Which Instagram Account Type is Best for Your Business?
Did you know that there are three different Instagram account types, and each one comes with its own features?
For awhile there were just the Personal and Business options, which made everything easy and straight forward. But with the launch of Reels, Instagram created the Creator account.
Instagram now classifies the three account types into two categories:
Personal
Professional (Creator and Business)
Not sure which one is best for you? Let’s cover the pros and cons of each and narrow down the best account type for your Instagram strategy!
Personal
If you’re just on Instagram to connect with friends, be inspired by gorgeous posts, and entertained by Reels, keep it Personal.
Pros
Can post on Feed, Stories, IGTV, and Reels
Can be set to private
Can use popular music in Reels
Can link to multiple Facebook pages (which surprised me!)
Request verification (if your account is public)
Cons
You can’t share your contact information on your profile
No access to insights or analytics
Cannot work with brands for paid partnerships
Other features are limited
Recommended for: Individuals who want to interact with friends and family and don’t have a need to grow their account.
Creator
The Creator account falls between the Personal and Business accounts in terms of features. It was launched by Instagram as a way to separate influencers from the Personal and Business accounts, and to also allow for the easier creation of branded content and influencer-brand partnerships.
But there are benefits to using a Creator account, even if you’re not an influencer!.(It’s the one I use!)
Pros
Same posting features as Personal account
Can use popular music in Reels
Create “stoppable posts” (tag products in posts)
Access to insights and analytics pertaining to activity and audience
Can display contact information (or not!). You can make your profile look like a Personal account or a Business account
Ability to display a category label
Can link to a single Facebook Page and set-up promotions for both (via Facebook)
Request verification
Set-up automatic replies and filters to manage your DMs
Get access to Creator Studio on desktop (which allows you to schedule Instagram posts on a desktop computer)
Access branded content tools (paid partnership label, allow business partner to promote, etc.)
Cons
Account can only be public
Can be linked to just one Facebook Page
Not as many analytics as a Business account
Cannot use Instagram Shopping for your own products
Recommended for: Influencers, celebrities and public figures, artists, freelancers, and content creators. This is the account type that I use!
Business
The main pro of a Business account is that it has the widest array of analytics and allows you to tag products in posts (Instagram Shopping). However, the biggest con is that Business accounts cannot use popular music in Reels due to copyright.
Pros
Same posting features as Personal.
The most in-depth analytics of all the Instagram accounts, relating to content, activity, and audience
Must display contact information
Can choose a category for your business type.
Can link to a single Facebook Page
Can run ads
Ability to utilize Instagram Shopping, which allows you to tag products in your posts.
Set-up automatic replies and filters to manage your DMs
Can use video chat in DMs
Can manage branded content and promotion payments
Request verification
Access to “swipe up” feature on Stories (adding links) if your account becomes verified or you’ve exceeded 10,000 followers
Get access to Creator Studio on desktop (which allows you to schedule Instagram posts on a desktop computer)
Access branded content tools (paid partnership label, allow business partner to promote, etc.)
Cons
Cannot use popular music in Reels (due to copyright)
Cannot be set to private
Must be linked to a single Facebook Page
Recommended for: Big brands and those selling products. A Business account helps determine which content works and allows you to run ads directly on Instagram.
Click here for a more in-depth look at Instagram Business profile benefits.
FAQs
Can I switch my account type?
Yes! You can easily switch between the account types, however, if you switch from a Professional account (Creator or Business) back to a personal account, you’ll lose access to insights and the content from your promotions.
Luckily for all those commitment-phobes out there, you can easily switch between the three, meaning you can play around until you find the profile that suits you best. However, keep in mind that if you switch accounts back to personal, you will lose content from your promotions and you’ll no longer have access to your insights.
How can I switch my account type?
Looking to learn even more about Instagram, including how to boost engagement on your posts and what to post to begin with? Check out my online mini course, Instagram Insight.
