What's the difference between a normal account and a business account on Instagram?

Instagram is a social network based on sharing visual content, founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and acquired by Facebook in 2012. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram has become one of the most popular social networks in the world. Users can share photos and videos, use filters and other tools to edit their content, follow other users' accounts and interact with them. Instagram also offers a variety of features for business users, including ephemeral stories, live videos, hashtags and accounts of popular influencers and business brands. Instagram is used by individuals, businesses and organizations of all sizes and industries to promote their brand, products and services, interact with their audience and grow their community on social media.

Normal account vs. business account on Instagram: which is the best choice for you?

The difference between a normal and professional account on Instagram is that the professional account offers additional features for businesses and brand influencers, such as engagement statistics, Instagram ads, contact buttons and e-commerce functionality. The Instagram professional account also allows you to categorize your account according to your business and fill in contact information for your company. Let's take a look at how to choose between these two profile types.

Normal account on Instagram

A normal account is a type of personal account that any user can create for free. It is not intended for companies or a brand creator.

1. Features available for creators with a normal profile

• The personal account on Instagram has access to basic features, such as sharing photos and videos, adding filters and captions, and the ability to follow and interact with other users.
• The personal account to can also add ephemeral stories that disappear after 24 hours.

1. Advantages and disadvantages of a normal account

• Benefits

• The personal account is free and easy to create.
• Users can share photos and videos with their family, friends and community.
• The personal account is ideal for people who just want to share their daily life on Instagram without a commercial goal.

• Disadvantages:

• Normal accounts don't have access to all the advanced features offered by professional accounts, such as Instagram stats.
• Normal accounts are not suitable for businesses and brands that want to promote their product or service on Instagram.
• Users cannot include clickable links in their Instagram stories, which limits their ability to drive traffic to their website or online store.

Professional Instagram account

A professional account is a type of account intended for companies, brands and professionals who wish to promote their activity on the platform. It is not a personal account. It is free and offers advanced features to help users reach their type of target audience.

1. Features available for a professional profile

• Professional accounts on Instagram have access to advanced features such as Instagram stats, which provide information on post and story performance, follower counts, user interactions and more.
• Professional accounts may also include business contact information such as phone numbers, email addresses and links to their website or online store.
• Business account users can also access advanced advertising features to promote their content and brand on the platform.

1. Advantages and disadvantages of a profile for professional use

• Benefits

• Business accounts allow companies to easily connect with their target audience by providing them with valuable information about their business, products and services.
• Business accounts allow companies to create a consistent and professional brand image with features such as contact buttons and website links.
• Professional accounts allow companies to create a more effective marketing strategy by analyzing engagement statistics and measuring the impact of their advertising campaigns.
• Professional accounts can help businesses gain credibility and trust with their target audience, which can result in increased sales and customer loyalty.
• Business accounts also offer advanced features for interacting with followers, such as the ability to quickly reply to direct messages, post Stories and create meetups with their community.

• Disadvantages:

• Business accounts can seem less authentic to users who are looking to interact with people rather than brands or companies.
• Business account users can be overwhelmed with requests for advertising and promotion, which can be costly and time consuming.
• Professional account users need to continually produce quality content and advertising to keep their audience engaged.

How do you choose between a normal account and a business account on Instagram?

1. Assessment of your marketing and business promotion needs

• Think about your marketing and promotional needs on Instagram. Are you using Instagram to promote your business or brand? Or are you just looking to share photos and videos with your community?
• If you're using Instagram to promote your business or brand, a professional account might be the best choice for you.

1. Analysis of your target audience and market profile

• Analyze your target audience and market. Is your audience primarily individual consumers or other businesses?
• If your audience is primarily made up of individual consumers, a normal account may be sufficient to reach your target audience. However, if you are looking to reach other businesses, a business account may be more suitable.

1. Thinking about your long-term goals for your Instagram account creation

• Think about your long-term goals for your Instagram account. Are you looking to grow your business or brand on Instagram?
• If you're looking to grow your business or brand on Instagram, a professional account may be the right choice for you, as it offers advanced features to help users reach their target audience and promote their business on the platform.

‍

Exclusive Instagram business account features that can help your business succeed

Contact Button

Instagram business profiles can add a contact button on their profile, which allows users to contact the business directly via calls, emails or messages ;

Instagram Insights

The social network provides detailed data on your account's reach, engagement and interactions, allowing you to understand your audience and measure the effectiveness of your marketing strategies;

Instagram Ads

Business profiles can promote their posts through Instagram ads, which allow businesses to reach a wider audience and target users based on their interests, location and online behavior ;

Swipe-up

Business profiles with more than 10,000 followers can add a "Swipe-up" feature to their Stories, which allows users to swipe up to access a link to a web page, product or service ;

Instagram Catalog

Professional profiles can also create a product catalog through Instagram Shopping, which allows users to discover, browse and purchase products directly from their Instagram feed ;

Call-to-action buttons

Business profiles can add call-to-action buttons to their posts, such as "Buy Now" or "Sign Up".

Content statistics

Professional profiles can get detailed statistics on their posts, such as the number of views, clicks and interactions, to better understand the impact of their content;

Pinning Stories

Professional profiles can pin important Stories to the top of their profile to showcase them;

Access to preview features

Professional profiles can get access to preview features before their public release.

How to go from a normal account to a professional account on Instagram

1. Log in to your Instagram platform and access your account;
2. Click on the three horizontal bars icon at the top right of your screen;
3. Select " Settings " at the bottom of the drop-down list;
4. Scroll down and click on " Account ";
5. Select " Switch to Professional Profile " at the bottom of the page;
6. Connect your Instagram account to your professional Facebook page if you have one;
7. Select the category that best suits your business or brand (e.g. Marketing Agency, Boutique, Blogger, etc.);
8. Add your company's contact information, such as your email address, phone number and address;
9. You can also add a contact button (e.g. call, email) to your profile;
10. Finally, you can choose whether or not you want to connect your Instagram account to an existing Facebook page.

In conclusion, the difference between a normal account and a professional account on Instagram lies in the advanced features offered by the professional account for businesses and brands. If you're a secret Instagram operative, you may want to create a professional account to reach a wider audience and gain powerful marketing tools for your covert activities. Regardless of the type of account you choose, it's important to understand the differences between them to make an informed decision and get the most out of your Instagram presence.