Set up an Instagram Business account
Instagram is the one platform that requires a specific account type. Meta's publishing tools, which ZippityOne uses, only work with a professional account (Business or Creator). Switching your existing account over takes about five minutes and doesn't touch your posts or followers.
What you'll need
- An Instagram account. A personal one is fine, since you'll switch it in place.
- The Instagram app on your phone, or a computer at instagram.com. Instagram documents both.
- A category that describes your business (florist, restaurant, medical clinic, and so on)
- Optional: business contact details you'd like shown on your profile
Step by step
- 1
Know which type you're picking: Business
Instagram professional accounts come in two flavors. Per Instagram, Business accounts are best for retailers, local businesses, brands, organizations and service providers; Creator accounts are best for public figures, content producers, artists and influencers.
For a business, choose Business. (Already running a Creator account? No need to switch. ZippityOne works with both professional types.)
- 2
Open your profile
In the Instagram app, tap “Profile” or your profile picture in the bottom right.
- 3
Open your settings
Tap the More (☰) button to go to your “Settings and activity”.
- 4
Start the switch
Below “For professionals”, tap “Account type and tools”, then select “Switch to professional account”.
- 5
Pick your category
Choose the category that best describes what you do, then tap “Switch to professional account”. Don't overthink it. Per Instagram, the category doesn't decide whether you get a business or creator account. That comes next.
- 6
Choose Business and finish up
Choose “Business” and tap “Next”. A few optional screens follow:
- Contact details: add them, or tap “Don't use my contact info”.
- Facebook Page: tap “Skip” unless you want one linked. ZippityOne doesn't need it (see below).
- Later: show or hide your category and contact info under Edit profile → Profile display.
On a computer instead? At instagram.com, click More → “Settings” → “Account type and tools” (below “For professionals”) → “Switch to professional account”. Choose Business, click Next, pick your category, click Done, and confirm with Continue. Full official instructions are in Instagram's help article, Set up a professional Instagram account.
Common snags
Your account can't be private anymore
Instagram is explicit: professional accounts can't be set to private, and pending follow requests are automatically accepted when you go public. For a business that's usually the point, since customers should be able to find you. Just know that if your account is private today, switching makes it public.
You don't need to link a Facebook Page for ZippityOne
The setup flow offers to connect a Facebook Page. Instagram calls that step optional; it mainly helps with sharing to Facebook, ads and shopping tools. The publishing setup ZippityOne uses works without one. Meta's developer documentation states it “does not require a Facebook Page to be linked to the Instagram professional account.” You can safely skip it.
If you do link one, two things change: you can only share Instagram posts to Facebook through that Page, and anyone with access to either the Page or the account can manage both.
Picked Creator by mistake, or thinking of switching back?
No harm done. You can change professional type any time under Account type and tools → Account type → Switch account type, and ZippityOne publishes to either type. Just don't switch back to a personal account. ZippityOne can only post to professional accounts, and going personal also disconnects any linked Facebook Page.