How to Create an Instagram Business Account

Open your phone and go to one of these app stores:

• iPhone users: Open the App Store (the blue icon with a white "A"). Search for "Instagram" and tap Get.
• Android users: Open the Google Play Store (the colorful triangle icon). Search for "Instagram" and tap Install.
• Computer users: Open your web browser and go to instagram.com. You can sign up right from the website.

Wait for the app to download and install. Once it's done, tap Open (or find the Instagram icon on your home screen and tap it).

On the welcome screen, tap Sign Up (or "Create new account"). Instagram will ask how you'd like to register:

• Email: Enter a business email address (like [email protected]). This keeps your business account separate from personal ones.
• Phone number: If you prefer, you can enter your mobile number instead. Instagram will text you a confirmation code.

Tap Next. Instagram will send you a confirmation code by email or text message. Check your inbox (or messages), find the 6-digit code, and type it in.

Your username is your @handle — this is how people will find and tag you on Instagram (for example, @yourbusiness).

A few important rules and tips:

• No spaces allowed. Use underscores (_) or periods (.) instead. For example: @your_business or @your.business
• Keep it short and memorable. The shorter, the easier it is for people to remember and type.
• Match your other platforms. If you're @yourbusiness on Twitter/X, use the same name on Instagram. This makes it easy for customers to find you everywhere.
• Avoid random numbers. @yourbusiness is better than @yourbusiness12345. If your ideal name is taken, try adding your city or industry (like @yourbusiness_nyc).

Type in your username and tap Next. Instagram will tell you immediately if the name is available (green checkmark) or taken (red message).

Instagram will ask you to create a password. Make it strong:

• At least 6 characters (Instagram's minimum), but aim for 12 or more
• Mix letters, numbers, and symbols (like Br@nd2026!)
• Don't reuse a password from another account

Next, enter your full name. This is your display name — it appears in bold at the top of your profile. Use your official business name here (for example, "Sunrise Bakery" or "Smith Consulting Group").

Your display name is different from your username. People can search for either one, so use your real business name.

Tap Next to continue.

Instagram will prompt you to add a profile picture. Tap the circle (or "Add Photo" button) to upload an image.

• Use your business logo. This is what appears next to every comment and post you make, so it should be recognizable.
• Size: 320×320 pixels is the recommended size. Instagram displays it as a circle, so keep important details (like text) away from the edges.
• File type: JPG or PNG. Keep it under 5 MB.

You can choose a photo from your phone's gallery, take a new picture with your camera, or import from Facebook.

You can skip this for now and add a photo later, but we recommend doing it now — profiles without photos look incomplete and get fewer followers.

Instagram will offer to search your phone contacts to find people you know, and then suggest popular accounts to follow.

Skip both of these for now. Here's why:

• Connecting your personal contacts to a business account can look unprofessional
• Following hundreds of random accounts dilutes your feed and makes your profile look spammy
• You can always find and follow relevant accounts later, when you've set up your business profile properly

Look for a "Skip" link (usually in the top-right corner or at the bottom of the screen) and tap it for each of these screens.

Now it's time to upgrade your personal account to a Business Account. This is the most important step — it unlocks analytics, contact buttons, and professional tools.

Here's the exact path to follow:

Let's walk through each tap:

1. Tap your profile icon — it's in the bottom-right corner of the screen (a small circle with your photo or a person silhouette).
2. Tap the hamburger menu (☰) — three horizontal lines in the top-right corner of your profile page.
3. Tap "Settings and privacy" — it's usually the first option in the menu, with a gear icon.
4. Scroll down and tap "Account type and tools" — this is under the "For professionals" section.
5. Tap "Switch to professional account" — and then tap Continue on the info screens that follow.

Instagram will ask you to pick between two types of professional accounts:

Select "Business" and tap Next. The Business account type gives you everything you need to promote your brand, run ads, and track how your content performs.

Instagram will show a search field where you can type your business category. Start typing and suggestions will appear. For example:

• Marketing Agency — for marketing, PR, or advertising firms
• Restaurant — for food and beverage businesses
• Consulting Agency — for professional services
• Retail or Shopping & Retail — for online or physical stores
• Health/Beauty — for salons, spas, fitness studios
• Local Business — a catch-all if nothing else fits perfectly

Pick the category that best describes what you do. Don't worry about getting it exactly right — you can change this later.

You'll also see a toggle for "Display on profile". Turn this on if you want visitors to see your category (e.g., "Restaurant" will appear under your name). Turn it off if you prefer a cleaner look.

Instagram will ask for your business contact details. These create tappable buttons on your profile that let customers reach you directly:

• Business email: Customers tap "Email" and their email app opens with your address pre-filled.
• Phone number: Customers tap "Call" and their phone dials your number.
• Physical address: If you have a brick-and-mortar location, add your address so customers can tap "Directions" and get a map.

All three are optional but recommended — they make it much easier for potential customers to get in touch.

Finally, Instagram will offer to connect your Facebook Page. This lets you:

• Cross-post your Instagram content to Facebook automatically
• Run Instagram ads through Meta Ads Manager
• Manage both accounts from Meta Business Suite

If you have a Facebook Page, tap Connect and follow the prompts. If you don't have one (or don't want to connect it now), tap Skip. You can always do this later in your settings.