With 500 million daily users and over 80 % of Instagram accounts following a business account, it is vital that marketers include Instagram as a part of their social media marketing strategy. All of it begins with a perfect Instagram profile.
A perfect Instagram profile has some things in common, including simply identifiable usernames, a recognizable profile image, a steady stream of Instagram Stories and pictures, an informative yet delightful bio, a link to a relevant landing page or a campaign, and more.
Keep checking to learn how to customize your Instagram profile so it looks great, tells your potential followers who you’re, and gives them a reason to follow and engage with you.
How to create a Perfect Instagram Profile
1. Public (Not Private) Profile
By default, your Instagram profile will be public — that means anybody in the world could view your profile and posts on Instagram.
When you are making a perfect Instagram profile for business, then that is what you want: You want anybody to be able to view your posts and follow your brand if they want to. (Otherwise, when you keep your profile private, anybody who visits your profile will not be capable of viewing your pictures, which can prevent them from following you.)
To make sure your profile is public: Open “Options” (the gear button on iOS, or three dots on Android) and ensure “Private Account” is turned off.
2. Recognizable & Searchable @Username (i.e., Handle)
Begin by ensuring your username is recognizable and simply searchable, like your business name. If your business name is already taken as a username, try keeping your business name as the first part of your username so that people searching for your business are more likely to come across your account. For instance, the Australian activewear line Lorna Jane uses the username @lornajaneactive.
To edit your @username: Go to your profile page and click on “Edit Profile” button to the right of your profile picture.
Then, click on the text or open space to the right of the person icon and enter your desired username.
3. Easily Searchable Business Name
Next, ensure to add your full business name to the “name” part of your profile. It will appear under your profile image and under your username in search.
To edit your business name: Go to your profile page and click on “Edit Profile.” Then, click on the text or open area beside the clipboard icon at the upper and enter your desired business name.
Instagram Profile Picture
4. An On-Brand Instagram Profile Image
Your profile picture is one of the first things people see once they go to your Instagram profile, as it’s displayed prominently at the upper right corner. It should be something easily recognizable — something that is on-brand with your other social networks.
For most firms, this will be your company logo.
Now, notice that HubSpot’s profile picture in the picture above is a circle. That was not their choice; Actually, Instagram crops your profile picture into a circle (110 pixels in diameter) once you add it to the app.
You do not need to make the circle picture yourself. In fact, since you will have to crop your picture into a circle in the app, you will ideally want to add a square picture with your logo in the center, placed so that the corners of the picture could be cut off without a problem.
For reference, remember the minimum profile image size for Instagram is 110 x 110 pixels — an ideal square. Do not deviate too far from this minimal; staying below 200 x 200 is encouraged so users do not see a blurry or stretched picture when visiting your profile page.
In the example below, you will see the corners are shaded, meaning Instagram will cut them off in the actual profile picture:
You could move that circle around or pinch-to-zoom till it is cropped just the way you like it.
To add or change a profile picture: Go to your profile page and click on “Edit Profile.” Then, tap “Edit” in the top right. (It will appear under your current profile picture when you have one.)
From there, you could import an image from Fb or Twitter, or select one from your library. (We do not recommend taking a new one on the spot.)
Additionally, consider the seasonal trends that take place over the course of the year, and do not be afraid to alter your picture temporarily to honor a monthly theme. For instance, because June is Pride Month, we gave our logo a temporary color change. This is what it currently looks like on desktop:
Cool Instagram Profile Pictures
@Cats_Of_Instagram
This Instagram, which highlights different cats on Instagram, hosts a profile image that looks like that of a hipster cat.
@JetBlue
Not like most brands on Instagram, JetBlue shares a unique, but on-brand, color pattern rather than just their logo.
@KylieCosmetics
Kylie Cosmetics, which has a logo that features lipstick dripping off of voluminous lips, shook up its main picture with some added holiday flair for. By simply added a Santa hat to the lips, the company instantly looked more festive.
5. Delightful, Actionable, Informative Bio
Like your profile picture, your “bio” (i.e., the description at the top of your profile) is one of the first things visitors to your profile will view.
You have a max of 150 characters: Use them to let people know what you are about and give them a reason to follow you. Include who you’re and what you do, and make sure you add a hint of personality.
Listed here are some examples for inspiration:
- WeWork: “WeWork provides you with space, community, and services you need to make a life, not just a living.”
- Oreo: “See the world through our OREO Wonderfilled lens.”
- Califia Farms: “Crafting, concocting and cold-brewing up a delicious, plant-based future. Califia Farms Loves You Back”
- Staples: “We make it easy to #MakeMoreHappen”
You could also use this area to encourage some action, like utilizing a certain hashtag or clicking a link in your bio. Listed here are two examples:
- Lorna Jane: “Welcome to the home of #ActiveLiving – be inspired to #MoveNourishBelieve EVERY DAY. Show us how you live active – tag #lornajane to be featured ?”
- HubSpot: “All-in-one marketing & sales platform. We help businesses GROW. Follow for content, contests & more. Tag posts with #HubSpotting to get featured! ⬇️”