# Instagram is Officially Getting Down to Business

- Link: https://chatterblast.com/blog/instagram-is-officially-getting-down-to-business/
- Published: 2016-06-03T21:23:59-04:00
- Author: chatterblastteam

Instagram officially means _business_.

Following a spur of rumors and leaks this past week, Instagram has officially announced
the new features for small and medium-sized businesses in an effort to kickstart
the app’s advertising revenue.

These new features are highlighted by the ability to:

    - Buy ads within the mobile app

    - Have access to Instagram analytics (Insights)

    - Create business profiles, letting brands or companies add a _contact button_
      so that customers can click to call or email

“_This is really the first time you can advertise like this within the app,_” **
James Quarles**, **Instagram****’****s global head of business and brand development**,
[tells USA TODAY](http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/05/31/instagram-targets-small-business-ad-revenue/85195338/).“
_We have millions of businesses, great community members, and today we want to help
them to have the capability to be a business on Instagram, not just be an account._”

Plus, he adds, “_50 percent of people follow a business on Instagram, and 60 percent
learn about products and services on Instagram_.”

[⌊pexels-photo (1)⌉⌊pexels-photo (1)⌉[

This announcement signals Instagram’s inauguration into the social media **advertising
elite.** Backed by the powerhouse that _is_ Facebook, Instagram now joins the big
four, which also includes Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.

The timing is noteworthy, too, as industry insiders are officially predicting social
media’s [imminent advertising takeover](http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/tv-budgets-shifting-social-time-worry/304078/),

The added analytics will also allow for a bigger picture to be to painted through
_data_. As of now, Instagram analytics are only offered through third-party programs
and often have lackluster data options. Instagram’s new analytic offerings, which
will be called Insights, [will offer the following (but not limited to) data:](http://techcrunch.com/2016/05/16/instagrams-analytics-will-offer-audience-demographics-post-impressions-reach-more/)

    - **Demographic details** about your audience, including followers’ location,
      age and gender

    - **Followers **you’ve gained on an hourly and daily basis. This can help pinpoint
      which posts worked to convert users to followers, or which posts may have 
      spread virally, for example.

    - **Post data** that tracks metrics like impressions, reach, website clicks 
      and other follower activity (including a display of the_ most popular times
      _of the day your followers are using Instagram)

Instagram will, however, be facing _one massive hurdle_ in opening the floodgates
to all businesses, big and small:

They need to protect the _user experience_.

[⌊photo-634069_960_720⌉⌊photo-634069_960_720⌉[

Instagram will now allow ads from businesses that may not have the same strategic
and creative capabilities as big brands.

For any small business owner reading this and thinking, _“__Hey, I__’__d like to
advertise on Instagram!__”_ let me be perfectly clear: **High-quality creative **
is an absolute must to advertise on this platform. Sending out low-quality and quickly-
produced ads will have the potential for some _serious _backlash both on the ad 
itself _and _for your brand image. If you’re not sure where to begin with advertising
on Instagram, it’s important to receive consultation on strategy and assistance 
developing imagery.

Each of the newly-announced business features is expected to roll out in the coming
months and will reach all regions worldwide by the end of the year.