If you’re reading this post, you’ve already realized one fundamental thing:

Instagram is a critically important social network. The photo-sharing app is not only

important for retailers, restaurants, or travel companies; as one of the most

effective brand-building tools available today, Instagram is increasingly important

for every kind of business.

Instagram is now a hub where regular people find (and judge) the visual identity of

a business. Without a strong Instagram presence, companies risk being ignored or

forgotten, especially among the next generation of consumers. Among American

teens, Instagram is actually considered the single most important social network.

If you do take Instagram seriously, it can open up a world of opportunity for your

brand. Forrester has named Instagram the “king of social engagement,” citing the

fact that top brands’ Instagram posts generated a per-follower engagement rate of

4.21 percent. That means Instagram delivered these brands 58 times more

engagement per follower than Facebook, and 120 times more engagement per

follower than Twitter.

So, you now know why your business should be on Instagram. Below, we tackle

the “how,” walking you through the process of building an Instagram strategy,

setting up your account, and best practices for brand. Read on for our beginner’s

guide on how to use Instagram for business.