner like Shopify.

Create your shop in Commerce Manager or your platform.

To complete a transaction, users enter their name, email address, billing info, and shipping address. Meta, Instagram’s parent company, will save that data for future transactions. Users can pay by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal.

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Instagram tips and tricks

Follow these strategies to get the most out of your Instagram business account:

Don’t try to put links in Instagram captions. Your profile is the only place you can share a working link that brings users to a website. Links don’t work in captions or photo comments. If you wish to drive readers to a specific website, update the default link in your bio to that URL, and specify in the caption that the link is in your bio.

Ensure posts relate to your brand. It can be tempting to publish photographs of food, clothes, and animals because they’re popular on the platform. But if your business has nothing to do with such things, it could make you look fragmented and confuse your fans.

Run prizes and promotions. Post an image advertising your giveaway, sale, or contest, and ask users to repost that image with a specific unique hashtag to enter. Search for that hashtag to see who has reposted it, then vote for a winner. Promotions allow your customers and followers to sell your brand for you by talking about your promotion on their pages, attracting more people to your profile. If you decide to host a contest or sweepstakes, be sure to follow social media contest guidelines.

Respond to followers’ remarks. When others comment on your images, be sure to reply. Interacting with consumers and followers indicates you’re paying attention and caring about what they say. They’ll be more inclined to continue following you and participating in your posts if they sense they’re important to you.

Embed Instagram postings on your website. From the desktop version of Instagram, you can acquire an embed code to add certain photographs and videos to your company’s website. This informs visitors that you’re active on Instagram and can help you earn more followers. Pick the photo you wish to embed, click More (three dots) in the bottom right corner, and then select Embed. This pops up a box with the embed code and provides you the choice to display the caption. From there, copy and paste the code where you want it to go on your website.

Use Instagram influencers to market your business. Influencers can serve as brand ambassadors for your firm. Influencers are people with a substantial following on Instagram. Find influencers who are a natural, organic fit for your brand and who will be truly excited about promoting your items. You’ll pay some influencers, while others will accept free things as recompense.

Share posts straight to your narrative. If a client uploads a snapshot of your product, share the post immediately to your narrative to emphasize the product and your client. With this function, small companies can communicate with followers while marketing their products or services.

Use polls and other elements in your stories. Instagram offers several interactive tools for developing online conversations and relationships. For instance, utilize the interactive questions sticker in Instagram Stories so followers may submit questions for you to respond to. This is a fun and easy method to communicate with your followers.

Use video. Instagram provides various ways to incorporate video. Reels are vertical videos you may access from the bottom-center button of the Instagram mobile app. They run up to 60 seconds and are a terrific way to feature new products, highlight your work or communicate with customers. Instagram feed videos can be up to 60 minutes long and are perfect for long-form content. (Feed videos supplanted IGTV, Instagram’s previous long-form video format.) Instagram Live videos and Instagram Stories videos are alternative options.

Instagram terminology

To get the most out of Instagram, remain up to date on the social media platform’s vocabulary.

Bio: Your bio is the biography portion in your profile. Businesses can also utilise their bio to incorporate a call to action.

Direct messages (DMs): Users can privately connect with each other through direct messages. If a consumer has a complaint or query, follow live chat best practises to resolve the issue via private direct message. Direct messages are often referred to as “DMs.”

Filters: Apply preset filters to your images to improve features and colours.

Follow: When you follow a user on Instagram, you’ll see their content in your timeline. You can also view their Instagram Stories at the top of the app.

Followers: Your followers are people who will see your images in their timeline and your Stories at the top of the app.

Hashtag (#): Like Twitter hashtags, a hashtag (marked with the pound sign) on Instagram is used to index words or phrases. When you click on a hashtag, you’ll see additional posts with the same one.

Highlights: A highlight reel of your Instagram Stories appears on your profile above your photo gallery and stays until you remove it.

Home: Tap the home button in the bottom-left corner to land on your home screen, which is also your timeline or feed. Here you’ll find images from those you follow.

IG: IG is an abbreviation for Instagram.

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Instagram handle: Your handle is your username. To mention a user on Instagram, you must use their handle, which always starts with the @ sign.

Instagram Stories: Stories are one of the most popular features on the network. These photographs and videos vanish after 24 hours.

Reels: Reels are short movies consumers or brands may submit for engaging content. Reels are Instagram’s answer to TikTok.

Tag: There are a few methods to tag individuals on Instagram, including in a photo’s description, in Instagram Stories, and in pictures. Use the @ symbol to tag someone in a caption or an Instagram story. You can tag someone in your images before you share the picture.

Instagram FAQs

Here are some common FAQs about Instagram business accounts.

Are Instagram business accounts free?

Yes, an Instagram business account is free, as are all Instagram accounts. While having an account is free, you’ll need to pay for any advertising you run.

What are the benefits of using Instagram for business?

Using Instagram for business may generate brand visibility, enhance revenue, and establish and track audience engagement. It’s a terrific approach to identifying customers where they’re already spending time. It can also provide significant audience information to use with all your marketing plan efforts.

What are the disadvantages of utilizing Instagram for business?

Although Instagram for business has many more advantages than negatives, using it opens your direct messages to just about anyone. That direct channel of communication might prove difficult for certain business owners. Using Instagram for business can also give competitors more insight into your activities.

How do you get paid for Instagram?

The great majority of Instagram users who are paid for being on the network are influencers — as in people, not corporations. However, you may monetize your movies with adverts or publish thousands of shoppable articles. But overall, you’re better off viewing Instagram as a marketing tool or online catalog, not a new cash stream.

Can I have a business and personal Instagram account?

Yes, you can have both a business and a personal Instagram account. You probably shouldn’t utilize your personal account for commercial activities. Only business accounts have access to certain tools vital to successful Instagram marketing and sales.

What can I sell on Instagram?

You can sell any permitted physical commodity on Instagram. You’ll likely perform best if you sell beauty, health, fitness, pet, fashion, travel, business or lifestyle products. These categories are consistently the highest sellers on Instagram.