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Over 200 million businesses worldwide use Instagram's business features to connect with 2 billion customers and track their content performance. Instagram is also the third most popular social media platform, tied with WhatsApp for the number of monthly active users.
To unlock business features, youâll first need a regular Instagram account, then convert it to a professional account in a few easy steps. Itâs free to do so, and weâll explain the steps and what to expect in the sections below.
Instagram business accounts unlock analytics, contact buttons, monetization, and advertising tools that personal profiles don't have access to.
Converting your Instagram personal account to a business profile takes under 5 minutes in the mobile app. Itâs free and you can reverse the change anytime.
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A professional or business Instagram account gives you access to additional features to help you increase your number of followers, analyze your accountâs growth, run ads, monetize your content, and streamline messages and comment management from potential customers.Â
The switch unlocks Instagram Insights analytics, contact buttons for your profile, and the ability to run adsâall free.
đ Related article:Â How to get verified on Instagram
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There are two types of professional accounts on Instagram: Business accounts and Creator accounts, each tailored to best suit the businesses they represent.
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Switching from a personal account to a professional one can seem like a huge commitment, but thankfully, it is straightforward. The changes help you achieve your business or entrepreneurial goals by increasing your social media and online visibility.
These are the main changes that youâll need to take note of:
Source: The differences between public and private accounts on Instagram
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The entire process takes place in your Instagram mobile app and can be completed in about 3 to 5 minutes. Start by logging into your Instagram account.
Step 1: Tap on the 3 horizontal lines (â°) in the top right corner of your screen to get to Settings and activity
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Step 2: Scroll down to the For Professionals section, and tap âAccount Type and Toolsâ
Step 3: Tap âSwitch to professional accountâ
Step 4: Tap âNextâ when shown the key benefits of switchingÂ
Step 5: Type in the search field to find a suitable business category (Note: there are over 1000 business categories and professions to choose from!). Then tap âSwitch to professional accountâ
Step 6: Select between Business or Creator, then tap âNextâ
Step 7: Decide if you want to receive promotional emails from Instagram. The default is consent, so youâd have to tap the toggle once to opt out. Tap âNextâÂ
Step 8: Review and add basic contact details
Step 9: [Optional step] Connect to your business Facebook Page now by logging into Facebook, or tap âSkipâ to continue
And thatâs it! Once you see this screen, you have successfully turned your personal Instagram profile into a Professional account đ
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đ Related article:Â How to Link Instagram to a Facebook Page: Step-by-step guide
Spending hours on multiple calls, reminder emails, lengthy PDFs, or sharing passwords to access clientsâ ad and social accounts? Leadsie has a better solution.Â
Donât place the administrative burden on your new clients during client onboarding. Send them a secure Leadsie link thatâll get your agency access to 20+ platforms at once. The best part? The access doesnât expire, and no one is risking account security by sharing logins. đ
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Leadsie is a client onboarding software that simplifies requesting and giving access to marketing assets, social media, and ad accounts with one secure link. Get access to your clientsâ or influencersâ Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, Shopify, LinkedIn, X, and other accounts without sharing passwords.
Leadsie speeds up client onboarding by replacing manual access requests with one secure approval link. You send the link to your client, they review and approve the permissions youâve requested, and your agency gets instant access to their accounts.
â Reduces your agency's turnaround time by over 50%
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P.S. It's risk-free, and you get to keep your account connections after the trial ends. đ
Jocelynâs background spans UX research, marketing, content writing, and consulting. She combines her interests in psychology and systems thinking into her work, fuelled by an endless curiosity. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, dawn patrol surfing, surf skating, and gaming.
Clients struggling to share access to their
accounts? Get the access you need in minutes with a free trial of Leadsie.
Approved by Meta, Google & Tiktok
Keep access to accounts if you cancel
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Delete your onboarding PDF. Cancel the video call. Just send one link, and get hassle-free access to 13+ platforms in minutes. Start free today.
Approved by Meta, Google & Tiktok
Keep access to clients' accounts if you cancel
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No, converting to a business account is completely free. Instagram doesn't charge for access to Insights, contact buttons, or any business features. You only pay if you choose to run paid advertisements through the platform.
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No, business accounts on Instagram operate as public profiles only. This is by designâbusinesses are discoverable by potential customers. If you try to make a business account private, Instagram will either prevent the privacy change or automatically switch you back to a personal account.
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Go to Settings and privacy > Account type and tools > Switch account type. From there, you can choose Personal or Creator. Your followers, posts, and content remain unchanged. But youâll lose access to business-specific features like Insights and contact buttons.
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Instagram offers over 1000 category options ranging from broad classifications like "Entrepreneur" and "Shopping & retail" to specific ones like "Pet groomer" or "Marketing agency." Your category appears as a small label below your username on your profile. You can change it anytime through Edit profile > Category.
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Yes, you can create and operate a business Instagram account without linking any Facebook page. The Facebook connection is optional and primarily benefits users who want to cross-post content or manage both platforms from one dashboard. Your Instagram business account works independently even if you never create a Facebook presence.
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Your photos and videos posted from 1st January 2020 onwards may appear in search results if all three criteria are true:
If you do not want your posts to appear to the public, youâd have to set your account to private, reverting to a personal account. That means you cannot benefit from Professional/business features.
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