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Merle Andringa - BE Digital

Written by

Digital Marketing & Design

Updated on 11 July 2024

The ins and outs of a business account on social media

The ins and outs of a business account on social media. A business account on social media can take your company to the next level. It offers countless benefits, from a professional appearance to detailed analytics. In this article we discuss the pros and cons, and give practical tips for optimising your business account.

Benefits of a business account

Professional appearance

With a business account, your company comes across as professional. You can neatly fill in all your business information, such as contact details, opening hours and a description of your services.

Access to analytics

One of the biggest advantages is access to detailed statistics. You can see how many people view your posts, how much interaction there is, and what the profile of your followers looks like.

Advertising options

Business accounts offer extensive advertising options. You can create targeted ads and track exactly how effective they are.

Better communication with customers

With a business account you can communicate better with your customers. You can receive messages, respond to comments, and even use chatbots to answer questions automatically.

Drawbacks of a business account

Restrictions on the use of music and sounds

On some platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, business accounts have limited access to popular music and sounds. This can affect the creativity of your content.

Possibly less organic reach

Some platforms give priority to personal accounts in their algorithms, which means your business posts may have less organic reach.

Obligation to make business details public

With a business account you are required to make certain business details public. This can raise privacy concerns, especially for smaller businesses.

Choosing the right type of business account

Facebook

On Facebook you can choose between different types of pages, such as local business, brand, or public figure. Each type has its own pros and cons, depending on your goals.

Instagram

Instagram offers business profiles and creator profiles. Business profiles are ideal for businesses that sell products or services, while creator profiles are better for influencers and content creators.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the best choice for B2B businesses. Here you can create a company profile that lets you promote your brand and post job vacancies.

Optimising your business account

Filling in business information

Make sure all business information is filled in completely and accurately. This not only helps with SEO, but also ensures customers can easily find all the information they need.

Choosing a profile photo and cover photo

Use a professional profile photo, such as your company logo. For the cover photo you can use an image that represents your business well, such as your products or a photo of your team.

Consistent branding

Make sure your branding is consistent across all platforms. Use the same colours, logos and tone of voice to create a recognisable brand identity.

Writing an effective bio

A good bio contains relevant keywords and a clear value proposition. Also include your contact information and add a call to action, such as a link to your website.

Analytics and measuring success

Key metrics

Pay attention to metrics such as reach, engagement and conversions. Reach shows how many people see your content, engagement measures interaction, and conversions show how many actions have been taken (such as clicking a link or making purchases).

Where do you find the statistics?

Facebook:
Desktop: Go to your page and click ‘Insights’ at the top of the page. Here you will find detailed statistics about your reach, likes, followers and more.
Mobile: Open the Facebook app, go to your page, tap the three lines in the top right corner and select ‘Insights’.
Instagram:
Desktop: Log in to Instagram.com, go to your profile and click ‘Insights’ if this option is available.
Mobile: Go to your profile and tap the three lines in the top right corner. Select ‘Insights’ to access statistics such as reach, interactions and demographic data about your followers. You can also view the statistics under each individual post by tapping ‘View insights’, and for stories by swiping up while you view the story.
LinkedIn:
Desktop: Go to your company page and click ‘Analytics’ in the top navigation bar. Here you can view statistics about your followers, visitors and updates.
Mobile: Open the LinkedIn app, go to your company page and tap ‘Analytics’ to view the same data.

Adjusting your strategy based on analytics

Use the data to see what works and what doesn’t. If certain posts get a lot of interaction, create more content of that kind. If you see that your target audience is more active at certain times, schedule your posts for those times.

Examples of insights from analytics

  • Best-performing posts: Identify which posts get the most reach and engagement and analyse why they work well.
  • Active times of your target audience: Use this information to know when it is best to post.
  • Demographic data: Learn more about the age, location and interests of your followers so you can tailor your content better to your target audience.

Conclusion

A business account on social media offers many advantages, from a professional appearance to detailed analytics. Read here how to create a business account for social media. Although there are some drawbacks, such as restrictions on the use of music and possibly less organic reach, the advantages usually outweigh them. By choosing the right type of account, optimising your profile and using analytics to adjust your strategy, you can get the most out of your business account. Need help or want to talk about a business account on social media? Get in touch with our specialists. 

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of a business account on social media?

A business account gives you a professional appearance, access to detailed analytics and extensive advertising options. You can also communicate better with customers, for example through messages, comments and chatbots.

What are the drawbacks of a business account?

On some platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, business accounts have limited access to popular music and sounds. Organic reach may also be lower and you have to make certain business details public, which can raise privacy concerns.

Which type of business account should you choose on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn?

On Facebook you choose between page types such as local business, brand or public figure. Instagram has business profiles for sellers of products or services and creator profiles for influencers, and LinkedIn is the best choice for B2B companies.

How do you use analytics to improve your social media strategy?

Pay attention to metrics such as reach, engagement and conversions. Make more of the content that gets a lot of interaction and schedule your posts for the times when your audience is most active.

Merle Andringa - BE Digital

About the author

Digital Marketing & Design

Merle Andringa combines digital marketing, social media, branding and design. She helps organisations position their brand in a recognisable way and carry it through consistently in content and digital channels.