Instagram has also become a cool way to get your business noticed. While you can’t embed links on the photo captions, read more at Instagram's blog on how you can reach 200 million engaged users on a daily basis. This helps you boost your brand’s visibility. And did I already mention it’s for free?

If your business isn’t on this visually based social media channel yet, now’s the time to jump in. Instagram doesn’t have pages solely for brands at this time similar to Facebook business pages. You can still set up an Instagram account for your business like you would a personal profile. You can also convert your personal account to a business account by changing your username and if necessary, the theme and tone of your profile. 

Setting up an account is pretty simple.

1. Grab the app

2. Sign up

Once the app is installed, open it and create an account. You can register by either using your Facebook login or email. 
Create a username. Your username should be your business name or, if already taken, a name as close as possible to it. Many brands have consistent usernames across social media networks. 

Add a profile photo. Your profile photo can be your company's logo or a graphic symbol best represent your brand. All Instagram pictures will be cropped into a 150x150 pixel image so keep this in mind when choosing a profile picture.

On the bio, include a short informative description of your brand, and a link to your website. This is the only live link you’ll have in your account, so don’t skip this.

If you are not looking into using Instagram immediately but see the value of this platform down the line, take the time to create an account to reserve your username. The number of users on Instagram is constantly increasing and you want to get your preferred username before anybody else does.

3. Integrate your accounts

In 2012, Facebook acquired Instagram for 1 billion dollars. You can link your Instagram to your Facebook and Twitter business accounts.This allows you to share your uploads to other channels simultaneously. Plus, this enables your followers on the other sites to see and follow you on Instagram. 

To do this, go to Account Settings then Share Settings. Tick the boxes beside the social networks you want to connect your Instagram account to.

Note: Sharing photos to your brand’s Facebook page for Android is not yet available. Only Apple iOS users have this feature.

4. Upload your first post

Take a snap of something that represents your brand. Here are some ideas:
● Your office location
● How a product is made
● New products
● Behind-the-scenes photos
● Employees and fans
● Events your business has attended
● Customers

Keep your descriptions short and relevant to your image. Include some hashtags but be careful not to overdo this so it does not detract from the image.

You can use the Tag People feature to tag accounts to your post. Tag accounts that are relevant and is able to help you reach a wider audience.

When necessary, use the Add to Photo Map feature. This will enable your audience to see the location of your photo or video.
 
Australian stationery retailer kikki.K (@kikkiK_loves) features beautifully styled shots of new products.

 
Starbucks (@Starbucks) doesn’t only feature their drinks; they also post photos of their stores. 

It’s best to upload at least 7 posts to fill the collage on your profile’s header. See how great your profile will look with the collage. 

Tourism Australia (@Australia) showcases the best of Australian imagery, attracting visitors from around the world. They currently have 810,321 followers.

5. Build followers

Promote your Instagram account on other networks. If you already have an established Facebook or Twitter business presence, use this as leverage. Place instagram.com/username on your Twitter of Facebook bio. You can also invite your existing connections on these platforms to your Instagram profiles.

Use tags to search and connect to your audience. You can also connect to brands and influencers that work well with yours. 

Instagram has recently launched a new suite of business tools to help entrepreneurs gain more insight into how their customers are interacting and engaging with their content. These new tools also give business owners the capability to assess the reach of their paid campaigns. Find out more about Instagram for Business' announcement on this link.

Through image creation and sharing, Instagram helps you build an identity that is creative, engaging, and real. As a result, your business gets greater exposure, higher brand visibility, and stronger relationships with customers. To see the latest features or what other Instagram business accounts are doing, check out the Instagram blog. 

Instagram, along with other social media channels is shaping the way we do business. Want more Free Insights into Instagram and other social media channels? Complete our 2 step sign up to receive our best content for free.