How to Create an Instagram Business Account: Set Up for Success
- Fiorella Mendez Acevedo
- Apr 8
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Information in this blog post was obtained from Meta, SocialSurge, Sendible, and Sprout Social.
Instagram is a network that can open many doors for business owners; with its thriving community of 2.35 billion monthly active users (Sendible, 2023), Instagram has become a must-app for business owners to be on. Navigating an app for the first time can be a tedious task, which is why we decided to create this blog post just for you. This blog post will help you create an Instagram business account (step by step) and help you set up your Instagram business account for success.
If you still have not created an Instagram account, keep reading the following. If you are looking to switch your current account to a business account, skip “How to Create an Instagram Account” and start reading from “How to Create an Instagram Business Account.”
How to Create an Instagram Account
Before creating your business account, Instagram requires you to create a regular account first and then switch that account to a business one. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create an Instagram account.
1. Download and open the Instagram App:
Go to the App Store (iOS) if you own an Apple Device and type “Instagram” on the search bar. Download the first app you see.
Go to the Google Play Store if you own an Android Device and type “Instagram” on the search bar. Download the first app you see.
2. Sign Up to Instagram:
Tap on “Sign Up” at the bottom of the screen.
Choose a sign-up method between using a phone number, email address, or Facebook account linked to your business.
Verify your account after you receive a confirmation code via email or phone number. This code you will need to enter in the app to verify your account.
3. Create Your Instagram Profile:
Enter your profile’s desired name. As of the moment, we recommend using your business name in this step.
Create a strong password with at least one upper case letter, a number, and a sign (! @#$%^&*) to avoid hackers stealing your account.
Choose your username. We recommend using your business name; if your business name is taken, try a variation of your it. Avoid special characters at all costs.
Provide a date of birth.
Type the remaining information.
Congratulations now, your Instagram Account has been created!
How to Create an Instagram Business Account
Now that you have created your Instagram account, we can set up your Instagram business account. To set up a business account, just follow the following steps:
Tap on your profile picture at the bottom right of your screen.
Tap the three lines at the top right of your screen.
On the search bar, type “Account type and tools” and tap on it (or scroll down until you see the section for professionals. Below that, tap on “Account type and tools.”)
Tap on “Switch to Professional Account” and tap on a category that best describes what your business does.
Tap on “Switch to business account”.
When the screen asks, “What type of professional are you?”. Tap on “Business” and “Next.”
You now have a business account!
How to Set up your Instagram Business Account for Success
1. Choose an identifiable profile picture
Your profile picture as a business should be either your brand logo or an image related to your brand. Sprout Social recommends using a high-quality image. Some companies like to do different versions of their logos as seasons change and use them as profile pictures. For instance, you can create logos for holidays such as Independence Day, Halloween, and Christmas.
2. Optimize your business name to make it searchable
To edit your name, tap on “Edit Profile,” here you can edit your name.
According to the professionals of Social Surge, expanding your profile name beyond your business name is a great way to make your profile more searchable. Sometimes people are not looking for your business directly. For example, someone searching for a luxury travel agency is more likely to type “luxury travel agency” or “luxury travel” into the search bar rather than your brand name. Including relevant keywords in your profile name helps your account appear in those search results.
Make sure you include your name.
Some people use vertical bars (|) or colons (:) to separate their brand names and keywords.
Include a keyword. In this case, the used keyword is “luxury travel agency.”
3. Optimize your bio
Make sure you create a brief yet engaging bio that describes your business. Use emojis to make your bio easier to read. Make sure it includes the following:
What does your business do, or what service does it provide.
Relevant keywords about your business (niche, products, services.)
What sets you apart from the competition.
If a physical store, add your business address.
A call to action at the end.
4. Add your business location
If your business is a physical business like a boutique or a restaurant and not an online business, you might want to add your business address. There are two ways you can do this.
a) Add it to your bio
b) Add your business address as a hyperlink
To add your business address as a hyperlink, tap on:
Edit Profile.
Scroll down to public business information and tap on Contact Options.
Under Contact Options, go to Business Adress.
Here, you can enter your business location details. The result should look like the image below.
5. Add your Business Links
To complement the call to action used in your bio, you should add your website’s link. To do this, tap on:
Edit Profile.
Links.
Add external link (and paste your website link under the URL space.)
6. Create value through Instagram Story highlights
Create visually appealing Instagram stories to show your products and services, talk more about your business, answer regularly asked questions, and group them into story highlights.
To create a story highlight, tap on the following:
Plus sign found on the top right corner of your screen.
Story highlights (select the stories you would like to highlight.)
Edit Cover (select a visually appealing cover for your highlight.)
Add.
Congrats, you just created your first story highlight!
Setting up an Instagram business account may feel overwhelming at first, but it is also the first step toward unlocking the platform’s full potential for your business. With over 2.35 billion active users, Instagram truly can open many doors for business owners. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow. By following the right steps in creating your account and optimizing your profile with a compelling bio, strategic keywords, and features like story highlights and location links, you will build a strong foundation to reach and engage your audience. Remember, mastering Instagram is a process, but it’s one that can lead to real results. Good luck, have fun, and if you found this blog helpful, don’t forget to share it with your fellow entrepreneurs!
Read my colleague Marco's article for more information about Instagram ads, which is an essential tool for business owners on Instagram.
Resources
Meta. (n.d.). How to set up a business account on Instagram. Help center. https://help.instagram.com/502981923235522
Nelsen, K. (2024, September 19). Tips to create a perfect Instagram profile for Your Small Business. SocialSurge Marketing. https://socialsurgemarketing.com/how-to-create-a-perfect-instagram-profile-for-your-small-business/
Biljman, T. (2023, October 6). Quick guide to creating and optimising an Instagram Business Profile. Sendible. https://www.sendible.com/insights/instagram-business-profile
Zote, J. (2025, January 27). How to craft an impactful Instagram bio for business (+ 80 examples). Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/instagram-bios-for-businesses/
Comments