If Instagram is one of the main social networks you use to market your business, take a look at how your account is set up and optimized. Like any social network, Instagram is constantly updating and changing their features.

Here are four things to double check or modify to keep your Instagram account up to date.

1. Make sure you have a business account

If you set up your Instagram account a few years back or didn’t opt for a business account from the start, Instagram lets you convert personal profiles into business ones. An Instagram business account lets you track analytics, run paid ads, and add contact buttons to your account page.

In your Instagram account page settings, you can choose Switch Account Type and you are given three choices: Persona, Creator, and Business. Choose Business. Then enter your business category and company contact details including email, phone, and address. You can also add a link to your company’s Facebook page.

Remember to add an action button to your Instagram account page. Depending on your business category, you will be presented with specific options such as Book Now, Reserve, Donate, or Order Food. If there isn’t a relevant button option for your type of business, you can opt out of selecting one.

2. Add more links to your business profile

Gone are the days of being limited to a single link on your Instagram page leading to your website, online store, or other destination. While you can always use a "link in bio" feature to create a separate page with a listing of multiple links, Instagram now lets you add up to 5 links to your bio, creating a basic link page where you can name each link and send visitors to your page to other websites.

While Meta, Instagram’s parent company, does not want people to link away from their social networks, as a business owner, you want to send people who visit your page to places where you can cultivate closer relationships with them. When deciding where to send them, think of easy actions they can take to strengthen customer relations.

A logical place to send them is to your website, but think twice about simply sending them to the home page. Instead, send them to a place where you quickly summarize what you offer and present them with an opportunity to provide you with more information so you can better serve them. This can be a contact form or even a quick survey that leads them to useful information and also gives you immediate insights into their needs.

If you sell products or services online, send them directly to product pages or sales to entice them to make a quick purchase. To build up your email list, send them to a page where you provide an incentive, such as a discount on products or services, for providing their email address. While you’re at it, consider also collecting mobile numbers so you can engage in appropriate SMS marketing.

3. Pin posts to the top of your Instagram page

While it may seem like a small thing to change, pinning posts that will appear fixed at the top of your Instagram page can be a strategic move. You can pin up to three posts or Reels so consider what are the three most important things you want people to know about your company if they visit your Instagram page briefly.

Some posts you may want to pin include:

• A video explaining clearly what you offer
• Product demos
• Behind-the-scenes tours
• Posts featuring your company culture
• Sales or special promotions

Pinning posts to the top of your page gives you the chance to feature key aspects of your business and make a positive first impression.

4. Try collaboration posts

If you’re on a budget but finding your organic posts aren’t getting enough visibility or engagement, you may want to look for opportunities to collaborate with other accounts. Instagram offers collaboration or collab posts where a single post can be co-hosted by up to five collaborators.

The beauty of collab posts is that your post is shared to several accounts, appearing on co-host feeds and on their Instagram pages, immediately increasing the potential views. You might find that your collab posts get five to 10 times the number of likes than your typical posts.

Consider collaborating on posts with partners, vendors, compatible businesses, even local nonprofit organizations your company supports.

As you can see, even small changes could make a big difference on the features and the effectiveness of your Instagram account.