Looking to switch to an Instagram Creator account? But wondering what the core differences are between an Instagram Creator vs. Business account?
We’ve got your covered! In this post, we’ll highlight the biggest features of Creator accounts, look at any key differences, and explain how you can make the switch.
Table of Contents
What’s an Instagram Creator account?
When Instagram first launched in 2010, every user had a personal account. But over time, as the platform evolved, they introduced Business accounts in 2016. This new type of profile included additional features that benefitted brands, such as audience insights and call-to-action buttons.
As a creator, you’ve probably used Business accounts as a workaround to access these features and build up your personal brand. But to meet the needs of their MVPs, Instagram rolled out a third profile option specifically for creators in mid-2019: Creator accounts.
Creator accounts, along with Business accounts, make up Instagram’s Professional accounts.
Who can have an Instagram Creator account?
When Instagram initially launched Creator accounts for a trial period, they were only available to accounts that had 10,000 followers or more. Now, they’re available for anyone!
Instagram Creator vs Business account features
You may be looking to understand what the main differences are between an Instagram Creator vs Business account before deciding if it’s worth making the switch.
To provide you with an accurate overview, we’ve looked into both Creator and Business accounts. We found that, at this point of development, they’re relatively similar.
Here’s a rundown of the most significant features we found:
#1 Follower growth and insights
Both Instagram Creator and Business accounts can see how many followers they gain or lose on a daily and weekly basis. Personal accounts don’t have access to this data. The insights feature gives both creators and brands more insight into their posts and account growth. They’ll be able to understand whether their content is resonating with their followers.
In addition to follower growth, both Creator and Business accounts also provide access to audience demographic data. Creators and brands will be able to look at their followers’ age, location, gender, and more to create content that interests them.
#2 2-tab inbox
Instagram Creator and Business accounts have an inbox with 2 tabs: a Primary Tab and a General Tab.
The Primary Tab is for messages users want to prioritize, such as messages from their close friends, family, or brands they’re collaborating with. They’ll receive notifications for messages that are under this tab.
The General Tab is for messages users will come back to at a later time. They won’t receive notifications for messages under this tab.
New messages that are sent from users that creators or brands don’t follow will end up in the Requests inbox like usual.
Notifications for both tabs can be edited in Settings.
#3 Instagram Creator Studio
By upgrading to an Instagram Creator or Business account, users can access the Creator Studio on desktop. This means brands and creators can use one handy, visual dashboard to view their follower data. They’ll also be able to see an overview of all their Instagram content and their performance, such as reach and impressions.
Instagram Creator Studio also gives creators and brands the ability to schedule or publish Instagram feed posts and IGTV!
#4 Flexible profiles options
Influencers and brands may get spammed by many users every day. With a Creator and Business account, they can control how and when they’re contacted. They have the flexibility to either show or hide their contact information, such as phone number or email, as well as their categories.
#5 Shoppable posts
Previously, only brands could share shoppable Instagram posts. With the release of Creator accounts, creators are now able to share them too. This feature gives brands, and influencers working with Brand Partners, the ability to tag products and sell them directly on the platform – making the shopping experience on the platform seamless.
#6 Quick Replies
Both creators and brands who are flooded by the same questions on Direct Messages can use Instagram’s Quick Replies feature. The feature allows users to create replies for frequently asked questions. This can save them time by using saved responses, rather than typing them in over and over!
Is it worth making the switch?
Yes! There aren’t huge differences between an Instagram Creator vs Business account. But Creator accounts are designed for creators and other individuals in mind, while Business accounts are created for companies.
Both creators and brands have different needs, and Creator accounts cater to what creators are looking for. For instance, Creator accounts would typically have different categories from Business accounts. Rather than being labeled as a business type, creators can select a category that suits them better, such as: blogger, author, digital creator, artist, and more. The options they can choose aren’t necessarily related to brands or provided in Business accounts.
One drawback to bear in mind is that third-party tools you may use, such as social media scheduling tools, have limited Instagram API access. Unlike Business accounts, having a Creator account may prevent you from using tools that help you see analytics or auto-publish Instagram posts.
If you’re not reliant on third-party tools, it’s definitely worth considering a switch to a Creator account. Plus, Instagram features designed specifically with you in mind will likely continue to roll out, which will enable you to continue expanding your brand partnerships and grow your personal brand!
How do I make the switch to an Instagram Creator account?
To set up an Instagram Creator account or switch from a Business account:
1. Go to your profile and click on the 3-line icon at the top right-hand corner of the screen.
2. Tap on the Settings gear icon.
3. Then, select Account.
4. If you’re switching from a Business account to Creator account, click on Switch to Creator Account.
If you’re switching from a personal account, click on Switch to Professional account and select Creator.
5. You’ll then be able to select your category, link your Facebook page, toggle the visibility of your contact information.
Learn more about switching to a Creator account here.
Summary
Now, you know all the major features in both an Instagram Creator vs Business account!
While they’re nearly identical, the features available in Creator accounts are designed with creators in mind. But Creator accounts do have a downside – they don’t support third-party tools, while Business accounts do. If benefits such as auto-publishing are really important to you, you may want to consider sticking to a Business account.
But Instagram will likely continue to develop new features that are exclusive for users with Creator accounts in the near future, meaning there may be more value in switching over your account to unlock these valuable features.
