Instagram is an indispensable platform for any business interested in social media marketing — and in today’s digital-centric world that should be every business. But the way brands operate on Instagram is very different from the way individuals do, which is why there are Instagram business accounts.
This guide covers the ins and outs of Instagram business accounts and offers tips on how to make the costs of managing one worthwhile. With the right planning and execution, the time and money spent on running your business’s Instagram can pay off with a stronger brand and more customers.
Pros and cons of a business Instagram account
Most of Instagram’s more than 2 billion monthly active users have personal accounts. However, businesses often have different Instagram goals than personal users and the added functionality a business account offers can be a great way to increase your digital marketing return on investment.
However, business accounts have a few potential drawbacks as well, so it’s important to consider the pros and cons of an Instagram business account before launching one.
Pros
It provides access to more detailed analytics
Instagram Insights can help you tailor your Instagram posts and content to better suit your audience and reach your goals. For example, you can use Insights to determine which campaigns are the most effective, which posts perform best and which stories result in the most follower engagement. You can also leverage these analytics to target specific segments of your audience based on key demographics like age, interest and more.
“Instagram Insights is your cheat code to smarter content. Pay attention to your top-performing posts — what’s resonating? What’s falling flat? Use that data to double down on what works,” said Nadia Kaminskaya, founder and chief marketing officer at Branding Bosses. “Also, check your audience demographics — if your best content connects with a specific age group or location, tailor more posts to them.”
It’s helpful for distinguishing your brand
Part of building a successful brand is making it stand out and an Instagram business account can give your brand the feeling of official legitimacy that supports that goal. It also enables you to bring a dedicated brand strategy to your Instagram content, rather than muddying it with a personal account that may not have always aligned with a consistent brand message, voice or aesthetic.
Sole proprietors and freelancers may have relied on their personal Instagram accounts when starting out, especially if they wanted to position themselves as thought leaders. As your business grows, though, it becomes larger than any one person. That’s not to say individuals shouldn’t reference the brand on their personal accounts, but the brand itself needs social media accounts of its own to reinforce its image in the minds of your audience.
It supports a paid advertising strategy
Instagram business accounts are free and can be a great way to generate organic follower growth and brand awareness, but they also enable a paid advertising approach on the platform (and other Meta platforms like Facebook). Coupling a targeted paid advertising campaign with the ongoing production of quality organic content can be a winning combination for brands.
“Instagram advertising should complement organic efforts by amplifying reach, targeting new audiences and retargeting website visitors,” said Roxy Hulyk, account director of influencer marketing at Acceleration Partners. “Advertisements can drive specific goals, such as sales or email sign-ups, while organic posts maintain community engagement and brand authenticity.”
It offers on-platform e-commerce selling tools
Developing and maintaining e-commerce websites can be expensive, especially for new businesses. Instagram business accounts give brands the opportunity to begin selling online without the upfront investment.
If you want to test the waters to see how much business you can drive online, an Instagram business account is a great way to do it. If you find the demand is indeed there, you can confidently make the investment needed to develop a fully functional e-commerce website.
If you already have an e-commerce website, an Instagram business account can help you expand your reach to a broader audience by tapping into the social platform’s user base.
Cons
There are some drawbacks and challenges associated with running an Instagram business account, too and it’s important to consider these before making one part of your social media marketing strategy.
“Instagram might not be the best fit for every business. Companies lacking visually appealing content, targeting older demographics or without the resources to maintain an active presence may find it challenging,” Robins said.
It requires social media management work
Business accounts require oversight and consistency, which means someone needs to spend time managing your Instagram business account. If you hire a social media manager, managing a business Instagram account can also get expensive. You can update a personal account whenever you feel like it without a business reputation and potential customers at stake.
It may have a less personal feel for users
Social media for business is all about engagement and making connections. However, followers may feel less inclined to engage with an Instagram business profile than a personal account. They may see your business account as promotional and therefore scroll by your content more readily.
It could decrease engagement (if managed incorrectly)
Some followers’ feeds may be filled with businesses and Instagram influencers trying to sell their products or services. They may become overwhelmed and frustrated with the lack of organic content and unfollow business accounts. Avoid this by limiting promotional content and striving for an organic, natural tone when partnering with an influencer to market your product.
FAQs
Instagram business accounts include additional features that are useful to businesses, such as lead generation tools, contact buttons, shopping features and detailed analytics. These features can help businesses use Instagram to grow their reach and followership in order to ultimately generate more leads and drive more business.
Yes, creating a dedicated Instagram business account is a good idea. Maintaining a dedicated Instagram business account strengthens your brand and gives your customers and followers a way to interact directly with the business, rather than you as an individual. Even if you operate a sole proprietorship, setting up an Instagram business account can help you establish your brand in the minds of your audience.
Instagram business accounts are free to create and operate. You’ll only incur costs for using features like the Meta Commerce Manager, which enables customers to shop with your business directly on Instagram or when running advertisements.
To increase your Instagram business account’s followers, post relevant content regularly. Don’t just stick to the feed, either; share stories and reels to capture their attention. When your audience engages with your content through comments and DMs, make sure you respond to them in a timely manner. Consistently following these best practices over time will grow your audience and improve engagement.
The best posting time depends on your business and your followers’ time zones. Use Instagram Insights to see what time of day your posts get the most engagement and try to post around that time.
Kiely Kuligowski and Jennifer Dublino contributed to this article.
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