Instagram is a social network with around 500 million daily active users. Given the fact that over 80 percent of them follow business profiles, it’s clear why this platform is an integral part of every social media marketing strategy.

The best Instagram profiles share several common elements:

  • An easily identifiable username
  • A recognizable profile picture
  • Consistent posting of stories and photos
  • An informative and engaging bio
  • A link to a website, campaign, or blog

We are sharing with you a few tips on how to set up your Instagram profile to look attractive, tell your potential followers who you are and what you do, and give them a reason to follow you and engage with the content you share.

Firstly, it’s important to create a digital communication strategy that forms the brand story you want to share on Instagram.

Public (Not Private) profil

When creating a business Instagram profile, one of the important aspects is that everyone should be able to see your posts and follow your brand.

If your profile is set to private, anyone who wants to visit your profile won’t be able to see the content you’ve posted, which might discourage them from following you.

To ensure that your profile is set to the public option, click on Settings, then Privacy, and check if “Private Account” is turned off.

  • Recognizable and easy to search @Username (i.e., Handle)

Choose a username that is recognizable and easy to search. It’s recommended that the username be your business name. If such a username is already taken, use your business name as the first part so that users can find your profile more easily in searches.

For example, the Australian activewear brand Lorna Jane uses the username @lornajaneactive.

If you want to edit your @username, go to your profile and click on “Edit Profile”.

  • Profile picture

The profile picture is one of the first things users notice on your Instagram profile. The profile picture should be easily recognizable. Many businesses use their company logo as their profile picture.

The minimum dimensions for an Instagram profile picture are 110 x 110 pixels – a perfect square :), and then Instagram automatically crops it into a circular shape (110 pixels in diameter). It’s recommended to adhere to these dimensions, as any significant deviation will result in users seeing a blurry or stretched image.

In the example below, you’ll notice that the corners are shaded, indicating that Instagram will automatically crop them. You can adjust the circle’s position or zoom in until you achieve the desired profile picture.

To upload or change your profile picture, go to your profile and click on “Edit profile,” then select “Change profile photo.”

You can import a photo from Facebook or Twitter or choose one from your gallery.

It’s crucial to stay updated with current events throughout the year and adapt accordingly. For instance, you can enhance your profile picture with holiday elements during the New Year holidays or customize it according to events that are relevant at the moment.

  • Engaging, attractive, and informative “Bio”

Similar to the profile picture, the “bio” (description at the top of the profile) is one of the first things visitors to your profile will see. The maximum number of characters you can use to attract more followers in the “Bio” section is 150 characters. Additionally, you can use this space to support a particular action by utilizing specific hashtags or links.

  • Include links in the “Bio” section

One of the biggest concerns for people, especially businesses, with Instagram profiles is that traffic from this platform cannot be directed to an app, website, Twitter, or another network. This is because Instagram doesn’t allow clickable links except in the “website” box within the “Bio” section.

If you want to change the link in your “bio,” go to your page, click on “Edit Profile,” and then insert the URL you want in the URL box. You can change the URL on your profile whenever you want.

We recommend using shortened links that include UTM codes for tracking, so you can always have information about the traffic to your website generated from Instagram.

  • High-quality photos

Photos are a significant part of optimizing an Instagram profile. When users visit your profile on this platform, there’s a high probability that they will first look at the first ten photos on your feed. The quality of these photos can be a decisive factor in whether someone decides to follow you or not.

So always keep in mind that when you’re posting, if you don’t have something particularly interesting and beautiful to share, then it’s better not to post at all.

Share engaging and relevant topics, and always consider the needs of your users. Think about what kind of photo would interest them.

For instance, Coca-Cola targets young people who enjoy fun, socializing, and sports. That’s why they post photos of DJs at concerts or young people skiing on their Instagram profile (with a Coca-Cola bottle in hand, of course :)).

Another way to gather likes, comments, and followers is by sharing entertaining content with users of this social network. Sometimes, fun and humorous photos are more memorable and suitable for easy sharing 🙂

You don’t need to be a professional photographer for good and quality photos. What’s necessary is to research good examples, choose interesting perspectives and angles.

Photo editing applications can also assist you in creating great photos for Instagram.

  • Post content before you inform the public about your Instagram profile.

Before you inform the public about having your Instagram profile and encourage people to follow you, make sure to fill it with photos and all the essential information.

Social media users appreciate authentic content.

Instagram Stories are as important as regular posts, so utilize the high visibility they offer and engage with your potential target audience. Share fun or educational content with your followers through this format. Instagram Stories are short video clips or photos that appear for the next 24 hours and then disappear. This simple feature is an effective way to share entertaining or informative content with your followers.

  • Be consistent and regular in posting content

It’s important to focus on creating quality content that you’ll post when your community is most active.

Instagram is primarily a mobile app used throughout the day – research shows that most users engage with content on this platform outside of working hours.

Recommended days for posting content on Instagram are Monday and Thursday, at any time except between 3 PM and 4 PM.

However, it’s best to experiment and explore for yourself when your target audience is most active.

In order to have a successful Instagram page for your brand or business, you need to:

  1. You understand your audience
  2. You create content that your audience wants to see
  3. You entertain your followers
  4. You post not because you feel you have to, but because you have something to share, discuss, or ask
  5. You strike a balance between promotional and inspirational – creative content
  6. You tell stories through visual content
  7. You offer exclusivity to your followers
  8. You analyze your success – audience, their habits, preferences, and use that to enhance your content.