Are you finally ready to hop on the Instagram bandwagon and reach new customers? Here are some easy tips on how to improve your Instagram profile today and attract more followers!

Switch to a Business Profile

Instagram accounts are automatically set up as personal profiles, but this can be changed through profile settings if you have a Facebook Business page. By converting to a business account, its easier for customers to contact you and learn more about the company/product than if you have a personal account. There are also more tools for users with business profiles about analytics and followers too. For example, you can track your page’s performance with Instagram Insights, add contact buttons, connect to your company’s Facebook page, and create promoted posts!

Adjust Your Profile Picture

Instagram is solely visual, which means that your branding and creativity comes first. Make sure to upload a recognizable profile photo or logo, using the correct dimensions. The logo is circular on mobile, and displays as 110×110 px. To ensure that your photo or logo doesn’t get cropped, we recommend uploading a picture that’s at least 320 x 320 px so it can be shrunken down and fit within the circle.

Update Your Username

Your username should ideally match the name of your business, but sometimes the username you want is already taken. If this is the case, try to think about what potential customers will type into the search bar if they’re trying to find you for some more ideas. For example, it may be essential to include a keyword, location, or product in your username.

Optimize Your Bio

Instagram allows you 150 characters to write a clear, concise, and appealing summary of you and your business, so make it stand out! Instagram bios are not searchable, so don’t worry about including keywords here. Instead, focus on catching your target market’s eye by revealing your personality in this summary. Don’t forget to include contact information, a call-to-action, and any company related hashtags as well so followers can engage with your profile and increase organic reach. If you want to drive customers to a page on the website, be sure to add a trackable shortened link instead of an excessively long one. Keep in mind that you can update the link whenever there are new promotions or sales you’d like to highlight!

Post Consistent Images

As we mentioned earlier, Instagram is a visual social platform. It’s essential that your posts look great individually, but also are appealing when your profile is presented as a whole. To keep photos consistent, we recommend using a color scheme that mirrors your brand. It is also a good idea to create a posting strategy, so the images flow nicely and appear in sync together. Some brands post a multi-grid collage, while others alternate the posts types. By doing this, customers become interested and will continue to follow the profile so they can keep tabs on the posts. We’ve found that the best photos on Instagram are square, rather than horizontal, and 1080 x 1080 px. If the pictures aren’t square yet or if they need a little enhancing, take advantage of the free apps out there, like VSCO or Instasize!

Engage with Your Followers

Like any social platform, it’s necessary to interact and engage with followers on Instagram. Customers feel ecstatic when a company is noticing their photos, replying to their messages, or commenting on their posts. If you activate notifications, you will never miss a comment, mention, or like from customers, which in turn, helps build your brand and retain customers.