Instagram has 700 Million active users so as a business you are missing out if you are not on this platform. Read How Instagram can help marketing your business So, let’s get you updated on how to create an Instagram Account step by step.

1. How can I create an Instagram Account?
Instagram has 700 Million active users so as a business you are missing out if you are not on this
platform. Read more about Instagram here: http://brandingbypixels.com/Portfolios/how-instagram-
marketing-can-grow-your-business/
So, lets get you updated on how to create an Instagram Account step by step.
1. Download and Install:
Firstly, Instagram unlike Facebook is a social media application that has all the features available
only on its App on your phone.
So, if you want to create an account on Instagram you need a smart phone and from “App store”
on Apple phones or on “Google Play” on Android phones only you can download and install the
app.
It looks like this:
2. Creating Instagram
Account:
Now that you have downloaded
and installed the app on your mobile
phone, you can create an account.
When you open the app for the first time on your phone, you will have 2 options:
1. Use Facebook to login &
2. Sign up with Phone or Email

2. If you are a business owner and would like to use Instagram profile only to post
relevant information regarding your business, then choose the option: Sign up with
Phone or Email so you can use your business email to create an account.
If you use the first option “Use Facebook to login”, Instagram immediately syncs
with your personal Facebook profile which is not recommended if you want to use
Instagram purely for business purposes.
Once you choose the option “Sign up
with phone or Email”, the next
screen will ask you to enter your
Full Name and create a password.
Remember Instagram has 2 name fields unlike other social media platforms:
1. Full Name - prompted when you are signing in
2. User Name/Handle

3. This is where many people get confused. If you are creating an Instagram account only for
business purposes then your “Full Name” is not your personal name, its your business’s name.
3. Pick a “Username”
also called as a “Handle”:
You will then be prompted to pick a
“Username”. Username is
unique to your account and is
what is used for searching your
profile. So pick a username that is
your business name. If your
business name is not available then
pick the first part of your business
name as your user name.
You can always change your
Username later, so don't worry
about it much.

4. 4. Profile Photo:
You are all set now, you have created your
account name, you have picked your
username. Now to start working on your
profile. First and foremost the
important thing about your Profile is your
profile pic, so choose something which is
relevant to your business and defines
it.
It could be your logo or company name if
you don't have a logo.
Remember, Instagram profile
picture has a “Circular” format so
make sure there is some negative space
in your logo as Instagram will try to
crop it in that Circular frame.

5. 5. Instagram Bio:
You have updated your profile picture and now are ready to start working on your bio. Make sure
your bio is concise which reveals what you do point on. Don't beat around the bush as you only
have 150 characters to work with.
You have a separate column to put your website url in so don't try to include your website too in
your bio and waste a few characters.
For Example, my bio shows this on Instagram:
In 2 sentences I am talking about:
1. Our company’s services - Visual Content (insert why Visual content is important blog here) and
Digital Marketing
2. Target Audience - Small and Medium Businesses.
So, be smart about using the characters to talk about your services.
6. Edit Profile:
You are all set with your profile pic and bio filled up but you would like to make some changes,
don't worry “Editing your Profile” is very easy.

6. Just click on the “Edit Profile” right beside your profile picture and you can start on making those
changes.
7. Story Settings:
Instagram became famous not because
of the pictures that people can post on it
but because of a feature called as
“Stories” which are “Live Videos” that can
be created right from your mobile and will
be featured on your profile.
These are time bound and generally
expire within the next 24 hours and thats
also part of the reason why this
feature is so viral.
An example of how it looks like:

7. Before you make your Story Live,
don't forget to go to “Story Settings”
and make your Story “Public” so that
not just your followers but others on
Instagram can engage with
your profile by viewing your
story.

8. 8. Business Profile:
Just like other social media platforms Instagram has launched its “Business version”. Using the
business version business owners now have a range of business tools to use.
The tool allows users to identify themselves as a business, making it easy for their audience to
contact them. Business profiles also provide more in-depth insights and make it easier for you to
promote content.
NOTE: You can only covert to a “Business” Profile on Instagram if you have a
“Facebook Business Page”.
To switch to a business profile,
view your profile, and click on the
gear icon in the upper right-hand
corner to view your settings.
Scroll down and click on “Switch to
Business Profile.”

9. Log in with Facebook, and allow Instagram to manage your Pages. Select a Facebook Page to
connect with your Instagram profile. Note: You must be a Facebook page admin to connect the two
platforms.

10. Instagram will automatically
import relevant information
from your Facebook page for you to
edit.
9. Comments:
There is a setting available in
most social media including
Facebook and Instagram
which allows you to define
“Appropriate” and “Inappropriate”
comments.
Social Media is known for its
power to reach people whom
you may not have direct access
to like “Friends of Friends” but
sometimes this is also a cause
for concern.
Social Media is filled with trolls who
derive pleasure from leaving
inappropriate comments on
individual and business
profiles too. So having control
on moderating “Comments” is
a powerful tool to have in the
hands of a businessman
and that this where this feature
comes into picture.

11. You can define “Keywords” like “Expletives” that you can then add in the box above and Instagram
will instantly hide any comments which contain those keywords.
You don't have to manually go and hide them or delete them anymore. So make sure you have this
setting enabled on your profile.
How can I make my Instagram Account Private?
Its great that you have started down the path of using Social Media to reach more people. But if
you have an individual profile and you would want to avoid unnecessary friend requests and
messages you can convert your profile to “Private”.
This feature once turned on ensures that your profile is not shown to public and only people who
know your handle can find you. Also they can only send you a request to become a friend and you
have complete control whether to accept them or not.

12. But if you have a “Business Profile” then it makes sense for you to keep this
feature turned off so you can enable more people to find your business easily and
engage with your content.
Now that you have understood “How to create an Instagram Account” and the various settings,
next week we will cover “What sort of posts you can use on your Instagram Account”.
Have a great week ahead.
Reach out to us for a discussion by emailing us at sirisha@brandingbypixels.com
Happy Marketing,
Sirisha Inapurapu,
Founder, Head – Marketing,
sirisha@brandingbypixels.com
www.brandingbypixels.com