Instagram for business works best when you have something to show: food, an interior, a treatment, a renovation or the result of your work. With a business account, a clear bio and a steady rhythm of posts, reels and stories, you build trust with people in your area or target audience.
The goal is not as many followers as possible. The goal is for the right people to know you and know how to book, order or request a quote. In this article you will learn how to approach that in practice, without turning it into a full-time job.
Is Instagram right for your business?
Instagram is all about visuals. The more there is to see in your business, the better it works. A few examples:
- Hospitality: dishes, the venue, the team, new items on the menu.
- Beauty and hairdressers: results, the atmosphere in the salon, explanations of treatments.
- Construction, interiors and landscaping: before and after photos of projects.
- Shops and online stores: products in use, new collections.
- Sport and coaching: exercises, tips and customer stories, with their permission.
If you mainly supply other businesses and there is little to show, LinkedIn marketing is often a better first choice.
How to set up an Instagram business account
Switch your account to a professional account. It's free and gives you insights, contact buttons and the option to advertise. Then fill in the following:
- Profile picture: your logo or, for a one-person business, a good photo of yourself. It is shown small, so keep it simple.
- Name: your business name plus a search term if you like, such as 'Studio Lisa | Eyebrows Haarlem'. People can find you by that name within Instagram.
- Bio: in one or two sentences, what you do, for whom and where.
- Link: to the page where someone can book, order or get in touch straight away. Not just to your homepage.
- Contact buttons: phone, email or directions, so people can reach you in one tap.
- Highlights: fixed circles under your bio with, for example, prices, how you work, reviews and frequently asked questions.
An example: a salon puts a link to its booking page in the bio. Anyone arriving via Instagram can then make an appointment straight away.
Feed, reels and stories: what goes where?
Instagram has several formats, each with its own role:
- Posts in your feed: photos or carousels, a series of images you swipe through. They stay put and form your shop window. Good for projects, step-by-step explanations and your offer.
- Reels: short, vertical videos. They are also shown to people who don't follow you yet, which makes them the strongest way to reach a new audience.
- Stories: disappear after 24 hours. Ideal for day-to-day things like 'one slot left today at 3pm', a look behind the scenes or a poll.
- Highlights: stories you save under your profile, so new visitors quickly see the most important information.
A realistic rhythm for a small business is, for example, two posts or reels a week and a few stories in between. Choose what you can genuinely keep up. Also read video marketing for SMEs if you want to get started with reels.
Instagram marketing strategy: ideas that work for SMEs
Not sure what to post? These topics work for many businesses:
- Before and after: the result of your work in two images.
- The process: how a dish, treatment or job comes together.
- People: you and your colleagues, with a name and a face.
- Customers in their own words, with their permission.
- Explainers: three tips, five mistakes, the difference between two options.
- Practical info: opening hours, new services, availability.
- Local things: an event in your town, a collaboration with a neighbouring business.
Use a few relevant hashtags and add your location, but don't expect miracles from them. Good images and clear text do more than thirty hashtags. Under every post, write what someone can do now: book, comment, send a message.
From followers to customers
Instagram only pays off when your followers take a next step. Make that step easy:
- Respond quickly to messages and comments. A question in your DMs, your private messages, is often a warm lead.
- State in your bio and highlights exactly how someone books or orders.
- Make sure the page behind your link loads quickly and works well on a phone. Almost everyone arrives on mobile.
- Now and then, point to your booking page or online shop in stories with a link sticker.
- Ask happy customers to tag you. That is free reach among their friends.
A strong website is not an afterthought here. Instagram grabs attention, your website lands the appointment or sale. Want to pay for extra reach as well? Read advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
Instagram insights: what should you measure?
With a professional account you can see what happens per post and per period. Pay particular attention to:
- Reach: how many different people saw your posts.
- Saves and shares: a strong sign that your content is useful.
- Profile activity: taps on your link, call button or directions.
- Messages in your DMs that lead to an appointment or order.
- Visits from Instagram to your website, visible in Google Analytics.
Once a month, look at which posts worked best and do more of those. That way you quickly learn what your followers want to see.
Common mistakes with Instagram for business
- Buying followers. It looks big, but those accounts never become customers and your reach among real followers drops.
- Only posting ads. People follow you for inspiration or usefulness, not for offers.
- No link, or a link to the wrong page.
- Nothing for weeks and then ten posts in one day.
- Not answering questions, so potential customers drop off.
How Violexa helps with Instagram and your website
We help you with a plan that fits your time and your customers, run ads where they pay off and make sure your website welcomes visitors from Instagram properly. That falls under our online marketing, with SEO, Google Ads and social media, from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month, with no minimum term and cancellable monthly with one month's notice.
Curious how Instagram could deliver more for your business? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes we look at your account, your website and your goals. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is an Instagram business account free?
Yes. A professional account costs nothing. You only pay if you start advertising. You get insights and contact buttons that a personal account doesn't have.
How often should a business post on Instagram?
A steady rhythm matters more than a high number. For many small businesses, two posts or reels a week plus some stories works well. Choose what you can keep up for months.
How do you get more Instagram followers for your business?
Make reels, because they are also shown to non-followers. Post useful or relatable content, engage with others and ask customers to tag you. Buying followers backfires.
Does Instagram for business work without advertising?
Yes, especially if you post reels regularly and reply to messages quickly. Advertising speeds up your reach, but you don't need it to get started.
