Instagram is a great place for entrepreneurs. You can find inspiring marketing ideas to try, opportunities for collaboration, as well as motivational quotes to keep you going.
But which accounts are the best to follow? With the inundation of influencers and ads, it can be hard to find legitimate business accounts that are worth following. But fear not! We've selected the 10 best business accounts to follow and offered three important tips on how you can make the most of your own business Instagram account.
1. Daymond John (@thesharkdaymond)
He's one of the most recognizable faces on Shark Tank, due in part to his big personality. He's also a businessman, author and motivational speaker.
John is "a well-known shark [who] provides great motivation for those who need it on a daily basis – entrepreneurs," said Jakub Kliszczak, marketing specialist at CrazyCall.
2. Jasmine Star (@jasminestar)
Star is a business strategist and photographer with an Instagram feed full of crisp photos and inspiring quotes.
"Jasmine Star puts out the most amazing photos, but most importantly, she always shares inspiring stories about her entrepreneurial journey," said Sharell Weeams, business and marketing strategist at Sharell Weeams Coaching.
3. HoneyBook (@honeybook)
HoneyBook is a CRM that's designed for creative businesses to manage clients from initial inquiry to final invoice, according to Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.
"The account peppers inspiring quotes alongside tips and advice for getting started as a 'creativepreneur.' It's bright, colorful and features individuals from all walks of life," said Sweeney.
4. Grant Cardone (@grantcardone)
Author, real estate investor and creator of the 10X approach, Cardone's Instagram account features entrepreneurship tips as well as motivational speeches and quotes.
"Grant is a well-known real estate investor and sales trainer whose daily posts are not only inspirational, but they open up my perspective as to what is possible in business and in life," said Jeff Proctor, co-founder of DollarSprout.com.
5. Rachel Hollis (@msrachelhollis)
Hollis is an author, podcaster and founder of The Chic Site. Her Instagram feed includes inspirational quotes, pictures of her family, and updates about her business ventures and hobbies.
"As a business owner, mother and passionate entrepreneur, I love to follow Rachel Hollis to kickstart my day. The crisp, clean images with the inspiring … copy leave me wanting to rise and grind," said Kelley Legler, owner of Baby Jack & Company.
6. Girlboss (@girlboss)
The Girlboss Instagram account will give you a confidence boost, a much-needed laugh and the perseverance to continue pursuing your dreams.
"Girlboss is [a] community for women where they share inspirational quotes from other female entrepreneurs," said Tracy Memoli, founder of FrutaPOP. "They also share advice on a ton of useful topics, including money and self-care."
7. Richard Branson (@richardbranson)
You probably know him best as the founder of the Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies. His Instagram feed has no shortage of motivational quotes alongside personal photos.
Branson provides a "great dose of entrepreneurship motivation and inspiration. If you want to learn, learn from the best … there is no better person to learn entrepreneurship from than … Richard Branson," said Kliszczak.
8. Brit Morin (@brit)
Morin is the CEO of Brit + Co, a media company designed to inspire, educate and entertain real women. Her Instagram feed is full of family photos, work photos and motivating quotes.
Kristen Leuck, director of integrated communications at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, follows Morin for "a reminder that it is possible to balance running a successful, multimillion-dollar business with family and fun."
9. Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
Author, speaker, internet personality, and serial entrepreneur, Vaynerchuk leads VaynerMedia and VaynerX and is also known for his digital media and social media expertise.
"His inspirational content is enough to drive you to your to-do list and get going in the morning," said Ashley Rector, founder of Harness Magazine.
10. Jenna Kutcher (@jennakutcher)
Kutcher hosts her own business podcast, Goal Digger Podcast, and her Instagram features pictures of her alongside inspiring captions and tips.
"Jenna Kutcher is the queen of marketing. Her email marketing courses and Instagram classes are one of the few to be backed with her own results," said Kim Cruickshanks, co-founder of Cooking Gift Set Co.
Once you've had a chance to see what other successful entrepreneurs are doing with their Instagram accounts, the next step is to set up your own business Instagram account and get noticed by others.
How to create your own business account
Signing up for a business Instagram account is easy.
To create an account, follow these simple steps:
- Sign up using your business email address.
- Upload your logo as the profile photo for brand recognition.
- Go to Profile Settings and scroll down to Switch to Business Account.
- Enter your business name and associated phone number.
- You're all done and ready to post!
Once your account is set up, take some time and do your research to come up with a brand strategy for your Instagram account.
"Find the five best pages belonging to your niche," said Syed Rizvi, founder and educator at RevMed. "[Next] decipher three things you love about all five of them. Now take those 15 points and make a recipe that people have yet to see. Your business page is not recreating the wheel, it's just bringing a new style, new look or new concept to the user."
Best Instagram practices for entrepreneurs
Now that you have an Instagram account, it's time to run it properly. Instagram is a particularly useful tool for connecting with your audience; after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Here are some tips for running a business Instagram account.
Limit others' access to login details, and change your password frequently
First and foremost, it's important to know who on your team you can trust with the login information if multiple people will be posting. Cybersecurity is of the utmost importance for entrepreneurs.
"Business [owners] should make sure they're changing their Instagram account login information if they grant temporary access to their account. The best practice is to not [enable] unauthorized access to the account," said Chelsea Brown, CEO and founder of Digital Mom Talk.
Engage with your audience
Posting on Instagram isn't enough by itself to build a successful business. Rizvi said that posting content on Instagram stories is equally as important as posting photos. Build a relationship with your followers, as well as the people you follow, and you'll create brand recognition and trust.
"Stories drive traffic to your product or service; [they also] raise brand awareness. Give, give and give some more before you think about taking from your audience. People [need time] to build trust with the page they like," Rizvi said.
Jeremy Harrison, founder of Hustle Life, reinforced Rizvi's recommendation that promoting paid items or service isn't the first move you should make: "Pay attention to solving a problem, make Instagram videos, and post valuable information. And just like in the real world, your followers will definitely reward you."
"Becoming an Instagram entrepreneur takes almost the same level of commitment as it takes to become an entrepreneur in the real world," said Harrison. "You identify a need and strategically position your Instagram page to solve that unique problem."
Utilize Instagram for Business features
There are certain features on Instagram that business accounts can use to boost potential clientele.
"Instagram [analytics] helps you see what kind of people see your account, which in turn tells you who you should be targeting with your content," said Meara McNitt, social media strategist at Online Optimism. "It is very important to use hashtags to get your content in front of viewers that could be interested in it, as well as using your personal account (and encouraging others), to share the business account to gain exposure."
Instagram can be a great business tool when it's used properly. Follow the entrepreneurs above, get inspired and then jump into your own Instagram adventure.