Frequently, I am asked this question –”Why should I join Instagram for Business? I don’t know what it is or how to use it. Why do I need a Business Instagram Account? I have a Facebook page, isn’t everyone on Facebook?”
“How much time will I need to spend on Instagram?” Consequently, these are some of the questions that come up from clients I work with on their social media management.
Well, let’s start with: What is Instagram?
Table of Contents
Instagram Definition
Instagram is a photo-sharing app that allows users to assign filters to photos and share them with followers. People even use it to do weird things like buying and selling feet pictures. Since Facebook owns Instagram, you can also message others with Instagram like Facebook.
Instagram is a mobile app but you can access it via desktop. However, note you NOW can post new photos from a desktop. Your mobile device no longer must be used for posting new photos videos and stories.
So, here are a few things you can do on your desktop with Instagram today.
Instagram Stats
Here is the latest scoop on Numbers for Instagram: As of September 2022, there were 2.35 billion users – yes, 2 billion+ users on Instagram according to Demand Sage. This makes them the 4th largest social network worldwide.
Out of the 2+ billion Instagram users, there are 900+ million active users who use it daily.
- Over 900 million actively use the stories feature.
- The average user spends 24 minutes at day on the Instagram app.
- Females used to dominate Instagram at 56.3% of users, but that has changed and it’s almost 50/50 today in 2023.
- 59% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram and 33% of internet users between the ages of 30 and 49 use Instagram.
- And 72% of teens, in the up-and-coming market use Instagram.
- 62% of users log in daily on Instagram.
Why Instagram For Business?
So, getting back to that question above: Well, I began to say, Instagram is a younger audience. But is that it?
No, there are at least 6 reasons for you to get started on Instagram for business today.
- A large active audience.
- Younger female audience.
- You can use their ad platform with a business account.
- Engage better with your Audience.
- Increase your online visibility.
- See your stats to help guide you with posts in the future.
How To Switch Your Instagram Account to Business (Professional) Or Other
You have to go into your settings to change what type of Instagram account you want. As I have a business one already, it is showing I could switch to a personal or a creator account instead.
It’s easy to switch from one to another but as a business, you will get a lot of business tools with the professional business Instagram account.
Larger Audience With Instagram
You have a large captivating audience on Instagram. They are scrolling daily to get the latest photos, quotes, and more from others including businesses.
Younger people are leaving Facebook or not spending time on that network in large numbers now. However, they are spending more time on Instagram.
This younger audience engages more with brands here than on any other network. As a result, brands need to take advantage of this.
Learn now how to use the Instagram reel feature. Reels are the 15-90 second video posts that can stretch your reach on Instagram today.
Just recently Instagram launched a TikTok feature for reels called ReMix on Reels. The updates have been coming out fast and furious lately so stay tuned!
Younger Female Audience
If your business has a female target, Instagram for Business is surely a must for you to grow your business now and in the future.
Did you know women reinvest 90% of their income into their families and communities, compared to men, who reinvest only 30-40%? via socialtoaster.com That is a stunning factoid to be aware of when looking at your target market.
Also, did you know that Millennials are making one-fourth of home purchases across the United States and single women are outpacing single men as homeowners? YES! (Fact from Bigger Pockets.) If you are a realtor that’s a fact to make you take a second look at Instagram.
Single women made up 19% of homebuyers in 2023 while single men made up only 9% of homebuyers.- Bigger Pockets
However, do note that men are catching up and surpassing women on this social media platform in 2024.
Ad Platform With Instagram For Business Account
Don’t always have time to post to Instagram? Then, why not use their ad platform? Instagram owns Facebook and offers all different types of ads targeting Facebook. Therefore, it’s quick and easy to use.
Not only are ads available for Instagram business accounts but great insights into your stats. These are very helpful to understand your audience. For example, where they come from, what day they are most active, and what time they are on Instagram.
Generating organic followers is best as paid ones may cause you to be banned from Instagram.
So be sure to turn your private account or personal account into a business account on Instagram.
Engagement Is Crucial With Instagram For Business
To generate business from Instagram you need to be engaged with users. Engagement is made easier with the stories features and messenger app.
Not only do you need to do stories and use the messenger app but responding to comments and commenting on others’ Instagram posts is key to Instagram’s success. Therefore, you can no longer post and run away. You have to engage in this network.
Shane Barker talks about this in his recent post about Instagram problems. One thing to be aware of is that you can’t post a comment on Instagram with 5 or more tags in it.
Now, you can use a listening tool like Brand24 that monitors Instagram for you. This makes it easier for you and can save you more time.
Increasing Your Digital Visibility Via Instagram
Moreover, being on Instagram gives you a different audience. Hence, if you post on this network it will increase your website or brand’s visibility online. You will reach that younger audience that has left Facebook.
Using the right hashtags on Instagram and you can use up to 30 of them is key. Therefore, you can use a hashtag tool like Rite-Tag or Hashtagify to help you select and use the right hashtags.
I’ve read in a few different places using around 12 hashtags per post is the sweet spot. Of course, some say to use no hashtags today, but there are different opinions on that as well.
It’s always best to test it out on your own account and see what works best and then adjust it.
A Large Following Is NOT Always Necessary On Instagram
Many people think having a large following is a must on Instagram. It is NOT if you do not have an engaged audience. Gary Vaynerchuk spoke about this engagement years ago but it still holds true today in 2023.
What good are Instagram followers if they don’t engage or click on your bio link or stories? You would be wasting a lot of time uploading photos and creating hashtags.
Trust Insights recently did some studies and you will see exactly how the following ratios matter for influence on Instagram. (Having a large following on Facebook and Twitter has even less of an effect than on Instagram.)
So paying for followers may be a waste of money for you as well as being useless, or worse, getting you banned from the network.
But you could turn to “bots” to help you automate your Instagram likes and comments.
Time For Instagram
One note about Instagram for business it takes a lot of time. Before you decide if you will join Instagram be sure to have some time allowed to use it effectively.
However, note that you can search Instagram without having an account so you can see what your competition is doing there.
Engagement takes time to build, you cannot post and run on this social network. If you can’t do it yourself, hire help. (I can’t handle any more Instagram clients myself at this point!)
You will need quality images, and the ability to also post stories and videos as well as to engage with others on the network with your Instagram account.
If you want to view private Instagram accounts read this how-to guide on how it works. It is an eye-opening blog post on Inspire To Thrive.
Your Turn On Instagram For Business
Are you using Instagram for business today? I’d love to know more in the comments below if you ARE or are NOT using Instagram for business. Are you using any Instagram tools with your account?
I’d also love to know how it’s working out for you and if would you recommend others jump on the Instagram bandwagon today.
If you want to learn more check out these 10 tips to grow your Instagram audience here too. Finally, please share this piece on social media.
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 11 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
You can purchase her eBook about Twitter on Amazon.
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Hi, Lisa
Thanks for this insightful content.
Back then in 2018, When I first came in contact with Instagram, I used to think this medium would be just for millennials and models, Insta was supposed to be an image-sharing platform.
But, since I have been in the digital marketing field, I came to know, I was completely wrong,
Insta is so important not only for business but also for building own personal brand & so on.
Thanks again
supplier4buyer
Welcome to Inspire To Thrive. I’m glad you were able to figure out Instagram was more than you first thought a few years back. Is it working well for your brand now? Thanks for coming by and have a great day!
Nice one, Lisa.
I have been using Instagram for business and has even gotten a couple of clients from there but honestly speaking, I can’t say I’ve been consistent on the platform the way I’ve been on Facebook.
But not until recently that I went into this Facebook jail of a thing for 2 straight weeks. It was at this time that I began to get serious with my activities on IG.
I think every business should be on Instagram especially if you use visuals to demonstrate what you do.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
– Emenike
Hi Emenike, Ahh, I think consistency does play a role! What happened to get you on FB jail? I had that happen too, and I don’t know why but they said they jailed over 2 million on that day. That’s why I use alternative social media sites as well now. Yes, I’d agree if you have visuals Instagram is a must today, Thanks for coming by and sharing about this here Emenike.
Hey,
your recent update was amazing glad to a part of my life I have been torn on whether I have an Instagram or not connected to my new business and now reading this, I think I need to consider it! I just need to find all the hours in the day for this!
Hi Sathish, yes, it does take time! So be sure you have it before you get started with Instagram. Thanks for your input and for coming by. Have a great week ahead there!
Hi Lisa, My friend Glenn Shepherd recommended I checked out your blog and I am really glad I did. I have been embarrassed to ask anyone how to use Instagram, as everyone seems to be on it. I am not sure I would be of much interest to younger female Instagrammers, haha, but I really appreciate the information I for from your post. Thank you.
Hi Pete, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. Oh, that’s nice of Glenn 🙂 Thank you. It depends on your topics and niche Pete. Every niche has their own audience. Sometimes it may not make sense to be on a social media channel. After all, we can’t be on all of them. I’ve tried and it doesn’t work well. Take care and have a great week!
I have been torn on whether I have an Instagram or not connected to my new business and now reading this, I think I need to consider it! I just need to find all the hours in the day for this!
Hi Sam, I do hear you on the time. It does take time or money. But if you have a younger audience then it may well be worth it. Thanks for coming by and welcome to Inspire To Thrive. Have a great day.
I haven’t been able to bring myself around to using Instagram for business purposes. I’ve created videos, but never an Instagram story; it’s something I’d rather not do personally. I know most people are doing it so it’ll disappear within 24 hours; if that’s something I wanted then I’d never post it. I know, I’m not the norm! lol
Ah, I see you still have that checkbox thing…
Hi Mitch, oh it’s wonderful once you know the inns and outs of it. Most people do stories so they can actual chat with other people. And you can share those stories with your close friends list too and not to everyone. There are so many features that I love about the business Instagram and the best is the insights. You can tell when your followers are on there so you can adjust your days and times to post. You are not the norm but you can try a story out Mitch! Thanks for coming by and love to see if you do a story in the coming weeks! Stay well and safe there Mitch.
Hi Lisa,
Instagram is popular among people in my age group too! Did you find any stats on how many boomers are using IG? Instagram Live is getting better all the time which is good for me because I love to live stream. Thanks for all the updates!
Yes, I believe the fastest group now growing there. It’s 23% of baby boomers who are on Instagram as of Sept 2019. I do get appointments from clients right from Instagram. I have to try that with Streamyard, excellent idea.
Also my granddaughter and I can do video chat from there on Instagram, simliar to Facebook chat or Facetime. I’m all Android/Google so it’s Facebook video chat for me but I know with iPhone’s it’s Facetime 🙂 Thanks for coming by on this one Ileane and I hope you are staying well! Take care.
Hi Lisa,
I don’t use Instagram, mainly because I don’t have time and need to focus on SEO and client work. But I see potential in it. I imagine using Instagram to show of my fun side and the life I lead thanks to my business and affiliate marketing. It’s a type of soft promotion and will work will once I do it.
Cheers and hope you’re safe and sound.
I’m getting more and more frustrated by Instagram, I make original content, but I barely gain any new followers, and when those big repost accounts repost my picture they gain thousands of new followers in a day and they don’t even properly tag me, I’m considering quitting Instagram altogether tbh. 🙁
Hi Kim, do you follow others? I find if you follow others many will follow you back as long as you engage on their Instagram posts. It’s a 2-way street. That’s not nice if they don’t tag you. Do you put your name on your images? Just a few thoughts. I hope you are well and have a good day. Oh yes, I see you have over 15,000 followers and only follow 600 or so folks. You could increase that ratio quite a bit to grow your Instagram following.
Hey Lisa, I will try that, thank you for your advice! x
You are welcome Kim.
It’s easier to see things from afar then being right in it 🙂 Have a good day and stay well!
Hi Lisa,
To be honest, I used to avoid some of the social media networks including Instagram. But after reading your this post, I think I should try it for my business. Based on the stats and nature of Instagram followers, I’m sure it will work for me also.
Thank you for the clear post with the facts and stats.
Hi Shanna, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. Yes, you understand it’s the audience not the platform 🙂 I hope you do well with Instagram and give it time to grow. It doesn’t happen overnight. Thanks for coming by and have a good day. Stay well and safe!
Hi, Lisa,
Instagram, like Pinterest, is a place for all things fashion, lifestyle, celebrity heaven, etc.
Instagram might not be a good fit for all types of business. This is why I don’t spend too much time there.
I think for businesses, Facebook is a better place than Instagram.
Thanks, Lisa.
Hi Shamsudeen, it depends on your AUDIENCE. That’s where you want to be. If you have a younger audience then you may want to consider using Instagram for your business 🙂 Younger people are not on Facebook like they once were, they have moved to Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok as well as Twitter.
Facebook is an older audience today. Thanks for coming by on this one and stay well and safe!
Hi Lisa
I must admit that I have spend more time on Instagram than on Facebook lately. I think that there is too much noise on Facebook. For some niche and brands I believe that Instagram can be a great way to go, however I am not sure it will have the same impact on all niche.
Hi Tom, You are not alone in that. I’ve noticed more folks jumping to Instagram instead of being on Facebook. But, there was a shift when the crisis first hit. For a few weeks everyone stayed on FB and not Instagram. But I’ve seen the shift back again this past week. People are adjusting and don’t want to be clued to the news. They want relief and Instagram is more of the “happy” place of social media 🙂 Thanks for coming by on this one Tom. Have a great day, stay healthy and safe!
Lisa, Thank you for this informative share.
well, if you could write something on the recent Instagram algorithm update and how it affected Instagram users, mainly business accounts that would be awesome.
We know for a fact that, Instagram and Facebook are running together even though they tend to be 2 different platforms.
With all these changes, how Facebook affect on advertising on Instagram?
I mean, to run Instagram ads, we need to have a Facebook page, right?
Please correct me if I’m wrong and Thank you for your time.
Hi The Beard Guy, you are welcome. I did write something recently here: https://growmap.com/increase-instagram-engagement/ – it does take the new algorithm into account. You do need to have a Facebook page in order to run Instagram ads, that is correct. Are you using the platform now?
Hi Lisa,
I’m also posting about Instagram soon and learning as I go. I’m also learning by reading the comments here. Thanks for the reminders.
Janice
Hi Janice, You are doing fabulous with Instagram from what I see Janice. There is always more to learn there as it constantly changes. I got my first sale from it last week 🙂 Thanks for coming by and have a great new week!
Hey Lisa,
I just opened an account, after your advice. I have a lot to learn about this new platform.
Thanks for all the help!
Marios
Hi Marios, you are most welcome 🙂 I hope you enjoy it to stick with it. You don’t have to post daily but do comment on others posts daily to get some engagement and traction on that network. I’ll be watching 🙂 Thanks for coming by and for sharing this one on your social networks. Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Lisa,
There is no doubt that Instagram is one platform that is killing it right this moment. And if one should learn to use this site correctly, you can grow your business quickly. However, it all depends on the demographics of your target market. As you mentioned, your demographics determine whether you’ll make it on Instagram or not – in terms of the younger and older market. Thus, post interesting content about your brand and mix things up with other content types like quotes. Then, analyze your marketing processes to figure your performance and make adjustments accordingly. I recommend businesses to take advantage of the platform.
Hi Moss, Yes, I would agree. I just retained a new client via Instagram last week 🙂 I had no idea they were reading my content on Instagram and then on the blog. It was amazing how it worked. It was a very targeted post so that does make a difference Moss. Thanks for coming by on this one and have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Hey Lisa. I can definitely see how Instagram can benefit some businesses. Retailers, fitness, real estate, maybe even car buyers, and restaurants. I’m sure there are more. Once you filter through the nonsense on there (naughty gramers), you’ll be good to go! Instagram never caught on for me in my business. However, when I first joined, I was posting pics of my pup(s). I’ve since gone back to PibblesNMe and am using it strictly for the dogs and lifestyle, non my business. I see many, like yourself, using it for business and love the articles. I almost wish Instagram would allow the links so you didn’t have to click to the bio and go to the webby. Guess we can’t have it all with a free app, right?
Thanks for sharing this with us!
B
Hi Bren, It really depends on the demographic you want to reach. If it’s female and younger – then Instagram is the place. If it’s older than it probably isn’t the best choice for your business. You could have links with 10,000 followers but that takes a long time. I change my link in the bio once I post on Instagram about a blog post. Then I direct people to the link in bio. It works! ?
I haven’t run across many naughty gramers out there. I see more of that on Tumbler, ot at least used to.
You are right, we can’t have it all with FREE apps but like Facebook you can boost posts on Instagram and run ads there too. Another great feature along with with their insights for business accounts.
Thanks for your input on this one Bren and have a great evening! The day just flew by here….:)