Are you still on the fence about using an Instagram Business Account?

Entrepreneurs around the globe rejoiced when our pals at IG gave users the option to create an Instagram business account a few years ago. However, there remain a persistent few who don’t think switching over is the best idea. Personal accounts get a little more visibility and this left some wondering {even still}… do I really need an Instagram business account? As usual, it all comes down to algorithms. If you own a business, you need to be taking advantage of all the tools and resources that Instagram offers you!

Think personal is better because of the “reach?”  Think again.

If you’re currently using a personal account {to get more reach for your business}, I can imagine that you’re completely scoffing at the idea of switching to a business account.  While I know that many Instagram influencers are still preaching that you should use a personal account for the reach I can, no longer, give you that same advice without feeling like I’m letting you down.  While you will initially get slightly more reach with a personal account, over time your business-related content will start to be sorted and shared exactly like those of us using business accounts.  So if you’ll be treated the same anyways, you might as well unlock the benefits that come along with having an Instagram business account!

The top four reasons you need an Instagram Business Account:

1.  Instagram Insights

Want to know what content your audience likes {and dislikes} the most?  Get that info with a few clicks and you’ll start to notice trends.  Give them more of what they want and you get increased reach.  #boom

An Instagram business account is vital to the health of your business’s online presence. If only for this reason… you should switch over. Your Instagram business account provides you with incredible tools – including access to insights that your business can’t live without. Instagram business account insights tell you the number of times your ads were viewed; how many unique accounts viewed your posts and stories; how many people clicked from your profile to your website; and the number of times your profile has been seen by unique visitors. You can get the 411 on specific insights here. 

These data points should drive the trajectory of your business plan, my friend. Do you realize what an incredible privilege we have to reach our consumers based on this data? This type of information is complete science fiction to small business owners of generations past. Use it and run with it, Sparkles!

2.  Integration with Your Facebook Page

Make it a million times easier for your clients to contact you via phone or email, with one click.  No more “click the link in my bio” and subsequent runaround on your “contact me” page.  Nope.  Your potential clients can click one link and contact you directly!  People have short attention spans, so the less clicks the more we increase our chances of bookings.  Plus, the more clicks to our account the more we’re viewed as a “value” to the Insta community…. more perceived value = more reach.

If you’re worried that this switchover will be a huge hassle, let me put your fears to bed right now. This one-click switch from personal to business syncs directly with your Facebook business page and pulls all of your pertinent info over to your Instagram business account – including your business category making it easier for the people who need you to find you! How awesome is that? Instagram doesn’t give users many opportunities to click around from inside our profile; however, because we are smart cookies linking IG to FB… we have the benefit of including extra information for our users. Here are instructions on how to make your IG and FB page play nice together.  Even when you’re managing multiple accounts!

Heads up: if your phone number, email, and address are all listed on Facebook, they will pull over to your Instagram business account. You can go to IG and edit this information. I suggest you remove your address if it’s your personal residence {or somewhere else you don’t want to be found}. You may also want to remove your phone number; do as I do… receive email correspondence only. This gives you a nice paper trail to keep records and monitor activity.

3.  Increase the Chances You’ll Get Cool New Features {before your competition}

It’s no surprise that Facebook, Instagram and heck, even Alexa, are watching {and listening} to your every move!  When you’ve got an Instagram business account and are taking advantage of all the tools you’re given… you’re showing Insta that hey, “I’m willing to play by your rules.”  When you do that, you increase your chances that you’ll get some of the new features before anyone else and, because IG wants to show off their fancy new features, you’ll get more reach.  FOMO anyone?!

As of this moment, you are not required to have an Instagram business account. You are free to continue using our personal accounts, but Instagram is no dummy. It’s likely that users who are promoting their businesses on a personal account will see visibility and engagement disappear down the proverbial algorithm drain. Buh-bye. You will, likely, soon be forced to convert to business accounts for business-related activities. They know, that you know, personal accounts have higher visibility now; however, that doesn’t stop them from pushing you further down the newsfeed until you have no choice but to switch. If you switch over to an Instagram business account now, you have an opportunity to test the waters and get well-established before you are forced to do so and scramble around later.

,

4.  You Can Schedule AND POST with Third-Party Apps!!!!!!

This is probably the best reason, of them all, to use a business Instagram account!  Up until February 2018, it was against Instagram’s terms of use to use a third-party app to post for you.  Sure, there were apps that would do it for you… but you ran the risk of getting your account shut down.

Needless to say, business owners rejoiced when Insta announced that we could use Instagram Partner apps to schedule AND post into our accounts.  Insta users can plan their grid, deliver great content AND spend time with their family {instead of constantly fretting about the grid}!  My fave programs to use are:

• Tailwind – this is a program mainly for managing your Pinterest account, but they’ve also integrated with Instagram!  This link will get you a $30 credit in your account and 100 free Pins…. plus Insta scheduling!

• Planoly – focusing exclusively on Instagram, you can visualize your grid and rearrange until it’s aesthetically pleasing!

• Hootsuite – I’ve used Hootsuite for years to manage my social media.  You can watch all your Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, specific hashtags and more!  If you want a robust program that can do it all – this is the one!

As you’re searching for programs to use, just be sure they’re an approved Instagram vendor before linking your account and posting, ok?

If you’re using a personal account for the “reach,” that argument just doesn’t hold up anymore.

Change usually isn’t easy, but it’s important for growth!  If you’re struggling with making the switch, let’s chat in the comments below. We’d love to know what you’re thinking!

I would love to help you address and conquer other social media issues like this one. Please, be my guest, and download 30 Social Media Posts for Your Photography Business!  We’ll get you shining online AND in our free online community, the Sparkle Society!  The community is designed to encourage and empower creative professionals to make informed decisions about their business!  We’d love to have you join our crazy little crew!