How to Start an Instagram Account

Setting up a new Instagram account is straightforward, but turning it into a channel that actually grows your brand or community takes a plan. This guide walks you through every stage, from the initial setup and profile optimization to creating content that connects with an audience and gets you off the ground.

Choose Your Account Type: Business vs. Creator

Before you get started, you need to decide what kind of account to create. While you can start with a Personal profile, you’ll immediately want to switch to a Professional account - either Business or Creator. They are both free and unlock essential tools.

• Business Account: Perfect for companies, service providers, and local businesses. It gives you access to Instagram Ads, detailed analytics (called “Insights”), a contact button on your profile, and the ability to schedule posts through third-party platforms.
• Creator Account: Designed for influencers, public figures, and content creators. It offers more flexible profile options (you can hide your category or contact info), more advanced direct message filtering, and slightly different analytics tailored to personal brand growth.

Which one is for you? If you sell products or services, pick Business. If you are the brand, Creator is often a better fit. You can always switch later, but start with one of these to access the Insights tab right away. That data is priceless, even in the early days.

Signing Up: The Step-by-Step

Creating your account is the easiest part. Just follow these steps:

1. Download the app: Get the Instagram app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Sign up: You can sign up using a Facebook account or an email address. We strongly recommend using a unique email address and a secure password. Tying it to a business email keeps your professional assets separate from your personal life.
3. Pick your username: This is your @handle, and it’s a big deal. It should be simple, recognizable, and easy to search. If your exact brand name is taken, try adding a simple modifier like “@BrandNameHQ” or “@GetBrandName” instead of adding a confusing string of numbers or underscores.
4. Switch to a Professional Account: Once you're in, navigate to Settings > Account > Switch to Professional Account and follow the on-screen prompts.

Craft an Unforgettable Profile

Your Instagram profile is your new homepage. When someone new lands on your page, you have about three seconds to convince them you’re worth a follow. Every element of your profile - from your picture to your bio - needs to work together to tell a clear and compelling story.

Your Profile Picture: First Impressions Matter

Your profile picture appears everywhere: on your page, in your followers' feeds, in comment sections, and in Story views. It needs to be recognizable, even when small.

• For brands and businesses: Use a clean, high-resolution version of your logo. Make sure it’s legible in a circle format and not cluttered with tiny text.
• For personal brands or creators: Use a recent, well-lit, professional headshot. Your face builds trust. Make sure your face is clearly visible, and the background isn’t distracting. Show a little personality!

The "Name" Field: Your Secret SEO Weapon

Most people just put their brand name in the “Name” field (the bold text under your profile picture), but this field is searchable. This is a massive opportunity for discoverability.

Instead of just "The Cozy Bakery," try "The Cozy Bakery | NYC Cupcakes." Instead of "Jane Smith," use "Jane | Fitness Coach for Moms." Including relevant keywords here helps you show up when people search for what you offer, not just who you are.

Your Bio: Tell Them Why They Should Care

Your bio needs to answer three questions as fast as possible:

1. Who are you?
2. What do you do/offer?
3. Why should I follow you? (What’s in it for me?)

Use line breaks and emojis to make your bio scannable and easy to read. Finish with a strong Call to Action (CTA) that tells people what to do next, like “👇 Download my free guide” or “☕ Visit our cafe.”

Example of a Weak Bio:
Just a girl who loves lifting. Helping clients be their best selves. Based in LA. jane@email.com.

Example of a Strong Bio:
💪 Certified personal trainer for new moms
✨ Simple workouts for strength & confidence at home
📍 Los Angeles | Online coaching available
👇 Get your free post-partum workout plan!

The "Link in Bio"

Instagram only gives you one clickable link outside of Stories, so make it count. While you can link directly to your website, tools like Linktree, Beacons, or a custom landing page on your site let you house multiple important links in one place. You can A/B test a generic URL (like your homepage) vs sending them directly to a valuable destination (your new product, mailing list signup, a blog post).

Develop a Smart Content Strategy

Before you start trying to get followers, you need something for them to see when they land on your profile. The goal is to post at least 6-9 pieces of high-quality content before your launch. This makes your grid look established and gives people a reason to hit “Follow.”

Choose Your Content Pillars

To stay consistent, don't just post randomly. Choose 3-5 content pillars (or themes) that you’ll rotate through. These pillars should relate directly to your niche and provide different types of value to your audience.

For example, a nutritionist’s pillars could be:

• Healthy Recipes (Value): Sharing simple, visual meal ideas.
• Myth-Busting (Education): Debunking common nutrition myths in carousel posts.
• Behind the Scenes (Connection): A day in the life, showing their grocery haul or meal prep.

Master the Formats: Reels, Stories, & Feed Posts

Instagram isn't just about photos anymore. A modern strategy uses all the formats available:

• Reels: These short-form videos are the number one tool for reaching people who don't follow you yet. Start with simple ideas: a quick tip, a tour of your workspace, an introduction to your mission, or a behind-the-scenes look at how you make something.
• Stories: This is where you build relationships with your existing followers. Use interactive stickers like polls, quizzes, and question boxes to start conversations. Stories are meant to be informal, so don't be afraid to show up unpolished.
• Carousels & Feed Posts: Static content is still incredibly effective for education and sharing value. Use carousel posts (multiple images or graphics in one post) to share step-by-step guides, testimonials, or break down complex topics. High-quality single-image posts are great for major announcements or powerful visual statements.

Your First 9 Posts: A Launch Plan

Your first few posts prime your profile so new visitors immediately understand you.

• Introduce yourself (Post 1): Create a post that clearly states who you are, what the account is about, and who you created it for.
• Provide Tangible Value (Posts 2-5): Share your best tip, answer a frequently asked question, or share an educational carousel. Give them a reason to stick around right away. Show them you’re an expert.
• Build Trust & Relatability (Posts 6-9): Show the person or people behind the brand. Share your ‘why’ B-roll from a workday, or a personal story that connects to your mission. Make them feel like they know you.

Getting Your First 100 Followers (The Right Way)

Forget “follow for follow” or buying bots. Building a real audience starts with genuine connection.

Smart Hashtag Strategy

Hashtags help categorize your content so new audiences can find it. But using gigantic tags like #business (with 100 million posts) is pointless. Your content will be buried instantly. Instead, use a mix of relevant, niche tags.

Search for hashtags in your niche and look at the volume. For a new account, a good mix is:

• Niche: Tags specific to your topic with 10k-100k posts. Examples: #sustainablefashionblogger, #chicagofoodscene, #handmadepottery.
• Community: Tags used by your ideal followers. Examples: #womeninstartups, #californiagardeners.
• Location-Specific: Tags for your city or region. Examples: #austincoffee, #sandiegobsmallbusiness.

Engage Genuinely With Others

Social media is a two-way street. Before and after you post, schedule 15 minutes to engage off your own page. Find 5-10 accounts in your niche or accounts run by people who are your ideal followers.

Scroll through their feed and leave thoughtful, genuine comments on their recent posts. Don’t just comment "great post!". Respond to what they said in their caption, ask a question, and add to the conversation. This puts you on their radar, and other people will see your insightful comment and check out your profile.

Never Miss a Comment on Your Own Posts

In the beginning, every single comment is gold. Respond to every one you get as quickly as you can, even if it's just an emoji. Better yet, try to ask a question in your reply to keep the conversation going. Strong engagement on a post signals to the algorithm that it's valuable content, which can help push it out to more people.

Let People Know You Exist

Finally, promote your new Instagram account off the platform!

• Add your Instagram handle and link to your email signature.
• Cross-promote your account on TikTok, X, LinkedIn, or your Facebook page.
• Tell friends, family, and colleagues in person. Initial support from people who already know and trust you can give you a helpful early boost.

Set a Sustainable Pace

The key to long-term success on Instagram isn't quantity, it's consistency. Showing up 3-4 times a week forever is much better than posting 10 times in your first week and then burning out and disappearing for a month. Plan your content ahead of time, get into a rhythm, and focus on delivering steady value. Track your Insights to see what works and what doesn't, and adjust your strategy based on what your audience responds to most.

Final Thoughts

Starting an Instagram account is the first step, but thoughtfully setting up your profile, developing a clear content plan centered on value, and engaging genuinely are what will spark sustainable growth. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so focus on community and consistency above all else.

Managing all these moving pieces can feel overwhelming, especially when you're just starting out. We built Postbase to make an active, modern social media strategy feel manageable. Our visual calendar helps you plan weeks of content at a glance, our scheduler handles all formats reliably (especially Reels and Stories), and our unified inbox keeps all your comments and DMs in one place so you never miss an opportunity to connect with your new audience.