Knowing where to start when setting up a business page on Instagram can be difficult, as the platform’s diverse features and visual nature can feel overwhelming, however once you’ve got the basics set up it has the potential to become one of your most useful marketing tools.
Instagram is designed specifically for mobile and provides distinct advantages from other social media platforms, offering a unique and engaging way to connect with customers and showcase your business, its products and even its place within the community.
With features like Stories and Reels, as well as highly visual posts optimised for phones, businesses can create a digital presence that will put them ‘right into the hands’ of potential customers in a eye-catching way!
This guide will show you the quickest way to create and optimise your Instagram business profile properly, so you can start using the platform to build your online presence and boost sales:
1. Sign Up: Instagram is easier to use and designed primarily for mobile. Just open the app (if you don’t have it already you can download it from your relevant app store) and sign up using your business email address or phone number.
2. Create a Username: Choose a memorable and search-friendly username (e.g., @YourBusinessName). Try and make this as close to your brand name as possible – once its locked in its trickier to change later down the line!
3. Complete Profile Bio: Write a clear bio that describes your business and includes a website link or relevant CTA.
TIP: Borrowing from your Facebook business page is a good way to do this quickly, you can always optimise it later.
4. Switch to a Business Account: This is easy…when you know where to go. So follow these steps: Simply go to your profile page (bottom right of the app) and tap the 3 lines in the top right corner. Select “Settings”, then scroll down to “Account Type and Tools” then “Switch to Professional Account”. Now choose “Business”. Done!
5. Add Key Information (contact, location, opening hours): This is an important step, be sure to fill in as many details as you can as this will make the top of your page as comprehensive as possible and helps you appear to more people on the platform.
6. Profile and Cover Photo: Upload a recognizable logo for the profile photo and an attractive, separate image like your shop front for the cover photo.
TIP: Use a simple version of the logo with less text, as it will change in size across the platform.
That’s the basics, there’s just a few quick extra things you can do to help you get started:
7. Add Business Details: Fill in your Business Category (e.g., retail) and Business Type.
8. Add Contact Info: Add Contact Information, including email, phone number and business address, so customers can easily reach you.
9. Profile Picture: Use your business logo or a consistent brand image.
TIP: Instagram profiles don’t have cover photos, so this is one step you won’t have to worry about.
10. Link to Your Facebook Page (Optional): Connect your Instagram business profile to your Facebook business page to sync posts across both platforms.
TIP: It’s not compulsory and you can do this at any time! Linking your Facebook and Instagram pages is, however, as great way to make managing them easier.
With both Facebook and Instagram set up, here’s how to do the same on LinkedIn.
AI (or Artificial Intelligence) is the buzzword of the moment, but how can small businesses use it to help promote their business? Are there cost effective solutions? Can AI actually be easy to use?
This High Street Matters Podcast episode provides answers to all these questions!
Find out how Bira is working with Maybe* to explore the power of AI and help independent traders increase their profile, increase customer footfall and improve revenues.
Click here to listen to all episodes of High Street Matters.
Create engaging content on social media with Maybe* AI
After you've set up your social media business pages, what comes next? That's where Maybe* comes in.
Maybe* is an AI-driven social media marketing platform. It takes care of everything—from crafting engaging content to adding relevant hashtags, generating suitable emojis, translating copy, adjusting tone, summarizing content, and even building audiences. It shows you all your social media activity in one user-friendly place.
