Instagram is known as the platform that’s largely used by younger audiences, as 71% of 18-24-year-olds use it on a daily basis. Instagram is recognized and used as an effective channel for brand promotion and lead generation. Of course, brands need to know how to use it properly, here is 5 tips that will help you set up your Instagram account efficiently:

Making your Instagram profile public means that anyone in the world can see it along with all the content and information you’ve posted there. If your goal is to promote your business on Instagram, then this is a perfect option for you. Your brand should be visible to everyone so people can check it out and see if it’s worth their following or not. By setting your profile to private, users won’t be able to browse through your content and get engaged (because the purpose of your content is to stir interest and attract).

Do you know who you are talking to? Your profile needs to be created and optimized to fit the needs and interest of a particular audience, so knowing your target audience is one of the basic and most important steps of every digital strategy out there. This way, you will know what to talk about and how. People will want to get something out of your posts, something that is valuable to them. Your content is the main thing that will motivate people to follow you on Instagram, so do your research before you start creating and posting.

We all know what creativity is, but getting creative and being successful at it is easier said than done. When creating visual content for your Instagram profile, it must be original, engaging, and relevant as well as to represent and depict your brand in the best possible light. The key is that, whenever a user sees your content, he or she can recognize on the spot that it comes from you and your brand.

First, you should start by choosing a username that is recognizable, which automatically makes it easier to find. Your business name should be the first part of your Instagram username, in case your business name is already taken as an Insta username. According to that, your business name also needs to be easily searchable. Don’t forget to write your full business name in the Name section of your profile.

The next thing is your brand Instagram profile picture. Since this is the first thing people see when they come across your profile, it should be something authentic, catchy, memorable, as well as connected with your other brand social media profiles.

The last, but not least, is your Instagram Bio. It should be informative and actionable. Give people the reason to follow you, talk about yourself and your business, and feel free to sound personal. People want to connect with humanized, not corporate brands.

With a 10-day distance between posts, you won’t manage to stay relevant or increase your Instagram presence. The main focus should be on creating quality content and posting it on a regular basis and at the right time. To publish your posts consistently, you can use some of the social media content calendar templates with which you can plan your Instagram posting.

As time passes, you can create an inventory of your photos which will be used when you’re not able to post yourself. As for the right posting time, it’s recommended to post somewhere between 3 PM and 4 PM in the time zone of your targeted audience. However, this is not set in stone, and you should test the timing of your posts to find out which post time generates the most engagement.

When used the right way, Instagram can be the perfect marketing channel for your brand. Use these tips to customize your brand Instagram profile to make it look good, tell your audience who you are and what you’re all about, and give them a reason to follow you.