Last year, Instagram launched a new type of account – the Creator account. Aimed at individuals, it provides additional insights that were previously reserved for those with Business accounts, as well as introducing some completely new features. But how does a Creator account differ from a Business account? And how do you know which one to choose?
How to Create a Professional Instagram Account
Before we compare Creator accounts and Business accounts, let’s look at how to make your personal account a professional account. All Instagram accounts are personal accounts by default. If you want to convert your Instagram followers into customers, then you should have a professional account. A professional account allows customers to call or email you direct from your profile and gives you insights into how well your posts are performing.
If you’re using a personal account, it’s easy to switch to a professional account. First, go to your profile and tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner. Choose ‘Settings’ then ‘Account’. At the bottom of the ‘Account’ tab is the option to ‘Switch to Professional account’. You’ll then be given the option to choose a ‘Creator’ account or a ‘Business’ account. Then just follow the steps, which include choosing a category and connecting your account to a Facebook page (this is optional) and you’re done.
Should I Choose a Creator Account or a Business Account?
This is a difficult one. Creator accounts were introduced in 2019 and are available to all Instagram users, as are Business accounts. Facebook lists the features of a Creator account as:
- Flexible Profile Controls – You can choose to hide or display category info and contact buttons on your profile.
- More Growth Tools – Get more advanced insights and reach more people with promotions.
- Simplified Messaging – A new inbox makes it easier to manage message requests and connect with fans.
Although these may have been unique features when Creator accounts launched, most of these features are now available on Business accounts too. Both account types allow users to hide their category and contact details, sort their messages into Primary and General folders, and use Creator Studio.
The main, albeit small, difference that I can see between the two account types is when it comes to in-app Insights. A Creator account shows you how many of your followers are active each hour. A Business account shows you how many of your followers are active in three-hour segments. However, on the desktop version of Creator Studio, you can see how many of your followers are active by the hour for both Creator and Business accounts.
Instagram’s intention is for influencers or people building a personal brand to use Creator accounts, while users with more traditional businesses use Business accounts. The categories you can choose for each type of account reflect this. For a Creator account, categories include Blogger, DJ, and Writer, whereas for a Business account, categories include Restaurant, Clothing Shop, and Beauty Salon.
At this moment in time, both account types are almost identical and it’s probably not worth spending too much time trying to decide which you should choose. Instagram is always evolving and adding new features so it’s likely that in the future there will be more discernible differences between account types. Don’t worry about any future changes Instagram might make as you can change your account type at any time.
In our next blog, we’ll be looking at how to use Instagram Insights and how the information it provides can help your business.
Are you using a Business account or a Creator account? How did you decide which to use? Are there any differences that I’ve missed? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.