If you are using your Instagram for business purposes, switching to an Instagram business account from a personal Instagram account is a must. In this quick tutorial, we are going to show you how to switch or convert to an Instagram business account if you have already created a personal Instagram profile.
We are also going to explain what are the main benefits of using an Instagram business profile over a personal Instagram profile.
Prefer a video? Check out this video tutorial on how to switch an Instagram account to a business account:
Why you should switch to an Instagram business account?
There are several benefits to having an Instagram business account over a regular Instagram personal profile, here are some of these benefits:
1. Connect the Instagram business account to a Facebook business page
You can connect page an Instagram business account to a Facebook page. When your Instagram business account is linked to a Facebook page, it has many benefits. For instance it is very easy to share content across the Instagram account and the Facebook page and save significant time with this.
2. Run Instagram ads from the Instagram business account
You have to have an Instagram business account to be able to run ads on Instagram from your Instagram business account using your Facebook ad account. You can promote your Instagram posts and stories, get new followers, and advertise your products and services using Instagram ads
3. Get access to Instagram Insights
When you have switched from a personal Instagram profile to an IG business account, you will also get access to Instagram insights that will get you the data you need to grow your Instagram account even more.
With Instagram Insights you will get access to data about new Instagram followers, profile views, impressions, number of posts, reach, website clicks, and email clicks.
With Instagram Insights, you will also be able to see a detailed breakdown of your followers’ demographic data like age, gender, location and activity peaks.
4. Use Instagram Shopping and Checkout feature
If you create an Instagram business account, you will be able to use all the features related to Instagram Shops and checkout.
First, you will be able to tag products on your Instagram posts, so people can easily check your products from your Instagram posts and stories without leaving Instagram. (and as it is well-known, social media platforms usually give you more reach if you don’t drive the users out of their platform.)
Instagram has also rolled out Instagram Checkout which makes it possible for users to buy products on Instagram without leaving Instagram. It is currently only available in the US yet, but it will be rolled out to other countries in the upcoming future.
5. Promote Instagram posts within Instagram
Although if you are professional, we would recommend running Instagram ads from your Facebook ads interface, if you convert your personal IG profile to an Instagram business account, you can promote Instagram posts without leaving the Instagram app. It is similar to the Boost feature on Facebook.
6. Use Instagram Quick Replies
When you have an Instagram business profile, you can also take advantage of the Instagram Quick Replies feature. With Quick Replies, you can answer the frequently sent messages by using a shortcut word. You can save a bunch of time with this feature if you are getting a lot of repetitive Instagram DMs.
7. Add links to your Instagram stories
Instagram stories have become one of the most popular content formats on Instagram, so you must also leverage them as a business. And the great thing about Instagram stories is that Instagram business account with over 10k followers can place links to their IG stories. As Instagram posts don’t have any links added to them, IG stories provide you a great way to drive organic Instagram traffic to your website without running Instagram ads.
Besides having 10 thousand followers on Instagram, you also have to switch to an Instagram business account, if you want to place links to your Instagram stories.
These are just some of our favorite benefits you will get when you create an Instagram business profile, there are some other ones, like Branded Content Approval, easier Inbox management, adding Contact options to your profile, etc.
How to switch a personal Instagram profile to a business account?
So here is how to switch to an Instagram business account from a personal Instagram account.
- Open up your personal Instagram Account
- Click on the hamburger menu in the top right corner
- Click on ‘Settings’
- Then tap on ‘Account’
- Scroll down to the bottom.
- Tap on ‘Switch to Professional Account’
- Instagram will show you a quick feature showcase of an Instagram business account. Keep tapping on ‘Continue’ button.
- At the end you also have to choose an Instagram category that can show up in your Instagram bio.
If you want to get a list of all Instagram categories you can choose, check out this article here: Instagram Categories – Complete List
Choose a category then tap on ‘Done’.
- Next, you can right away switch to a Creator account if you want to do so.
Here we have explained the benefits of a Creator account. You can also change your account to a Creator account later.
- Next, you can add your contact info: your business email, phone number, and business address. You can also skip this step and add this contact info later.
- Last but not least, you connect to a Facebook page right away but you can also do this later.
That’s it, you have successfully switched to an Instagram business account. Now, Instagram recommends some steps you should do right away:
