Instagram account management

A profile that does its job

A visual plan

People may judge an Instagram account by a glance at its recent posts. A small set of recurring themes, such as products, the people behind the business, how something is made and customer stories shared with permission, keeps the account recognisable. Consistent light and framing in photos help more than filters. Plan a few weeks ahead so the mix stays balanced rather than repeating the same type of post. Keep the plan short.

Captions

A caption should add what the photo cannot: the product name and price if relevant, the story behind it, a useful tip, or what to do next, such as how to order. Put the important part first, since longer captions may be shortened in the feed. Keep hashtags relevant to the post rather than adding long lists. Read each caption once more before posting, checking prices, dates and spelling.

Example: a florist's account

Comments and messages

People may use comments and direct messages to ask about stock, prices or bookings. Decide who checks them and how often, and keep a short set of approved answers for common questions. Complaints are best acknowledged publicly and resolved privately. A note of the questions people ask also gives you ideas for future posts that answer them.

Access and ownership

The account should be registered to the business, with an email the business controls. If others help manage it, use the access options Meta currently offers rather than sharing the password, and review who has access regularly. Keep the recovery email and phone number current.

Measuring what matters

Decide what the account is for, such as enquiries, bookings or website visits, and track that, alongside the account's own figures. Asking new customers how they found you is a simple check. A short monthly note of enquiries that mention Instagram, alongside a look at which posts drew comments and questions, may be enough for a small business to decide what to post more of.

A weekly routine

A routine keeps the account steady without taking over the week. One approach: on Monday, choose and edit photos for the week and write captions; through the week, publish or schedule posts and check comments and messages at set times; on Friday, glance at what drew interest and note ideas for next week. Keeping a shared folder where staff drop photos makes Monday quicker. The exact days matter less than doing it every week.

Hashtags and location

Use a few hashtags that describe the post and your area or niche, rather than long generic lists. Where location matters to customers, such as for a shop or café, mention the area in the profile and in relevant captions. Review which tags appear on posts that bring enquiries, and drop those that never do.

People in photos

Ask permission before posting photos of customers or staff, and keep a simple record. Take advice where children or sensitive settings are involved.