What’s an Instagram Creator Profile – and Do You Need One?
Being an influencer on Instagram is hard. You have to show value to clients through analytics, engage with your fans through messaging and put up consistent images that have nothing to do with any product to show people you’re not only about those dollars.
Late last year Instagram launched Creator Profiles. It comes with tools specific to artists, public figures and influencers – not the generic features offered on an Instagram Business Profile.
Or, as Instagram product manager Ashley Yuki told the Hollywood Reporter: creators are “an important part of our community….”We want to make sure that Instagram is the best place, and the easiest place, to build fan communities and also build [creators’] personal brands.”
So what do you get in a creator profile?
Better (more specific) Analytics
When you’ve got 50,000 followers, the current measurement tools that come with business profiles just don’t cut it. They were designed for actual businesses and that means they need to cover everyone, from someone just starting their business account and having ten followers, through to the average business with a few thousand.
The new analytics suite allows creators to measure reach and engagement more specifically, look at the demographics of their followers and break their audience into segments.
Advanced Messaging
When you’ve got millions of followers, messaging is a fulltime job in itself. After all, clients reach out to you on Instagram, but so do creepy people telling you that you’re the person they’re meant to be with.
Obviously, influencers want more of the first and less of the second.
The new messaging system has a detailed filter that only needs to be set up once. It can – for example – prioritize messages from businesses and exclude certain words and phrases….like, “will you marry me?”
Sell Stuff
Shoppable posts are awesome. being able to buy something directly on Instagram is highly visual, easy and fun like shopping should be. Using a creator profile, influencers will be able to sell stuff in the same way that a retailer currently does.
The thinking behind this is post optimization – creating content that sells, and wearing something that sells is just good business. Instagram wants high-quality content; the influencer wants to make money and build their reputation – everyone wins.
Can I Have One?
At the moment, creator accounts are in beta and there is no word on when – or if – they’ll be released to the public. It is highly probable that they will be limited to users who have more than ten thousand followers and high engagement.
But if you’ve got a massive follower base and make money as an influencer, it could be the magic sauce you’re looking for.
