Setting up a professional Instagram account is one of the most important things if you want to grow your profile, analyze your stats, and build your brand. A good setup gives you access to tools that a regular private account doesn't have—including stats, ads, profile categories, and contact buttons.

In this guide, you'll learn step-by-step how to switch your account to a professional one and how to properly configure it to best suit the algorithm and your audience.

What is a professional Instagram account?

A professional account is a Creator or Business profile.

Thanks to it you get:

• 
  access to detailed statistics (reach, followers, activity)
  
• 
  possibility of connecting contact buttons
  
• 
  promotion and advertising opportunities
  
• 
  ability to set categories (e.g. Artist, Influencer, Clothing Brand)
  
• 
  access to Creator Studio / Meta Business Suite
  
• 
  additional features for DM (automatic replies, folders)
  

This is an absolute must-have if you want to grow on Instagram.

How to set up a professional Instagram account? (Step by step)

Step 1: Go to profile settings

1. 
   Open Instagram.
   
2. 
   Go to the Profile tab.
   
3. 
   Click the three lines icon in the upper right corner.
   
4. 
   Select Settings and Privacy .
   

Step 2: Switch to a professional account

1. 
   Scroll down to the Account Type and Tools section.
   
2. 
   Click Switch to Professional Account .
   
3. 
   Choose if you want an account:
   
   
   Creators (Creator) – for influencers, models, artists, trainers, experts.
   
   
   Business – for brands, shops, services, companies.
   
   
   

Tip:

If you record Reels and make personal content, choose Creator .

If you sell products/services - select Business .

Step 3: Select an account category

Instagram will ask you to select a category, e.g.:

• 
  Blogger
  
• 
  Digital Creator
  
• 
  Marketing services
  
• 
  Model
  
• 
  Photographer
  
• 
  Internet shop
  
• 
  Public personality
  
• 
  Fitness coach
  

You can choose to make a category visible or hide it on your profile.

SEO & Algorithm Tip:

Choose a category as close to your niche as possible – Instagram uses this for recommendations.

Step 4: Set up contact details

With a professional account you can add:

• 
  e-mail
  
• 
  phone number
  
• 
  company address
  
• 
  contact button
  

This makes the profile look more credible and Instagram is more likely to recommend it.

Step 5: Connect your Facebook/Meta Business page

Optional, but very useful.

You will get:

• 
  the possibility of advertising
  
• 
  reports from Meta Business Suite
  
• 
  better account protection
  
• 
  access to full statistics
  

Step 6: Set up basic profile elements

To make your profile look professional:

• 
  set a short bio that says what you do
  
• 
  add a high-quality profile photo
  
• 
  establish 1–2 main profile topics
  
• 
  make highlights in a coherent aesthetic
  
• 
  set CTA (e.g. "Check the offer", "Sign up", "Collaborations → DM")
  

The most common mistakes when setting up a professional account

❌ Wrong category (e.g. “public figure” when you don’t have a brand)

❌ No contact (profile appears incomplete)

❌ Too general bio

❌ Zero featured stories

❌ Lack of visual consistency

❌ Private account (!) – IG does not recommend private accounts

Does switching to a professional account reduce reach?

NO.

This is a myth that has been repeated for years.

In 2025, Instagram confirms that account type does not affect reach.

What counts:

• 
  content quality
  
• 
  watch time reels
  
• 
  regularity
  
• 
  customer retention
  
• 
  interactions
  

A professional account just gives you more tools to improve it.

Summary

Setting up a professional Instagram account is essential if you want to thrive in 2025. It gives you access to analytical tools, facilitates collaboration, improves credibility, and makes your profile more polished.

It's worth doing this as soon as possible - the entire process takes less than a minute and the difference in possibilities is huge.