You may just be launching a new account or you may have had one for years that just needs a refresh. Either way, as the platform evolves there are basics you should consider to get your Instagram profile in order. To really maximize your profile make sure you are set up as a Business Profile (located in Settings). It’s free to set up and it will allow you to get more analytics and connect your Facebook ads account.
Bio: Your Instagram bio should give a quick snapshot of who you are and why someone should follow. Don’t be afraid to show a little personality if that’s who your brand is, and don’t let the bio get stale. Revisit it every quarter to see if the info holds true or if you do need to add a new location, product or service.
Website Link: Use this precious URL to link directly to a landing page or website. You can also consider a tool like LinkTree to feature multiple links at once.
Profile photo: Facebook and Instagram love to keep us on our toes by changing the size of profile images. It’s not a bad idea to take a step back and make sure the photo you did select a year or two ago still fits properly. You may need to resize it.
Highlights: This is where you can save Instagram stories for the long haul and highlight covers can really dress your page up. Consider fun icons and bringing in your brand colors. It should meld well with your profile pic as those two elements are a constant on the page.
Location: Input your address especially if your customer base is local and make sure you use local hashtags throughout your posts. This will be key in helping the right people find you.
Action Buttons: You have the ability to add a button to cook an appointment, call or email. With very few links available on Instagram you want to make sure you take advantage of this feature. As a service business, we tied Acuity Scheduling to our Instagram pages, but if you are in food and beverage considering adding a Delivery button that integrates into a service like Postmates or Grubhub.
Video Content Once you post your first IGTV or Reel this section will be visible. Even if you aren’t video heavy, remember IGTV is a great place to host video that’s longer than 60 seconds when you do have a clip and views on Reels tend to get more organic reach than a standard video post.
Shop: Instagram is very much pushing e-commerce despite its lack of links. If you have products to sell online be sure to set up a shop.
Follow these steps to get your Instagram profile off to a good start this year and be sure to share any we’ve missed in the comments below or tag us on social @TheGoSocial.