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What type of Instagram account do you have? A business or creator account?

As Instagram grows and solidifies itself within the social media landscape, choosing the right account type is more important than ever for brands looking to maximise their social media strategy. Knowing the differences between the two types of accounts will help you decide which is best for you!

In this article, we will discuss the different types of Instagram accounts and how to choose the right one for you. 

The Similarities

Instagram Business and Creator accounts can be used by brands, influencers, and even creators. Here are a few more:

Getting Detailed Insights

Both Creator and Business accounts provide detailed analytics and insights into your audience. This includes audience demographics, the time of day when your audience is most active, profile visits, website clicks, impressions, reach, and other information. Influencers and creators, for example, can gain daily access to data on audience growth and the content that was associated with either a spike or dip in followers.

Better and Organised Inbox

The inboxes of Instagram’s Creator and Business accounts are divided into two folders: Primary and General. The Primary Inbox is where high-priority messages land from accounts you follow or previously messaged in a Story. The General folder allows you to delegate incoming message requests or DMs from your Primary folder. This inbox automatically has notifications turned off, but they can be turned on in your Settings. Instagram's Creator profiles have three tabs for filtering inbox and direct messages: Primary, General, and Requests.

This means that users are no longer required to mix business and pleasure on Instagram; instead, they can have a separate inbox. Saved replies can be generated by creators, allowing you to personalise keyboard shortcuts for standard messaging.

Paid Partnership

Both allow you to tag a paid partner in posts and Stories. This provides transparency to your followers and allows the brand you're collaborating with to view your insights on that post. Instagram’s Paid Partnership tag makes it simple to disclose that information in accordance with FTC guidelines.

Instagram Shopping

Both Creator and Business accounts have shopping-related features, although they slightly differ. Creator accounts can tag products from brands with approved access. Instagram Shopping allows business accounts to add a Shop to their profile, tag products in posts/Stories, and view insights.

The Differences

While both have a lot of similarities, they have their differences too. Here they are:

Profile Labels

Instagram distinguishes Creators and Businesses as separate entities. Each account has its own set of profile categories, which can be displayed as a label on your profile. Creator accounts, for example, can select from titles such as chef, gamer, writer, or dancer. Business accounts can select from options such as advertising, hotel, automotive, bakery, or internet marketing services. 

Content Scheduling

Instagram has given Creator Accounts more label options than ever before, ensuring that you can find the perfect label for you and your brand. Unlike business accounts, creator profiles have greater control over what they include as a call-to-action on their pages.

Scheduling content through third-party scheduling tools, like Hootsuite, is an excellent way to help you stay organised and share content on a regular basis. Instagram's creator accounts are intended for non-traditional businesses that rely solely on social media. Because these accounts cannot connect to third-party scheduling apps, you must schedule posts through the Instagram Creator Studio. If you have a creator account, the Instagram API will not allow you to integrate a third-party analytics tool. 

Contact Information

Both business and creator accounts allow you to share your email address and phone number. This facilitates contact with potential collaborators or customers. Business accounts can also specify their location, such as their head office or store address. You can always hide your contact information on either account if you prefer to be contacted by DM.

Call To Action (CTAs)

Call-to-action (CTA) buttons that allow followers to order food, book now, or reserve a service/product can be added to business accounts. The call-to-action and email options can be removed by creators. They, like the majority of these features, are optional and can be toggled on and off within your account settings. These CTA buttons connect your customers to other online services you provide without requiring them to leave the app. Non-traditional businesses can now create and manage their own call-to-action profiles on Instagram.

Business accounts can include "Reserve now", "Book now" or "Order now" in their bio to attract prospective customers. A creator account, on the other hand, can only use the Book Now or Reserve CTAs. 

Conclusion

The truth is that both the creator and business accounts have their own specific uses. And now you know what you can do with a creator account and with a business account. You know all the benefits and limitations of each, as well as what you can get from paid services. You now know what the differences between the two are and understand the advantages and disadvantages of both.

In the end, it’s about finding a balance between features, price, and limitations. But what’s right for you will likely depend on your specific business and needs. 

Managing an Instagram Account nowadays is serious business. If you’re just starting out, it may take some time to get familiar with and succeed, but Team Elephant is here to help you out!

Elephant in the Boardroom is a full-service digital marketing agency that specialises not just in creating stunning websites but also in managing social media accounts, and many more.

Look into our services and let’s talk!