An Instagram business account is a free type of professional account that gives your business insights (how your posts perform), contact buttons, the option to run ads and access to scheduling tools. You can create a brand new account and switch it to professional in a couple of minutes, or convert the personal account you already use. Either way, you do it from inside the Instagram app under Settings and privacy.

Getting the account live is the quick bit. What makes people follow, message or buy is a profile that explains what you do at a glance and a grid that already looks busy. Below we cover both routes to an Instagram business account, how to choose between business and creator, linking a Facebook Page, contact buttons, a profile checklist and a simple plan for your first nine posts.

Create the account, then switch it to professional

Start with a separate account for the business

Our advice to most clients is to keep the business and your personal life apart. If your current personal account is full of holiday photos and friends, create a fresh account for the business rather than converting it. If you have been posting about the business on a personal account for a while and already have relevant followers, switching that account over is fine and you keep your followers and posts.

To create a new Instagram account in the app:

1. Download Instagram from the App Store or Google Play and tap Create new account. If you are already logged in to a personal account, tap your username at the top of your profile and choose Add Instagram account instead.
2. Sign up with a mobile number or email address. Use a business email that more than one person can access, such as hello@ or social@, not an employee’s personal address.
3. Create a strong password, add your date of birth (Instagram asks this for every account, including business ones) and enter your name.
4. Choose a username. Keep it short, easy to spell and as close to your business name as you can. If it is taken, add your town or a simple word like “uk” or “studio” rather than random numbers.
5. Agree to the terms, then skip or follow the prompts to add a profile photo and find contacts. You can finish the profile later.

Instagram also lets you manage several accounts from one login through Accounts Centre, which is handy if you run more than one brand. Turn on two-factor authentication from Accounts Centre straight away. Losing access to a business account is one of the most stressful problems we help clients fix, and two-factor authentication prevents most of them.

How to switch to a professional account

Whether the account is brand new or one you have used for years, the switch works the same way. Instagram calls business and creator accounts “professional accounts”.

1. Go to your profile and tap the menu icon (three lines) in the top right.
2. Tap Settings and privacy, then scroll to For professionals and tap Account type and tools.
3. Tap Switch to professional account and work through the intro screens.
4. Pick the category that best describes your business, for example Restaurant, Hair Salon or Marketing Agency. You can choose whether the category shows on your profile.
5. Choose Business or Creator (more on that below).
6. Review your contact details, then connect a Facebook Page if prompted, or skip and do it later.

Instagram does move menu names around now and then, so if a label differs on your phone, the Instagram Help Centre guide to professional accounts shows the current route. You can switch back to a personal account from the same menu, but be aware that you lose your insights history when you do.

Business or creator: pick the one that fits how you sell

Both are free and both give you insights, the professional dashboard and access to ads. The differences are in the detail:

Feature	Business account	Creator account
Best for	Shops, service businesses, brands, venues	Influencers, artists, personal brands, public figures
Contact options	Email, phone and address, plus action buttons such as Book or Reserve	Email and phone, with more control over hiding them
Instagram Shopping	Full product tagging and shop features (where eligible)	More limited
Third-party scheduling and inbox tools	Full support	Supported, with some tools needing extra setup
Profile categories	Broad business categories	More personal categories, such as Digital creator or Artist

For almost every SME we work with, Business is the right choice. It works most reliably with scheduling platforms, ads tools and booking partners. Creator suits a founder building a personal brand alongside the company account. Music availability can also vary by account type and region, so if trending audio is central to your content plan, check the sounds you want are available before you commit.

Link a Facebook Page so everything talks to each other

You do not have to link a Facebook Page to run an Instagram business account, but we strongly recommend it. Linking lets you:

• Manage both accounts, messages and comments in Meta Business Suite.
• Run ads across Facebook and Instagram from one ad account in Meta Ads Manager.
• Connect most social media scheduling and reporting tools, which often rely on the link.
• Keep admin access with the business rather than one person’s phone.

To link them, tap Edit profile on Instagram and look for the Page option under your public business information, then choose an existing Facebook Page or create one. You can also do it from Meta Business Suite settings on desktop. You need to be an admin of the Facebook Page (someone with full control of it) for the link to work.

Contact buttons turn profile visits into enquiries

Once the account is professional, go to Edit profile and open Contact options. Add the email address, phone number and, if customers visit you, your business address. These appear as buttons on your profile, so people can call or email in one tap.

Related reading: Instagram Branding: How to Build a Brand People Love on Instagram

Then look at Action buttons. Depending on your category and the partners available in the UK, you can add buttons such as Book now, Reserve, Order food or Get quote, linked to a booking system you already use. A salon taking bookings or a restaurant taking tables should set this up on day one, as it removes a step between interest and a sale.

Finally, set up your message settings. Saved replies and frequently asked questions in the Instagram inbox save time and help you answer quickly, which customers notice.

Your profile optimisation checklist

Before you post anything, make sure the profile does its job. This is the checklist we run through when we take on a new Instagram account:

• Profile photo. Your logo or a clear headshot for a personal brand. It displays as a small circle, so keep it simple and centred. Upload at least 320 x 320 pixels.
• Name field. This is searchable on Instagram. Use your business name plus a keyword, such as “Bloom Florist | Guildford Flowers”, so people searching for the service can find you.
• Username. Matches your brand on other platforms where possible.
• Bio. You get 150 characters. Say what you do, who for and where, then tell people what to do next. Plain beats clever.
• Links. You can add up to five links. Put your most important one (booking page, shop or contact page) first, as that is the one that shows.
• Category and contact buttons. Set and tested, so the call and email buttons actually work.
• Story highlights. Add a few once you have Stories to save, such as Reviews, Services, Menu or FAQs, with simple branded covers.
• Search visibility. Public posts from professional accounts can now appear in Google search results. Check the setting is switched on under your privacy settings if you want that extra visibility.

Plan your first 9 posts before you announce the account

When someone lands on a new profile with one post, it looks empty. Nine posts fills three rows of your grid and gives visitors enough to judge whether to follow. Instagram’s profile grid now shows posts as portrait thumbnails (a 3:4 shape), so create images at 1080 x 1350 pixels and keep important details away from the very top and bottom edges.

Here is a simple first nine we use as a starting point, mixing formats:

1. Introduction Reel. A short video of who you are and what you do, filmed on a phone. Real beats polished.
2. Your best product or service. A carousel showing it from a few angles, with prices or a clear next step.
3. Meet the team. A photo of the people behind the business with a short caption about each.
4. A customer review. A genuine review turned into a simple branded graphic (with permission).
5. A useful tip. A carousel teaching something quick from your expertise.
6. Behind the scenes. A Reel showing how something is made, prepared or delivered.
7. Location or premises. Your shop, studio or the area you serve, so local people recognise you.
8. Frequently asked question. Answer the question every customer asks.
9. A clear offer or call to action. How to book, buy or get in touch.

Write captions that use the words customers would search for, add a few relevant hashtags, and pin your three most important posts to the top of the grid. Then tell your existing customers, email list and Facebook followers that you are on Instagram.

Frequently asked questions

Is an Instagram business account free?

Yes. Creating an account and switching it to a business account costs nothing. You only pay if you choose to boost posts or run ads.

Will I lose followers if I switch to a business account?

No. Your followers, posts and username stay exactly as they are. You simply gain the professional tools.

Can a business account be private?

No. Professional accounts have to be public. If you need a private account, it has to stay as a personal account.

Do I need a Facebook Page to use Instagram as a business?

Not to get started, but linking one makes ads, Meta Business Suite and most scheduling tools work far better, so we recommend it.

Get your Instagram set up and working

A properly set up Instagram business account makes every post, ad and profile visit work harder. If you would rather have it built, written for and managed for you, our social media management team can take it on, and our Instagram ads service can put it in front of the right local customers. Get in touch and we will take a look at where you are now.