Back in the day, there only was one type of Instagram account. Everyone had the same opportunities to post and use the same features. But since Instagram has been growing at an exponential speed, so have the opportunities started to differ. Today, you can choose: Private, Instagram Creator Account or Instagram Business Account.
I have just recently had a great question from one of my clients whose Instagram account I audited.
“What is your opinion on us having a business account? Should we switch to a creator’s account instead?” she asked.
Even though both creator and business accounts have many similarities, both are geared toward slightly different users. While both work well and can help you achieve your digital marketing goals, let’s take a look and compare both to see which one would work better for you.
Instagram Business Account vs. Instagram Creator Account: What’s the difference?
Both, Instagram Business and Instagram Creator Accounts, can work for brands, influencers, and even individuals. It depends on your objectives and overall Instagram marketing strategy. As mentioned before, both are somewhat similar; however, they still have some slight differences.
Let’s take a look at them one by one.
Instagram Business Account
Instagram Business Account is meant for businesses with a clear monetization strategy on Instagram. Some features that are available to business accounts should help your business growth.
For instance, business accounts can create an Instagram Shop and sell directly via Instagram. These shoppable posts allow users to purchase items directly from the post, simplifying and reducing the conversion process.
Nevertheless, Instagram business accounts have a broader selection of call-to-action buttons, such as booking an appointment, contacting customer service, or making a reservation.
Another benefit of Instagram Business Account is that profiles can schedule their posts. Business accounts can also be integrated with third-party platforms (e.g., Hootsuite) that help to optimize some processes on Instagram.
However, if you’re into manual posting – this feature isn’t essential.
Instagram business Account allows users to promote posts via ads, which can also be very important for businesses looking to tap into new audiences. Advertising on social media is one of the best ways to raise brand awareness and generate additional sales.
These can be handy and improve the overall customer experience. BUT one of the most significant drawbacks for me is the inability to use music from recording artists.
The music that has the name of the artist and song in the title won’t be available to Instagram business accounts, and this is mainly because it is a copyright issue.
So, if you want to create a ton of Reels using trending music – you won’t be able to do that with your Instagram business account.
Instagram Creator Account
The purpose of launching Instagram Creator Account in mid-2019 was to meet the needs of content creators, such as personal brands and influencers, who may not necessarily have a business.
The primary purpose of these accounts is to create brand partnerships, build fan tribes (communities), share industry-specific content, show authority, and become key opinion leaders.
The main feature of the Instagram Creator Account is the ability to create posts for paid collaborations and partnerships – something that’s not available on business accounts. Content creators often work with other brands to promote them and influence their audiences.
When it comes to analytics, creator accounts give plenty of insights into the audience, post performance, and allow creators to understand the way their content performs.
Another cool feature that creator accounts have is the ability to sort messages into three different folders: general, primary, and requests. It’s a great way to sort messages and be hands-on in your communication.
While Instagram Business Accounts limits access to music on Instagram, creators have it all! So, if you want to create Reels using the latest trends and viral tracks, Instagram Creator Account should be your choice.
In general, Instagram Creator Account seems to be more flexible as it also allows product tagging, stats sharing with the partners in paid partnership posts, and creator accounts can go private – something that Business Accounts cannot.
So, should I choose Instagram Creator Account, instead?
My take is simple – if you’re a business that wishes to drive sales via Instagram, then you should choose the Business Account as it’ll allow you to create shoppable posts and sell directly from the post. However, if you don’t have any intention to sell on Instagram, choose the Creator Account.
For me, the biggest deal-breaker in Business Accounts is the inability to use music in Reels. Reels are pivotal in business growth, and by not creating them businesses, brands and influencers limit their growth opportunities.
Whether to choose between Instagram Business Account or Instagram Creator Account really depends on your overall Instagram strategy. As you’ve seen, the major things are almost the same, and it comes down to a couple of differences that may be crucial or negligible to you.
If you decide to go with one or another type of account today, you will have the opportunity to switch in the future. It can be done via the settings on your Instagram account. So, even if today you choose Instagram Creator Account and sometime down the road you decide to sell directly on Instagram – you’ll be able to change your type to match your marketing strategy and goals.
