If you use the Instagram app for your business, you might be wondering if it’s worth creating a business account or if a personal account will cut it off. And while a personal account can work very well for some businesses, Instagram has created business accounts with several key features that make it easier to manage and grow your business. Read this guide to see the differences between personal and business Instagram accounts, along with the pros and cons of each.
What is an Instagram business account?
An Instagram business account tells Instagram that you are using the platform for marketing or business purposes, and provides features that make it easier to market your business and analyze your activity on Instagram.
What is the difference between a personal and a business Instagram account?
The main difference between a personal Instagram account and a business Instagram account is that a business account offers a number of additional features that you don’t get with a personal account. Here are some of those additional features:
- The ability to add swipe links to Stories (if the account has at least 10,000 subscribers)
- The possibility of boosting publications
- Items that can be purchased
- Instagram Info
- Promoted publications
- Contact Links
- Planning of publications
- Automatic publication
When deciding whether or not to create a business account, think about your business and what you want to accomplish through Instagram. Do you only use it to share content about your business and connect with subscribers? Or do you want to use it as a complete marketing tool and have access to robust analytics, insights, and other features?
Take a look at your social media marketing strategy and think about what type of account will best help you achieve your goals.
“The difference between a personal and a business Instagram account is that the business account gives you the ability to track your analytics and also has several other features not included in a personal account,” said Mark Lamplugh, Head of Marketing and Growth at Maryland Oncology Hematology. “Business accounts need to stay a bit more structured and have clear directions for what content is posted.”
Pros and Cons of a Personal Instagram Account
Most of the 1 billion registered users on Instagram have personal accounts, so this is undeniably a popular option. However, businesses often have different uses and purposes for Instagram than personal users, so it’s important to consider the pros and cons of each type of account. While there are some advantages to using a personal account for your business, there are some serious disadvantages to taking this approach.
Advantages
Here are some of the benefits of using a personal account for your business on Instagram:
- Organic scope. The biggest benefit of using a personal account as a business is that you know that if the content works well, it’s because it reaches your followers and they really like it and want it. see. All engagement is natural and organic, and you don’t have to guess whether it’s because of a paid ad or a boosted post.
- Ability to connect to multiple Facebook pages. With a personal profile on Instagram, you can log into multiple Facebook pages, while a business account allows you to log into just one. If your business has more than one Facebook page, say for multiple locations, a personal Instagram profile may be best for your business.
- Choice to become private. Another potential benefit of having a personal account is that you have the option of making your profile private, which means Instagram followers have to request to follow you and you have to agree to that request so that they can see your content. It also means that your content will not appear in the Explore tab and your posts will not appear in relevant hashtag searches. This can be a plus if you want to stay private and potentially get your followers’ friends to join your watchlist, but it can be a big minus if you’re trying to expand your reach and brand awareness.
The inconvenients
There are also some limitations to using a personal Instagram account for your business. Here are some of the downsides:
- Lack of functionality. The biggest advantage of an Instagram business account is the wealth of features designed specifically for small businesses, and if you use a personal account, you don’t have access to any of those features. This can limit your growth potential and reduce your chances of increasing your brand awareness.
- Less credibility. When people search for a business, they expect to see a business account, so it can be off-putting to find out that you are using a personal account. It can also make your business less professional and cause people to wonder if you are a real business.
Advantages and disadvantages of a professional Instagram account
An Instagram business account offers several features that can help you with your digital marketing strategy. However, there are a few potential drawbacks to business accounts. Here are the pros and cons of using an Instagram business account.
Advantages
There are many advantages to using an Instagram business account:
- Instagram previews. Instagram offers its own analytics tool, called Instagram Insights, which provides detailed analysis of the following metrics:
- Public information
- Post-performance
- Story performance
- Hashtag analysis
- To reach
- Number of subscribers
- Paid ad performance
- Best time of day to post
- Click rate
- Visitors information
Instagram Insights provides valuable information that can help you personalize your Instagram posts and other content to better serve your audience and achieve your goals. For example, you can use Insights to determine which campaigns are most effective, what types of posts work best, and which stories get the most engagement from your subscribers, which helps you drive more traffic and sales. sales.
- Contact button. A business account provides a contact button, which lives in your account biography and provides information such as an email address, phone number, or physical address. This information gives your business credibility and makes it easy for potential customers to contact you.
- Links in stories. If your business account has 10,000 or more subscribers, you have the option of adding swipe links to your stories, which means any subscriber who views your stories can swipe to any link you want. provide, such as a link to your website, a product or a review. This makes it easier for you to direct your followers to other sites, instead of directing them out of Instagram story to click a link in your bio. [Read related article: How to Use Instagram Stories for Business]
- Instagram ads. A business account lets you create your own paid ads, which you can also track using Insights. An Instagram ad is a great way to increase brand awareness, expand your reach, and target specific audiences.
- Boosted positions. Boosting or promoting posts – another feature unique to business accounts – allows you to amplify a successful post, sending it to all of your subscribers, a recommended audience, or a targeted group of your choice. A Boosted Post appears as a Sponsored Post on your followers’ Instagram feed.
- Scheduled positions. A professional Instagram account allows you to schedule posts, which can save you a lot of time and effort. Keep in mind, however, that you cannot schedule posts to Instagram; you need to use a planner, such as Later.
The inconvenients
While the downsides to business Instagram accounts are limited, keep these potential downsides in mind:
- Less personal feeling. Since social media is all about engagement and link building, an Instagram business profile can make followers less likely to engage with you than if you were a personal profile because they can consider your account. as promotional.
- Potential for reduced visibility. If your followers’ feeds are filled with Instagram businesses and influencers trying to sell their products or services, your followers might get overwhelmed and frustrated with the lack of organic content and stop following business accounts. You can avoid this by limiting your promotional content and looking for an organic, natural tone while partnering with an influencer who matches your brand.
- No more work. “One of the downsides of a business account is that you have to manage that account and continue to use labor hours to grow it,” Lamplugh said. “Not being consistent and posting regularly negatively impacts account performance.” In other words, your Instagram business requires more maintenance and foresight (and money, if you have employees working there) than your personal Instagram account, which you can update whenever you have. envy without commercial reputation and without potential customers at stake.
Instagram business account faqs
If you still have questions about Instagram business and personal accounts, take a look at the answers to some of these frequently asked questions:
Does Instagram penalize business accounts?
No, Instagram doesn’t penalize business accounts. In 2018, Instagram released a statement saying that there was no difference in the presence in the flow of business accounts and personal accounts, which means having either one would have no effect on the reach .
Does an Instagram business account hurt reach and engagement?
No, having a business account won’t hurt your reach and engagement. On the contrary, a business account can provide you with valuable data that can inform your Instagram marketing strategy and ultimately lead to more growth and engagement.
Should you create a separate Instagram account for your business?
Yes, it is a good idea to have a separate account for your business. It gives your customers a designated place on social media to reach and interact with your business and allows you to focus on promoting your business rather than mixing it with your personal content.
“Every business owner absolutely needs a separate account,” said Rex Freiberger, CEO of GadgetReview. “It’s unprofessional to use a personal account unless it strongly strengthens your brand. Even then, you won’t have professional features.”
Do Instagram business accounts have more followers?
The number of your followers will depend on many factors, such as your reach, brand awareness, and marketing efforts. Your account type will not determine the number of subscribers you have.
What time is it best to post on Instagram as a business?
It will also depend on your business and the time zones of your subscribers. Use Instagram Insights to see what time of day your posts are getting the most engagement, and try posting at that time.
