It took some time for Instagram to emerge as one of the best channels for a solid ROI, but now that it has, marketers everywhere want to learn from the best Instagram business accounts.
Like a lot of other social networks, Instagram was initially dismissed as an online playground for kids with little value for marketing or advertising. (Remember when people said the same thing about Facebook?)
That perception didn’t last long.
Today, Instagram is an online marketing powerhouse. This highly visual community of more than 1 billion monthly active users hosts over 80 million new photo shares and 3.5 billion likes per day, on average (at time of writing). Instagram exposes personal brands to influential people and companies, and helps Instagram users on all ends of the brand spectrum find new opportunities to network and grow.
Check out these 20 best Instagram business accounts you should follow right now and see what you can learn from them!
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The 20 Best Instagram Business Accounts to Follow:
- Entrepreneur Magazine: @entrepreneur
- Sharpie: @sharpie
- WeWork: @wework
- Netflix: @netflix
- Gary Vaynerchuk: @garyvee
- The Honest Company: @honest
- Oreo: @oreo
- Richard Branson: @richardbranson
- FedEx: @fedex
- Warby Parker: @warbyparker
- Nike: @nike
- Letterfolk: @letterfolk
- Lego: @lego
- Audi USA: @audi
- Vans: @vans
- Girlboss®: @girlboss
- Gucci: @gucci
- Brit + Co: @britandco
- GoPro: @gopro
- General Electric (GE): @generalelectric
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1. Entrepreneur: @entrepreneur
Since we’re discussing Instagram marketing for business and entrepreneurs, who better to lead our list than Entrepreneur Magazine?
Entrepreneur uses its Instagram accounts to inspire, inform, and celebrate entrepreneurs. And 3.6 million followers have taken an interest.
They do a great job of sharing pictures of business owners in their element, as well as providing images linking to useful information and videos. Additionally, Entrepreneur has a strong click-bait game, such as this irresistible short video titles like, “What separates successful people from average people” and the following inspirational quote:
2. Sharpie: @sharpie
If you’ve seen The Wolf of Wall Street, you may remember the end of the film where Leonardo Di Caprio’s character asks an audience member to sell him a pen. You quickly learn that it’s hard to make a pen interesting enough to sell at a premium price.
Well, Sharpie may not be selling their pens worth their weight in gold, but they absolutely have found ways to make their pens very interesting.
Instagram was made for companies like Sharpie, and Sharpie has taken full advantage of the opportunity that the Instagram platform has provided.
With 365k followers, Sharpie gets super creative with their Instagram business accounts.
3. WeWork: @wework
The shared office space brand makes great use of visuals, but also employs smart hashtags to help its content get viral traction and more exposure in its Instagram business account. (The company was also featured in a piece I recently did on the psychology of color in branding.)
WeWork has amassed almost 50,000 followers and regularly earns hundreds of likes on its posts. The company is great at tapping into trending hashtags, too, and making itself a part of the larger-scale conversations happening around Instagram, as WeWork did in the #MotivationalMonday post above.
4. Netflix: @netflix
Netflix is another great example of a brand whose product is a perfect fit for Instagram. With endless video clips and streaming content, it’s probably hard for Netflix’s Instagram marketing team to decide on what to share each day.
In addition to commonly sharing short video clips and trailers, Netflix also shares plenty of memes on their Instagram accounts.
And as you can see in the above screenshot, Netflix updates its profile with links to different movie collections on the streaming platform.
Netflix uses its Instagram profile to inspire people to watch more Netflix. Shocker, right?
But whether it’s through shares of their images, memes, movie teasers, or through sharing things people may not know are available on Netflix, they’ve done a great job of keeping the attention of over 25 million followers.
5. Gary Vaynerchuk: @garyvee
Gary Vaynerchuk is a world-famous entrepreneur, marketer, and investor in companies like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter. So, it’s not shocking that his social media game is solid.
In fact, with 8.5 million followers, @garyvee has more followers than many of the widely known brands on this list.
As a marketer, however, it’s clear that Gary has taken many of the best Instagram marketing tips to heart. As you can see by his use of emojis and links to his products, as well as his other Instagram handles.
6. The Honest Company: @honest
The Honest Company is big on sharing motivational quotes, humorous memes, and product images on its Instagram account.
They create clever text-based images branded with their logo, that compels their followers to #repost.
Additionally, The Honest Company does a great job of branding. This is evident by their use of white backgrounds, cleaning products, and image filters.
7. Oreo: @oreo
The classic cookie brand is killing it in social, with an incredible 3.1 million followers as of November 2020.
It’s not at all unusual for Oreo to get more than 50,000 likes and hundreds of comments on a post in its Instagram business account. How does the company do it?
Well, in addition to the vibrant, eye-catching blue it’s incorporated into its profile image and many pictures, Oreo uses clever video shorts. Viewers love the 10- to 15-second clips.
8. Richard Branson: @richardbranson
Richard Branson is the face of Virgin Group, which makes Instagram a great place for him to project his image as a business mogul.
9. FedEx: @fedex
Shipping company FedEx has mastered the art and science of presenting user-generated content (UGC) for a more engaging Instagram feed that’s surely less costly to produce and manage.
The brand shares colorful photos taken by its fans in its Instagram business account, usually featuring a FedEx vehicle of some variety out doing its thing. The result is a personable and interesting stream of content the company really didn’t have to work that hard to curate. Brilliant!
10. Warby Parker: @warbyparker
Warby Parker has a very well-rounded Instagram brand image.
They share internal voices, Warby Parker’s own products, new releases, and most notably they do a really great job of posting UGC (user-generated content).
Another inspiring aspect of Warby Parker’s Instagram strategy is how they post their own content, sometimes tell a story around how an item was made, or conceptualized, or designed.
Warby Parker is a great example of how to make your fans feel like they’re part of your brand.
11. Nike: @nike
Everything about Nike’s feed screams “Look at me!” — and people do, 122 million of them.
Nike uses celebrities and real athletes to capture the attention and interest of fans through its Instagram business account, but what it does once it has your attention is what’s truly masterful.
The brand has a really smart call-to-action strategy. Nike builds campaigns of Instagram posts all directing viewers to click on the link at the top of its profile to learn more.
Instead of just sending people to the company website homepage, Nike is using that clickable link space on its profile to feature the campaign’s landing page (current version seen above). Nike knows that viral success is great, but there has to be a point to it if you’re in business.
12. Letterfolk: @letterfolk
Letterfolk has one of the better Instagram strategies out there. As a creative brand, they do themselves a great service by showing off their creativity with letter boards and eye-catching images.
As you can see in the above image, Letterfolk does a great job with humor and getting into the spirit of holidays, such as Halloween.
13. Lego: @lego
Lego has always been one of the best companies when it comes to branding and creativity. And that stretches all the way from making hilarious Lego movies all the way down to their Instagram accounts.
Instagram is a place for Lego fans to share their own Lego sets and builds, as well as a place for Lego to create a fun environment.
14. Audi USA: @audi
While crowdsourcing and UGC can be great content-creation tactics for some brands, big-ticket items such as cars warrant the highest-quality creative your budget can buy.
Audi’s Instagram business account is full of posts that are visually stunning, colorful, and polished. The company has amassed more than 4.4 million followers with its feature focuses and action shots.
It isn’t making much use of video right now beyond commercial shorts, but it will be interesting to see if Audi can carry this quality threshold over to that, as well.
15. Vans: @vans
Instead of some of the other Instagram marketing tactics described on our list, Vans is one of the best Instagram business accounts because they simply do a great job of showing off their products.
Vans Instagram business account embraces the brand and its fans by sharing images of people wearing Vans clothing and shoes, both from its own collection of photos and with UGC.
Many of the account’s photos have a vintage feel, due to the brand’s longevity in business since 1966.
16. Girlboss®: @girlboss
Girlboss uses its Instagram account to deliver humor and confidence boosts to its audience.
This Instagram business account is highly motivational, screams perseverance, and inspires women to pursue their dreams.
17. Gucci: @gucci
The iconic fashion brand regularly earns tens of thousands of likes for its fashion-plate posts on its Instagram business account. However, Gucci has a strategy of using behind-the-scenes shots, too, which wins it much love from fans.
Gucci’s is one of the best Instagram business accounts because it shows us that while it’s smart for brands to use professional photos, there’s a lot of value in giving your audience a sneak peek at less polished, unscripted content, too.
18. Brit + Co: @britandco
You can learn a lot about how to master Instagram from Brit + Co.
Brit + Co is an online community that provides tools to teach, inspire, and celebrate everyday life. Their Instagram business accounts are full of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects as well as creative, informative, and highly shareable content that’s a perfect fit for what Instagram was made for.
19. GoPro: @gopro
GoPro has an Instagram business account that takes full advantage of the match between the Instagram platform and GoPro’s product.
With over 17 million followers, GoPro’s Instagram account has endless amounts of UGC made from their fans using the brand’s versatile video cameras.
GoPro and Instagram truly are a perfect match and a great example of how to bring your product to life through the experience of your customers.
20. General Electric (GE): @generalelectric
I love, love, love GE’s Instagram business account, because it really proves that any type of brand can find success on Instagram. GE’s products aren’t as sexy as cars or travel, nor are they as visually interesting as, say, makeup or fashion.
As a result, GE has come up with a really interesting content mix that ranges from inspirational messages to geometric patterns in equipment to human-interest stories:
Take a page from GE’s book and get creative. Think of the different ways you could tell your company’s story that are visual, attention-grabbing, and engaging.
Tips from the Best Instagram Business Accounts
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And lastly, for more tips, check out these 14 Instagram marketing tips from top digital agencies.
10 more Best Instagram Business Accounts for Entrepreneurs to follow in 2023:
- @thehustleco: A business account dedicated to providing valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses.
- @garyvee: Gary Vaynerchuk’s account offers a wealth of knowledge on entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal branding.
- @foundr: Foundr Magazine shares inspiring stories, practical advice, and interviews with successful entrepreneurs, making it a valuable resource for aspiring business owners.
- @melyssa_griffin: Melyssa Griffin’s account focuses on entrepreneurship, online marketing, and personal development, offering actionable tips for building a successful business.
- @patflynn: Pat Flynn is known for his expertise in passive income and online business. His account provides valuable insights and strategies for entrepreneurs looking to create sustainable income streams.
- @marieforleo: Marie Forleo’s account combines business advice, personal growth, and motivation, offering a holistic approach to entrepreneurship.
- @influencive: Influencive shares inspiring stories and practical advice from entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable success in their respective industries.
- @thesocialsavvyco: This account provides valuable insights into social media marketing, helping entrepreneurs leverage platforms like Instagram to grow their businesses.
- @ceosage: CEO Sage offers practical tips, interviews, and resources for entrepreneurs seeking to build and scale their businesses.
- @risebrandingco: Rise Branding Co specializes in personal branding and helps entrepreneurs develop a strong brand presence on Instagram and other platforms.
Best Instagram Business Account: Important Next Steps
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Originally posted on Inc.com
Frequently Asked Questions: Best Instagram Business Accounts
Can you use Instagram for business?
Yes, you can use Instagram for business. In fact, business accounts are followed by 90% of the 1 billion+ active Instagram accounts worldwide. Plus, 83% of users say that they discover new products or services on Instagram.
Essentially, Instagram can be considered a free advertising stie due to its visual and quick browsing nature. Instagram for business has resulted in an increase in engagement and expanded reach. Being active with Instagram for business also builds brand trust and loyalty among followers.
More and more business use cases are coming to Instagram. For example, in October of 2020, Facebook announced the Messenger API would now support Instagram messaging. The Instagram Messenger release means that businesses can scale messaging communications and start more conversations with consumers on Instagram. Furthermore, also in 2020, Facebook began rolling out new Facebook and Instagram Shops, making it easier for companies of any size to sell physical products on the platform.
Additionally, by using sophisticated chatbots for Instagram, such as Customers.ai, businesses can follow up instantly with hot lead alerts on Instagram and automate notifications to live agents to jump into any chat.
Do Instagram business accounts get more followers?
Instagram released a statement in 2019 stating that there was no difference in the Instagram feed presence of personal or business profiles and that there would be zero effect on reach whether you had a business or personal Instagram account. However, a private study conducted on this same topic showed that engagement is higher for personal profiles that business profiles. The study also showed, however, that engagement relied heavily on the number of followers the account had. In the study, a combination of 274 business and personal Instagram profiles were analyzed. The results showed that engagement for personal profiles was about 1% higher than for business profiles.
As far as follower count goes, however, according to Facebook’s own statistics, 90% of all active Instagram accounts worldwide follow at least one Instagram business account.
In conclusion, there really is no significant difference between a business and a personal account on Instagram when it comes to your own ability to get more followers or increase engagement. It’s all about strategy, using the best Instagram marketing tools, your own ability to use the best Instagram hacks to get followers, and to make the Instagram algorithm happy in order to increase engagement. So, study up on the latest Instagram marketing tips, stay ahead of the curve, and your Instagram followers will come in droves.
Is Instagram an effective marketing tool?
Absolutely, Instagram is a very effective marketing tool for any business willing to learn the platform, invest in the best Instagram marketing tools, and keep up with the latest Instagram marketing strategies.
However, due to the nature of Instagram’s platform being highly visual and quick browsing behavior, Instagram has favored B2C companies more than B2B companies. With the rollout of Instagram Shops over the course of 2020 to 2021, more and more marketing opportunities will arise on Instagram, such as the ability to sell products while going live on the platform, which will be a game-changing tool for Instagram influencers and businesses alike.
Lastly, Instagram business accounts just got a huge boost in 2021 with the introduction of Instagram automated messages, which allow you to auto-reply via Instagram DMs to many different types of engagement, in addition to your Instagram direct message inbox. One such Instagram Direct Message marketing tool by Customers.ai gaining traction fast is drip campaigns.
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What are the best Instagram tools for marketers?
There are many great tools that have been built specifically for Instagram over the years, including tools to facilitate automated communications, tools for creating eye-catching images, Instagram analytics, and tools for Instagram influencers.
Some of the most notable Instagram marketing tools consist of chatbots for Instagram Messenger, image and video editing tools, hashtag generator apps, tools to schedule Instagram posts, as well as Instagram’s own tools for Instagram Shops and ecommerce.
However, the most useful Instagram tools on the market to date is the suite of messaging automation and customer support chat tools from Customers.ai, which include, but are not limited to:
- Manage Instagram DMs (direct messages) from the OmniChatⓇ Inbox.
- Instagram live chat support tools.
- Automation tools for comments, mentions, Instagram Stories, welcome messages, and a whole lot more…
How can you create a marketing strategy for Instagram?
The best way to create a marketing strategy for Instagram is to get started by identifying what your business goals are on Instagram. Ultimately, your goal is going to revolve around how to increase engagement on Instagram. However, decide upon what types of engagement are most meaningful to your company.
Then, collect quality Instagram marketing tips that are relevant to your specific business and the goals you’ve identified. Finally, find the best Instagram marketing tools that will help to facilitate the Instagram marketing strategy that you have created.
How can you use Instagram to promote your business?
As of 2020, Instagram has over 2 million advertisers and 25 million business profiles, making it hard to imagine not including Instagram as a large part of your overall marketing strategy.
Whether you’re promoting your own business, or you’re developing an Instagram agency growth strategy for your clients, there are a few campaigns that every business should adopt to promote their business on Instagram: Instagram messaging tools, creating a great Instagram bio, making sure your best Facebook ad examples convert just as well on Instagram, using Instagram Stories, tracking the right KPIs, using actionable hashtags, and partnering with influencers.
If you have a strong ad budget, there are many powerful Facebook advertising tools you can use to promote your business on Instagram.
Is there a way to message all of your Instagram followers?
Yes, by using Instagram Messenger, you can message all of your Instagram followers. This requires using a Messenger chatbot for Instagram, such as Customers.ai.
What are Instagram Shops?
Instagram Shops make it easy for businesses to set up an online store for consumers to access on both Facebook and Instagram. Creating an Instagram Shop is free and only takes a few minutes to set up. Businesses can choose the products they want to feature from their catalog and then customize the look and feel of their shop with a cover image and accent colors that showcase their brand.
This means any seller, no matter their size or budget, can bring their products online and connect with consumers where it’s most convenient for them.
People can find Instagram Shops on a business’ Instagram profile, or discover them through Stories or Facebook ads. From there, consumers can browse your full collection, save products they’re interested in and place an order either on the business’ website or without leaving the app if the business has enabled checkout.
And just like when you’re in a physical store and need to ask someone for help, in Instagram Shops consumers will be able to message your business through Messenger, WhatsApp, or Instagram Direct to ask questions, get support, track deliveries, and more.
Also coming in the near future, you’ll be able to view a business’ Shop and make purchases right within a chat in Messenger for Instagram, or WhatsApp.