There's no denying that Instagram has evolved significantly from its humble roots as a chronological photo album of selfies. As of April 2017, the social media site officially boasts 700 million monthly users, making it one heck of a marketing mechanism for those looking to boost their brand — both personal and professional. But small business owners may be wondering how do you make your Instagram a business account, and what are the benefits of doing so?
First of all, switching to a business account (or adding "Instagram Business Tools") offers up insights to those with the tools enabled such as how your latests posts are performing, stats on how your Instagram Stories have performed, and the ability to manage any ongoing promotions you're participating in.
Sounds helpful, right? Now all you have to do is enable the business tools feature on your Instagram account. Here's how we did it in version 13.0:
Step 1: Find "Switch to Business Profile"
Assuming you've already downloaded the app and scroll through it more than you'd care to admit (hello, 2017!), the first step is to make sure that the email associated with your account is the same one associated with your business. This will ensure you’re able to easily connect your business’ Instagram to your business’ Facebook page (more on that later). Then, simply click over to your profile and hit the small gear button on the upper right corner. This should take you to the "Options" page you see above. From there, select "Switch to Business Profile."
Step 2: Link Your Facebook Page
You'll move into a short setup process that'll ask you to confirm your basic profile and business information, including what kind of business your account is linked to. Then you'll be asked to link your Instagram account to the corresponding Facebook page. If you don't already have Facebook page associated with your business, don't worry — Instagram gives you the opportunity to create one quickly at this point.
Step 3: Check Out Your New Profile
There are five obvious changes when you go back to your profile page from this point. The small bar graph in the upper right corner (exhibit 1, above) takes you to a new insights page that allows you to get information like impressions, reach, and profile views at a glance. You can also access insights on your recent posts, your past Instagram Stories (they'll be saved here for you to view), your followers, and your promotions. Your profile will also provide buttons that allow customers or potential business partners to easily get in touch with you, which you'll definitely want now that you're a full-blown Instagram professional.
