In this modern world, social media has become an essential platform for businesses to market and create brand awareness. And one of the most commonly used platforms to showcase your business is Instagram.
In this modern world, social media has become an essential platform for businesses to market and create brand awareness. And one of the most commonly used platforms to showcase your business is Instagram.
With over 2.3 billion monthly active users, it makes sense to incorporate Instagram into your digital marketing strategy and use it to promote the visual content of your business. To do this, any marketer would consider making their company's Instagram account public to attract and reach more people and better engage their audience.
But did you know that more and more businesses are now switching to private accounts on Instagram? It may seem contradictory to your objective of attracting new customers, but hear us out. Below, we’ve compiled a list of several compelling reasons why you should keep your company’s Instagram account private.
The Difference Between A Public And Private Instagram Account
Before we enumerate the reasons for going private, let’s first understand the difference between a public and a private Instagram account.
With a public Instagram account, you can have a creator or business account, which gives you special features beneficial for your business. An Instagram business account allows you to have an online shop within the platform and provides access to promotional features and Instagram analytics. Moreover, having a public account allows your profile to appear on the Explore page, in searches, and on feed lists.
On the other hand, a private account implies that you are less accessible to your users. Furthermore, your followers are the only ones who can see and interact with your content. When a user wants to see your profile and engage with your content, they need to make a ‘Follow Request’ that you’ll need to accept.
Moreover, having a private Instagram account does not mean you can conceal your posts from the public. Modern resources, such as the Insta stalker app enables users to access private Instagram accounts and postings. As their names suggest, these tools are spy programs that can monitor Instagram activities and private account content. Consequently, even if your account is set to private, users can still access it with the proper tool.
Some apps may allow users to view your posts or business info, while others can also download private content. Regardless of its functionality, the best apps will enable you to monitor and check private Instagram accounts while staying anonymous.
Why Should Your Business Switch To A Private Instagram Account?
Here are a few advantages to setting your company's Instagram account to private.
Today, most Instagram users fall for fear of missing out (FOMO) and want always to be on-trend. And there’s nothing better for building FOMO than creating an exclusive account. As mentioned before, when your business’ Instagram account is private, people will need to send a follow request to gain access to your content.
This helps build mystery and curiosity, especially if they see you have a large following. It makes users want to know what the hype is all about.
If you're releasing a new product or holding a promotional event, creating a FOMO is a great way to pique a user's interest.
Social media has always been about putting yourself out there, making yourself relatable, and appealing to the general population. However, with the increasing concern over privacy and data breaches, and the general nature of content, there is a move toward content personalization and privacy. Brands are shifting their attention and resources to smaller, more targeted groups with a higher quality of customers.
By switching to a private account, you limit the number of users who can see and interact with your posts. This can show that you care more about maintaining quality relationships with users than boosting your public reach and getting leads that don’t convert.
By making your profile and posts private, your current followers will be the only ones who can access them. This gives them the impression that every post you write is explicitly tailored to their needs. Since you've established a private group exclusively for them, it makes them feel exceptional.
As previously said, making your Instagram account private provides exclusivity and increases interest in your brand. And this can potentially help you boost your followers without having to force it.
As people get more curious about your brand, they will likely request to follow your account. This is especially true if you publish highly shareable content, such as memes.
For instance, if one of your followers shares content with a non-follower friend on their other social media account, that non-follower friend won’t be able to see your content. As a result, they will be enticed to follow your Instagram account to check the content their acquaintance shared with them.
Besides helping you gradually grow your followers, going private can also help retain your followers. As mentioned before, having a private account may help make your followers feel special. Thus, they may think twice before unfollowing your account.
Furthermore, before someone can unfollow your account, Instagram will prompt them to confirm their decision. The thought of what they'll leave behind may cause them to pause and reflect. People will probably just hit the back button if your material is good enough to warrant a visit.
Another reason a follower may think twice about unfollowing you is that there’s no guarantee that you’ll accept their request to follow your account again. In other words, once they hit ‘unfollow,’, there’s no turning back.
A public account doesn’t give you control over who sees your profile and posts. In contrast, a private account restricts access to your content to only your followers. This protects you against content thieves who use and repost your content without permission.
In addition, it makes your community feel safer. By gaining more control over your followers, a private account allows you to better deal with trolling and online harassment. If a user is harassing your followers, you can kick them out.
Takeaway
While it may seem like an odd tactic and like you're wishing to fail, putting a barrier in the way of your audience and admirers is currently gaining traction.
A private Instagram account may be beneficial, but whether or not it works for your business will be determined by various factors, including your business goals and marketing strategy. So, before you shut your Instagram account off to the rest of the world, make sure to properly plan and research your target demographic to see whether it would work for your business.
