With its one billion monthly active users, Instagram is an excellent social media marketing tool for both businesses and content creators. Over time, Instagram has realized that different users need specialized features beyond its personal account. With this in mind, the platform rolled out creator and business accounts, each with unique tools that serve the needs of the target users.
Like many Instagram users, you may wonder which account suits your goals. Thankfully, the business vs creator account Instagram guide below highlights the benefits of both.
What Is an Instagram Business Account?
An Instagram business account has great features for anyone marketing on the platform. These tools include third-party integrations, access to analytics, contact buttons, and the ability to place links on stories. Furthermore, you can curate promoted Instagram posts to boost your visibility.
For the most part, this account works like a personal profile, where business owners can post photos, slide into people’s DMs and post reels and stories. Business account categories include art, musician/band, health/beauty, and shopping/retail. If you run a small business like a salon or fashion store, you get more exposure with an Instagram business profile rather than a personal one.
What Is an Instagram Creator Account?
Instagram launched this account type in 2019 to meet the requirements of its 500,000 active influencers and public figures who don’t have a business. The account’s features help content creators gain brand partnerships and build fanbases. Additionally, the in-depth analytics offered by Instagram creator profiles help creators understand their target audience.
The creator profile suits personal brands that want to operate like a business but don’t want to publicize contact information like their phone number.
Similarities
Instagram creator and business accounts have a lot in common, including:
1. Instagram Insights
Both creators and businesses need high-engaging content to promote their brands on social media. Fortunately, a professional account gives you insight into audience data and your content’s performance in terms of shares, impressions, profile websites, saves, and follower growth.
Further, you can track demographic data on the Instagram creator studio dashboard, including top audience locations, gender division, and follower growth. Since the metrics highlight your follower’s most active days and times, you can post at more optimal times. Also, a business or creator profile shows the number of gained or lost followers daily or weekly so you can determine your content’s relevance.
2. 2-Tab Inbox
Business and creator accounts with large followings receive a lot of direct messages. So, Instagram provides a Primary tab for priority messages and a General tab for non-priority DMs.
The primary tab features messages from accounts you follow, brands you collaborate with, or accounts you have tagged in a story or messaged before. These accounts may be reputable, verified, or share mutual followers. You can edit notifications for these two tabs in the settings.
3. Shoppable Posts
Influencer marketing is flourishing on Instagram, and shoppable posts let influencers monetize their content. Practically, influencers can tag products in Instagram stories and posts with this feature.
Then, a follower taps on the shoppable post to go to the product description and checkout pages. Shoppable posts save creators from the hassle of tagging brands and detailing captions in posts.
Business accounts with Instagram shopping can tag shoppable products in stories and posts and track metrics about the shop.
Differences
Despite the numerous similarities, creator and business accounts have several noteworthy differences, like:
1. Call to Action Buttons
Call to action buttons sit on creator or business bios or above story highlights. However, businesses have more options for these buttons, including shop, book, or reserve. Creators can only ask their followers to book or reserve. Both creator and business profiles can hide the call-to-action buttons.
2. Third-Party Scheduling
Although Instagram lets businesses and creators schedule content, its in-house scheduling feature is not as nuanced as third-party scheduling tools. Auto-publishing apps are essential for brands that schedule posts weeks or months in advance. What’s more, some apps even let brands manage comments without logging into their Instagram. Third-party integrations are also great for businesses that want to promote their Instagram posts on lobby digital signs.
3. Category Label
Both creator and business profiles let Instagram users add a category label in the bio. Common business labels include home improvement, hotel/lodging, restaurant, or marketing agency. Similarly, a creator can indicate blogger, photographer, author, actor, or any other suitable category.
However, creator accounts offer more flexibility with the category label. In practice, Instagram uses the category on your Facebook page to define your brand on the platform if you have a business account. Creators have broader choices and the option to define their brand themselves.
4. Music Library Access
Business profiles have restricted access to the Instagram music library because of copyright concerns. On the other hand, creators can enrich their reels and posts with a wide variety of soundtracks on the platform.
Which Account Type is Right for You?
The business vs creator account Instagram guide above will help you use Instagram more effectively. Ultimately, the right account depends on what you want to achieve on the platform. If you want to leverage Instagram marketing to grow your company, a business account has better features such as integrations with third-party scheduling and ticketing apps. For influencers courting brand partnerships, a creator account is the best route.
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