Social Media Guide · Instagram
Turn followers into customers
Who is on Instagram in 2026, how to set up a business account and what to post.
Instagram for business works because your customers are already there: in Pew Research Center’s 2026 survey, 51% of U.S. adults said they use Instagram, including 79% of adults ages 18 to 29.
That makes Instagram the third most-used platform in the United States after YouTube (84%) and Facebook (70%), according to Pew’s fact sheet published Oct. 19, 2026, based on a survey of 5,511 adults from Jan. 30 to June 18, 2026. Worldwide, Meta said in April 2025 that Instagram had more than two billion monthly active users.
For a restaurant, salon, boutique, gym, photographer, contractor or online shop, Instagram is a free storefront window that customers check before they visit, call or buy. This guide covers who uses it, how to set up a professional account, what to post, how to measure results and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules every business must follow.
Share of U.S. adults who use each platform (2026)
Source: Pew Research Center, Americans’ Use of Social Media in 2026 (Oct. 19, 2026).
Who uses Instagram in 2026
Instagram skews young but reaches every age group. Pew’s 2026 data by age:
Instagram use by age, U.S. adults (2026)
Source: Pew Research Center, survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 30-June 18, 2026.
Pew’s 2025 report also found more women (55%) than men (44%) use Instagram, and higher use among Hispanic (62%), Asian (58%) and Black (54%) adults than among White adults (45%). For a business in a region as diverse as Sacramento, that reach matters: Instagram is often where younger and multicultural customers discover a new place.
Set up a professional account
Instagram offers two types of professional accounts. According to the Instagram Help Center, Business accounts are best for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations and service providers, while Creator accounts fit public figures, content producers, artists and influencers. Switching is free and can be reversed.
What a professional account adds
| Feature | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Professional dashboard | Performance tracking and tools in one place | See what works without guessing |
| Insights | Who your followers are, when they are online, how each post performs | Post at the right time, make more of what works |
| Contact button | Directions, phone number and email near the top of the profile | Turns a profile visit into a call or visit |
| Category label | Shows your business type under the profile photo | Tells visitors what you do |
| Ads | Run ads from the account and through Meta tools on Instagram and Facebook | Reach people beyond your followers |
| Search discovery | Posts and Reels may appear in search engine results | More ways to be found |
Set up Instagram for business in 30 minutes
- Switch to a professional accountIn the app, open Settings, then the account type and tools menu, and choose Business.
- Write a clear bioWhat you sell, where you are and one call to action, such as “Order online” or “Book a table.”
- Add contact optionsPhone, email and address so the Contact button works.
- Link your websitePoint the profile link to your website or a booking or ordering page.
- Connect your Facebook PageInstagram recommends it to get the most from its business tools.
- Pin three postsYour best offer, a customer favorite and an introduction to the people behind the business.
The Instagram Help Center notes that professional accounts cannot be set to private. If your personal account is private, switching makes it public and accepts pending follow requests, so many owners create a separate account for the business.
What to post
Instagram rewards consistency and real people more than polish. A simple weekly mix:
A sample weekly content mix (illustrative)
- 40%Short videos (Reels): how it is made, before and after, tips
- 25%Product or service photos with prices
- 20%Customer stories and reposts (with permission)
- 15%Behind the scenes and team
Illustrative plan, not a platform rule. Adjust the mix to what your Insights show your followers watch and save.
- Reels: short vertical videos. Show a process, a transformation or a quick tip in the first two seconds.
- Carousels: up to several photos or slides in one post; good for menus, price lists and step-by-step tips.
- Stories: 24-hour posts for daily specials, polls and countdowns; save the best as Highlights on your profile.
- Captions: lead with the useful detail (price, time, place), then one call to action and a few relevant hashtags, including your city.
AI tools can speed up captions and content calendars; see our ChatGPT for small business guide for prompts. Keep the photos and the voice your own.
Measure what matters with Insights
Instagram Insights is free and built into every professional account. Check it once a week and track a few numbers in a spreadsheet:
Reach tells you how many accounts saw your content; profile visits, website taps and direct messages show interest that can turn into sales. Ask new customers how they found you, and give Instagram followers a simple code so you can count sales from the platform.
Ads: when to pay
Organic posts build trust with people who already follow you; ads reach new people. A professional account can run ads that appear on Instagram and Facebook through Meta’s tools. Start small: boost a post that already performed well, target your service area and a realistic age range, set a fixed daily budget and a short end date, then compare cost per message, booking or sale with your other marketing. Track ad spend in your small business budget.
The FTC rules every business must follow
Instagram marketing is advertising, and FTC rules apply.
- Disclose paid partnerships. The FTC’s guide for influencers says any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand must be disclosed, including free or discounted products. If you pay or gift an influencer, ask them to disclose clearly, in the post itself, with plain words such as “ad” or “sponsored.”
- Put disclosures where people see them. The FTC says a disclosure hidden in a pile of hashtags, behind a “more” link or only on a profile page is likely to be missed. On photos and Stories, place it over the image; in videos, say and show it.
- No fake reviews or followers. The FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, in effect since Oct. 21, 2024, bans fake reviews and testimonials, including AI-generated ones, and fake social media indicators such as bot followers bought to look popular.
- Get permission for reposts. Ask before sharing a customer’s photo, and credit them.
If you pay creators or work as one, those payments are business income or expenses; our side hustle taxes guide covers the reporting rules.
Common mistakes
- Posting only ads. Followers stay for useful, entertaining or personal content.
- Inconsistent posting. A burst of posts, then silence for a month, loses momentum.
- No call to action. Tell people exactly how to buy, book or visit.
- Ignoring messages. A direct message is often a ready customer; answer within a day.
- Buying followers. It inflates numbers, hurts engagement and can violate FTC rules.
Key terms
- Professional account: a Business or Creator account with Insights, contact options and ad tools.
- Reels: Instagram’s short vertical videos.
- Reach: the number of unique accounts that saw your content.
- Engagement: likes, comments, shares, saves and replies on your posts.
- Material connection: in FTC terms, any payment, gift or relationship between a brand and the person promoting it.
The bottom line: Instagram for business is a low-cost way to reach about half of U.S. adults and most people under 30. Set up a professional account, post short videos and clear product photos every week, answer every message, measure reach and link taps in Insights and keep every partnership and review honest under FTC rules.
Free help in the Sacramento region
You do not have to work through these decisions alone. SCORE Sacramento pairs owners with volunteer mentors, many of them retired executives, bankers and accountants, at no cost. The Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center offers free one-on-one advising on financing, budgeting and financial statements. The SBA’s Sacramento District Office can explain loan programs and connect you with lenders, and community lenders such as California Capital and Opening Doors serve owners who need smaller loans or extra support. Browse our Business Resources and the free business help guide for more.
Key takeaways
- 51% of U.S. adults and 79% of adults ages 18-29 use Instagram (Pew, 2026).
- A free professional account adds Insights, a Contact button, a category label and ad tools.
- Professional accounts cannot be private; many owners keep a separate business account.
- Post Reels, product photos and customer stories every week; track reach, visits, taps and messages.
- Disclose paid partnerships clearly and never buy reviews or followers (FTC rules).
Frequently asked questions
Is an Instagram business account free?
Yes. Switching to a professional Business or Creator account is free and can be reversed. You pay only if you choose to run ads.
How many people use Instagram in the U.S.?
In Pew Research Center’s 2026 survey, 51 percent of U.S. adults said they use Instagram, including 79 percent of adults ages 18 to 29 and 21 percent of adults 65 and older.
Should my business use a Business or Creator account?
Instagram recommends Business accounts for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations and service providers, and Creator accounts for public figures, content producers, artists and influencers.
How often should a business post on Instagram?
There is no official number. Many small businesses aim for three to five feed posts or Reels a week plus Stories, then adjust based on what their Insights show.
Do I have to disclose paid influencer posts?
Yes. The FTC says any payment, free product or personal relationship with a brand must be disclosed clearly in the post itself, using plain words such as ad or sponsored.
Sources
- Pew Research Center: Americans’ Use of Social Media in 2026 (fact sheet, Oct. 19, 2026; survey Jan. 30-June 18, 2026)
- Pew Research Center: Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 (Nov. 20, 2025)
- Instagram Help Center: About professional accounts on Instagram
- Instagram Help Center: View account and content insights on Instagram
- Meta: The FTC’s weak case against Meta ignores reality (April 2025; Instagram has more than two billion monthly active users)
- Federal Trade Commission: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
- Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, questions and answers
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- Business Banking 101: How to Choose and Open a Business Bank Account
- Small Business Funding Options: Loans, Grants and Investors
- Business Resources: all guides →
