The Right Instagram Account for You
They say a picture paints a thousand words, and this holds true. Yet for Instagram, a picture means a billion reach! For more than 10 years now, Instagram has attracted 1.074 billion monthly active users. It is still growing year over year. No wonder it ranks as the 2nd top platform where you can market your business this 2021. People come to Instagram to get ideas and inspiration. A major part of these things comes from brands and businesses. Around 200 million users visit an Instagram business profile daily. IG ads can greatly influence the buying decisions of Instagrammers. But they need to reach the right audience and offer relevant solutions. To do so, brands and businesses must find the right account on Instagram. We’ve got you covered then!
Types of Instagram Account
A social media agency Hong Kong explains that there are 3 types of Instagram accounts. But they are organized under 2 categories. These are personal and professional IG profiles.
Personal Profiles are Instagram accounts that are intended for personal use only. Here, you can include information like your bio, profile picture, username, and website URL. All Instagram users need to register for a personal profile first. Then, you can proceed with upgrading the account into either a business or creator profile. The main benefits of a Personal IG Profile are its ability to turn the account into private settings and access to music options on Reels and Stories. This is together with the Instagram camera tools to liven up your pictures, text, and videos.
A personal IG profile has no access to analytics or API. They cannot get 3rd-party access, schedule posts, or use Facebook Creator Studio. They also cannot use the contact button, delivery stickers, gift cards, and other product tags on their IG content. They won’t be able to use the swipe-up function on Instagram Stories either. These are big disadvantages on the part of a business owner or marketer.
Professional Profiles on Instagram are divided into two categories – Business and Creator. Here, you can include information like your bio, profile picture, username, and website URL. Professional IG profiles have access to analytics or API, Facebook Creator Studio, and third-party integrations. You can also use the contact button, delivery stickers, gift cards, and other product tags. You can even use the swipe-up function on Instagram Stories. A key element of professional IG accounts is the capacity to collaborate with other accounts to leverage its branded content. Yet, there are some big differences between an Instagram business profile and an Instagram creator profile. According to a digital marketing speaker Hong Kong, an IG business account is solely intended to make money. That is why they have analytics or API access. They can also manage their IG accounts straight from the desktop and schedule IG posts through Facebook Creator Studio. IG creator accounts are intended for influencers. They are people who do not sell anything. But the content they create may be aligned with a brand. A great advantage of an Instagram Creator profile is its full access to the music library, which most Instagram Business profiles do not have. An IG Creator account has a royalty-free music library. They also have access to business features like analytics and branded content. But they do not have access to the Instagram API. API stands for application program interface. On Instagram, it is a way for apps to interact and talk with Instagram. Through Instagram API, business profiles can access analytics, do comments, and schedule posts all in one single hub.
How to Change Your Instagram Account Type
An Instagram business or creator profile first needs to register under a personal account.
To setup a business account on Instagram, all you need to do is go to your account settings and choose the account tab. Make sure that your personal IG profile is turned public. Then follow these instructions:
Under the account tab, choose “Switch to Professional Account” and tap continue.
- Select a “Category” for your business and tap Ok to confirm. >
- Select “Business Profile” and tap next. >
- Update the contact details and information about your business. Alternatively, you can skip this step by clicking “Don’t use my Contact Info.”
To set up a creator account on Instagram, all you need to do is go to your account settings and choose the account tab. Make sure that your personal IG profile is turned public. Then follow these instructions:
Under the account tab, choose “Switch to Creator Account” and tap continue. >
- Select a “Category” as a creator and tap Ok to confirm. >
- Select “Creator Profile” and tap next. >
- Update the contact details and information about your business. Alternatively, you can skip this step by clicking “Don’t use my Contact Info.”
The Bottom Line
If you plan to use your Instagram account for business and marketing, you will need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of Instagram accounts. In general, an Instagram Personal Profile is best for personal use. An Instagram Business Profile is best for launching, marketing, and selling products and services. Likewise, an Instagram Creator Profile works best for influencers, who, in the long run, may want to monetize their content through brand partnerships.