Instagram Numbers
- 1 billion monthly users
- 500 million daily active users (and climbing)
- Like buttons are hit an average of 4.2 billion times each day
- Instagrammers may likely have high levels of disposable income
- Instagram images get 23% more engagement than at Facebook
- Brands typically see 10x higher engagement at Instagram compared to Facebook
There are two types of accounts or “profiles” at Instagram; a personal profile and a business profile. For most businesses in the wedding industry a business profile is the best choice.
Here is why I recommend using a business profile at Instagram and instructions for changing a personal profile to a business profile.
Analytics
Business profiles include Instagram Insights, a valuable analytics and data tool that will give you information about your followers that you don’t get with a personal profile.
Using Instagram Insights will allow you to very easily track and analyze impressions, reach, and engagement from within the Instagram mobile app.
Promote Posts Easily & Inexpensively
Instagram business profiles can also be used to easily set-up and run Instagram ads. This is virtually the same as a Facebook “boost,” but it is called a “promote” at Instagram. For as little as $10 you can “Promote” an Instagram post. There are also options that allow you to set a budget, duration, and targeting. Promoting Instagram posts is an effective way to get more visibility for your Instagram feed, get more followers, increase engagement, and drive traffic back to your website.
Increased Social Visibility
Business profiles connect to your Facebook business page. Again, this increases your overall social visibility, helps you build brand awareness, and drive more traffic to your website.
Contact Buttons
Business profiles also give you two contact button options that a personal profile does not. People looking at your Instagram feed have a quick click option to call you or email you using the information you provided in your account profile. If you put an address in your profile an option for Directions will appear. Clicking it will bring up a maps app.
Summary
Business profiles at Instagram are an overall better Internet marketing tool that will help you measure, analyze, and ultimately get better results from the time and money you spend marketing your wedding business using Instagram.
The more information you have about the results and effectiveness of your Internet marketing, in this case Instagram, the better.
Action Items:
- If you are NOT using Instagram make it a priority to start ASAP, Instagram will help you book more weddings
- Switch to an Instagram business profile from a personal profile if you haven’t already
- Configure your business profile with a contact email and phone number, you can also use an address
- Be sure there is a link in your profile back to your website
- Put a note in your digital calendar with a reminder to check your Instagram Insights, at least once a month
How to Switch a Personal Profile to a Business Profile at Instagram
Switching from a personal profile to a business profile at Instagram is easily done using the Instagram mobile app.
During this process you will also be connecting your Facebook business page to your new Instagram business profile. To make this easier you may want to login to Facebook using the Facebook app on your smartphone.
Open your Instagram app.
Tap the gear icon or ellipse dots at the top right of your screen.
Scroll down this page and change your Account Privacy from private to public. Private accounts can’t switch to business accounts.
On this same page of options select “Switch to Business Profile.” Follow the prompts.
Select the Facebook page that you’d like to connect to your Instagram business account. If you don’t see your business’ Facebook page as an option, make sure that you are listed as an ADMIN for that page in the settings menu of your business page. Once the correct Facebook page appears, select it and tap “Next.”
On the “Set Up Your Business Profile” page, review your business’s contact information, including your phone number, physical address, and email.
Once everything looks good, tap “Done” to save your Instagram business account settings.
Voila!