Introduction
Social media is an indispensable tool when it comes to boosting brand awareness and user acquisition. Meta owned Instagram, has garnered immense popularity in the digital marketing realm owing to its capacity to reach an exorbitant userbase which amplifies the online visibility of brands. Whether you are influencer/content creators, a SaaS company or a small business, leveraging Instagram in the right way can help you tap into audience segments that can turn into potential buyers.
The business profile on Instagram was first rolled out in 2016 and the first company to be able to access its features was “Constant Contact”. Creating a business profile on Instagram can help you utilise several functionalities which are unavailable in a ‘Personal Account’. Features like post and story insights, call-to-action buttons, third party integrations, etc. can be deployed for accounts that have a business profile. Personal handles, on the contrary, are devoid of these features.
What Is An Instagram Business Account?
This type of account is particularly designed for businesses and organisations and signals to Instagram that the account is being utilised for marketing activities and business-related purposes. A business profile helps augment brand authority and provides access to greater analytical tools than personal accounts. The data and insights provided by these tools help businesses get a holistic understanding of their user-base and take data-driven decisions to expand online presence.
What Is A Personal Account On Instagram?
A personal account on Instagram is well-suited for individuals who want to connect with friends, family, etc. and share updates on their daily life happenings with them. Personal account has privacy settings wherein users can control who sees the content that they post on the gram. Personal accounts are ideal for individuals who are inclined towards experiencing social media on a more private and close-knit level.
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Benefits Of An Instagram Business Profile
Here are the most important benefits associated with a business account on Instagram.
1. Access to Instagram Insights
It empowers businesses to make informed decisions about their marketing strategy based on insights pertaining to how their content is faring on the gram. Statistics related to engagement on reels, reach, impressions, demographics of followers, changes in followers, number of posts, profile views, website clicks, etc. prove beneficial for the understanding of what is working and what isn’t. Additionally, it also helps in analysing historical posts on the basis of engagement and impressions over custom duration (max. 2 years).
2. Option To Add Contact Button And Quick Replies
Another feature that is accessible to accounts with a business profile is the option to add a ‘Conatct Button’ to your profile. Businesses can add phone numbers, email address, physical location, etc. to make it easier for potential buyers to reach out to them in addition to boosting the authenticity and credibility of the brand.
In addition to this, for businesses who get bombarded with DMs every single day, the feature “Quick Reply” comes in handy to cater to all the queries swiftly and conveniently. These replies are pre-written and can be sent to customers who have sent you DMs.
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Besides these, there is also an ‘Action Button’ that connects your IG profile to other online services which makes it convenient for users to interact with your business from your profile without having to visit sites separately. For instance, presently Instagram has three type of Action Buttons available for Business profile users: Order Food, Book Now and Reserve.
3. Ability To Add Links To Instagram Stories
To use swipe-up links to your Instagram stories, a business profile needs to have at least over 10,000 followers. This perk is excellent for brands who wish to redirect their viewers to their own website, a product link or review. This feature makes the redirection process seamless, contrary to the ‘personal account’ which requires users to click on the ‘Link in Bio’.
Also, businesses who have less than 10,000 followers can add links to their stories by clicking on the sticker icon at the top of the screen. It looks like a square smiley face. In the search bar, type ‘Link’ and click on the option that reads ‘Link’ with a symbol prior to it. Add the URL to which you wish to redirect the user. You also have the option to customise the sticker text according to your needs.
4. Option To Advertise On Instagram and Boost Posts
Business profiles on Instagram have the ability to reach a wider audience and target specific demographics through ads on the platform. You can create paid ads and track the results using analytics tools. This is great for boosting brand awareness and maximising reach. You can also boost posts to increase engagement on them and improve discoverability. You can optimize your ads or future paid posts in accordance with the insights on the ad spend.
5. Instagram Shopping
This option can be leveraged by e-commerce websites and retailers. Businesses can tag the products on their posts and redirect users to a landing page with a full product description and a ‘Buy Now’ CTA button. This helps users purchase your products without having to exit the Instagram app.
Also Read: How To Get More Views On Instagram Reels?
Besides these, the Business profile on Instagram has several other benefits tied to it like providing access to a professional dashboard for a centralized viewing of important KPIs and other important insights. Additionally, it also provides users with the option to schedule posts in advance which saves a ton of time and effort.
