Instagram Business vs. Professional: Which Account is Right for You?
Instagram is an undeniable force in the digital world, with over one billion active monthly users and counting. It’s a powerful way to market and build your brand. However, simply making a personal Instagram account will not cut it—especially if you want to solidify your authority as a coach, course creator, or knowledge entrepreneur.
Maximizing Instagram professional accounts specific to entrepreneurs and creators is imperative. However, with so many features and options, it can be challenging to determine which type of account you should go for.
In this blog, we will explore the differences between Instagram Business and Professional accounts and help you decide the right one for your business.
Instagram Business Account
A Business account provides easier ways to promote your product and services. It makes your account more suitable for marketing and analyzing your product performance.
Pros
There are key features that Business Account has that are not available on a standard profile, namely:
Instagram Insights- this tool helps track your business performance. It provides valuable information about audience demographics, reach, engagement, and more.
Contact Button- This button makes it easier for potential customers to get in touch.
Swipe-up Links- There is an option to add a swipe-up link in your Stories to help redirect your audience to other sites.
Instagram Ads- This allows you to promote your product or service to a broader audience.
Shop- Customers can purchase directly on Instagram. You can also tag your products in your posts and stories.
Cons
While an Instagram Business Account makes marketing and promotion much easier to manage, there are some drawbacks.
Lack of authentic feel- Since the account prioritizes product promotion, it may come off as too sale-sy and fail to connect to a newer audience.
Difficulty in organic reach- While Instagram Ads help businesses reach a wider audience, the platform's algorithm can make it difficult to gain organic reach without paid advertising.
Instagram Professional Account
A Professional account is designed for those who want to use Instagram as a platform to showcase their work, build their audience, and gain brand partnerships.
Pros
A Professional account offers similar features to a Business account, such as having a Contact Button and Instagram Insights. But it also has new features focusing on personal branding and content creation.
Creator Studio- this dashboard allows you to manage your content on both Instagram and Facebook. It gives you better control over your content, such as restricting comments or filtering who can see it.
Branded Content- This allows you to partner with other brands and promote products or services. You may tag your business partners and see the performance of the post.
Shoppable Posts- You can’t add a Shop to the profile, but you can still tag shoppable products from other brands.
Streamlined Messaging- Messages are filtered into three groups, Primary, General, and Requests, making it easier to get back to important conversations.
Cons
Limited options for ad creation- More advanced ad creation features are available in the Business account.
Limited product promotion- Shop is unavailable in this account. So you’ll need to redirect your audience to another site if you want to sell something.
Which One Should You Use?
Now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of a Business and a Professional account let’s go over the factors you should consider to help you decide which to go for.
Goal
What is your primary purpose in creating an Instagram account?
A Business account suits you if you want to promote your products or services. If you are a creator, influencer, or public figure who wants to build your brand and showcase your content, a Professional account is the way to go.
Content
What type of content are you going to post?
If you want to engage your audience with your creative works, and insights, a Professional account is the best choice. You can even collaborate with other brands to get more engagement. But a Business Account will do if you’re more focused on showcasing and marketing your products and services.
Audience
Who's your target audience? Are you aiming for a specific crowd or a wider demographic?
If you're targeting a specific age group or location, a Professional account may be more suitable. You’ll have more freedom to tailor your content for them. But if you're looking to cast a wider net, a Business account may be the way to go with its advanced ad feature.
Get working
Instagram Business and Professional account have their unique features and benefits. No account is better than the other—it all comes down to your objective on the platform. Choosing the right account type will help you get the desired results and maximize your online presence.
