Instagram has quickly become one of the most important marketing tools of the modern era. The popular platform is used to share photos and videos with the masses and now boasts more than 1 billion people who use its services on a regular basis. Even more importantly, about four out of every five Instagram accounts follows a business profile. This means that marketers need to make sure that are using Instagram to the full extent it is allowed. Of course, any marketing program that is going to use Instagram needs to make sure they build a catchy Instagram profile. With this goal in mind, there are a handful of key points that everyone should know.

First, one of the biggest mistakes is setting the Instagram profile to private. While this might be a good setting for a personal Instagram profile, it is a big mistake for a business profile. Remember, the goal of marketing on Instagram is to increase visibility. How is this going to be possible if the profile is hidden from the view of the public? Everyone should be able to see the posts of the business and follow the brand if they desire. If the profile is private, people won’t be able to see this important information. In order to make sure the Instagram profile is set to public, open up the options tab and make sure that the “private account” setting has been switched to the off position.

Next, make sure the Instagram profile is easy for people to find. This means thinking carefully about the handle. The handle is everything that comes after the @ symbol in the profile name. Ideally, this handle should be the name of the business. If the business name has been taken by a vulture, try to keep it simple anyway. When someone is looking for the Instagram profile of the account, they are going to type something intuitive in the search bar. Therefore, the profile should be something intuitive as well. Remember, the goal is to make the profile easy to find. This means making the name something that is easy to remember, spell, and type correctly.

Finally, think carefully about the profile picture of the business. The profile picture needs to be something that should make sense. The symbol of the business is an easy decision; however, those who are trying to get a bit more creative should still make sure the profile picture is something that is easy to recognize. Often, someone is going to recognize the profile of the business by the picture and not by the name. Pick a great profile picture for the company’s Instagram profile.