Instagram 101: How to Optimize Your Business Instagram Profile

Instagram has become a powerful medium for your brand to reach a key demographic. When used correctly in your marketing strategy, you can create brand awareness, build consumer trust, and ultimately gain new leads. Do you want to make a powerful first impression with your brand’s Instagram profile? Are you hoping to gain a new generation of customers? 
With organic Instagram marketing, promoted posts, and Instagram stories, the potential reach is limitless. However, if you haven’t correctly optimized your Instagram, you could be missing out. 
Ready to take full advantage of Instagram for business? Follow these tips to optimize your profile page and reach new leads. #InstagramMarketing Click To Tweet

Switch to Business Profile

First and foremost, ensure your personal profile is separate from your business profile. By default, when you create a new Instagram account, it’s a personal account. A business Instagram profile provides more features including ads, analytics tools, and insights. 
Here’s how to switch from a personal Instagram profile to a business account: 

1. Go to your profile
2. Select the three lines in the top right corner
3. Click ‘Settings’
   
   
4. Select ‘Account’
   
   
5. Choose ‘Switch to Professional Account’
   
   
6. From here, you can choose Creator or Business. (If your business is in the creative industry such as web design, writing, or photography, then the Creator account is best for you. All other professional industries should choose Business.)

 
That’s it! It’s super easy to switch to a business account.

Create an Engaging Bio

Did you know that you can include keywords, links, and hashtags in your bio? Consider writing a compelling Call to Action before your Link in Bio to get more user engagement and clicks.
Check out how these popular brands use their catchphrases with emojis and hashtags in their bios to make it easy to interact with the business:
   
 

Instagram Image Alt Text

Alt text is essential for modern SEO, but many people aren’t aware that Instagram also allows users to add Alt Text to their photos. To do this, simply upload a photo, select ‘Advanced Settings’.

Scroll to Accessibility to ‘Write Alt Text’.

From here, you should include keywords describing your photo.

Pro Tip: Take full advantage of Instagram SEO by adding image alt text to your photos!

Consistency is Key

Instagram is a very visual platform. Users want to see a consistent brand aesthetic throughout your posts. Consider sticking to your brand colors and theme. Alternatively, your posts can match the time of the year. (For example, red, pink, and hearts during February or green, red, and snowflakes during December)

Conclusion

If you haven’t started using Instagram as a part of your social media marketing strategy, you should! It’s a free tool giving you direct access to new customers. Interested in learning more about social media optimization? Join the conversation to speak with our social media strategists today!