6 Underutilized Instagram Features for Small Businesses

Instagram is not only a platform to post pictures of your iced coffee and sunsets; it’s a dynamic ecosystem stuffed with tools to help empower small businesses. Instagram: The treasure chest The chest of marketing possibilities Instagram has over 1 billion active users every month. And even the most ambitious entrepreneurs tend to miss one, or the other, of its hidden gems. So here are six neglected Instagram apps for small businesses that can revolutionize your Instagram game, enhance your growth, and help you develop enduring relationships with your audience.

1. Instagram Guides – Tell a Story, Not Just a Post

Do you have a suite of products, services, or tips that you feel are worthy of far more than a post or reel? Guides could be the solution to your storytelling desires.

Instagram Guides allows you to organize multiple posts, products , or places into a break-the-glass, scrollable format. It’s like building your little micro-blog on Instagram—great for tutorials, informative lists, or even seasonal product lineups.

A small skincare business might write “Winter Essentials” and include moisturizers, cold weather tips, and self-care routines. Your audience gets a much more enriched shopping and learning experience with a smooth, continuous stream of imagery and insights.

Why this will be important: Guides help you deliver value to your audience, who may continue to engage with your brand as the process unfolds. They are an elegant addition to your Instagram tools for business growth.

2. Instagram Story Highlights – Capture Timeless Moments

Instagram Stories might vanish after 24 hours, but their appeal doesn’t need to lose its sparkle. Thus, we have Story Highlights, a more versatile alternative. It is simultaneously simple to create and provides structured access to your best content.

Organize your highlights thematically with categories like “Customer Reviews,” “Behind the Scenes,” or “Latest Offers.” Combine this with tailor-made cover images to evoke an elegant brand identity.

A bakery, for example, could use Highlights to showcase seasonal specials, baking tutorials, and community connections.

Why it matters: Story Highlights are an always-on feature that allows customers to explore your brand at their leisure, making them among the best Instagram features for entrepreneurs

3. Instagram Shopping – A Storefront in Your Pocket

Picture welcoming shoppers into a charmingly curated boutique — an inviting shop where they can easily explore and buy products without ever leaving Instagram. And that’s just what Instagram Shopping does for small businesses.

You can tag products in your posts and Stories and even have a dedicated shop tab on your profile. To make it easy to browse, write beautiful captions that describe the inspiration and craftsmanship behind each product, giving you an enchanting experience.

For a boutique selling handmade jewelry, this could look like a post showcasing a delicately engraved bracelet paired with a caption that dives into the heritage of its creation.

Why it matters: Streamlining the shopping experience reduces friction in the customer’s journey and drives conversion rates. It’s a must-have weapon in your arsenal of Instagram business tools.

4. Instagram Insights – Decode Your Audience with Data

Elevate the experience of your most loyal followers with the Close Friends List, an underutilized feature that adds exclusivity to your Stories.

Use it to give a glimpse of upcoming launches, showcase exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, or provide special discounts. These personal touches help make your audience feel like insiders, part of your brand’s inner circle.

Picture this for a tiny fashion label providing an exclusive early peek at its spring collection. Loyal customers get a sneak peek via a Story protected by the holy grail of the Close Friends green circle.

Why it matters: Fostering exclusivity nurtures loyalty and converts devoted followers into repeat customers, making your Instagram tools for business growth even more impactful.

5. Close Friends List – Build Exclusivity on Stories

Elevate your most loyal followers’ experience with the Close Friends List, an underutilized feature that brings exclusivity to your Stories.

Use it to give a glimpse of upcoming launches, showcase exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, or provide special discounts. These personal touches help make your audience feel like insiders, part of your brand’s inner circle.

Picture this for a tiny fashion label providing an exclusive early peek at its spring collection. Loyal customers get the sneak peek via a Story protected by the holy grail of the Close Friends green circle.

Why it matters: Fostering exclusivity nurtures loyalty and converts devoted followers into repeat customers, making your Instagram tools for business growth even more impactful.

6. Collabs and Partnerships – Two Voices, One Conversation

Partnerships can add new dimensions to your brand by combining your audience with the audience of another entrepreneur or business.

The Collabs feature helps you do just that by co-authoring posts or reels that will show up natively on both accounts’ profiles. This not only increases your visibility but also makes your brand narrative more authentic because you partner with those whose values match your own.

A yoga studio working with a wellness cafe, for example, could make a sponsored Reel where people do yoga poses followed by a smoothie. Its audiences overlap, and both parties benefit from the mutual inclusion of the other’s marketing pool.

Why it matters: Collaborations also increase the reach of content and leverage creativity and new markets for your brand, making them an essential tool for an Instagram business account.

Capturing Growth with Instagram’s Hidden Gems 

The magic of Instagram is that it can become an extension of your voice, art, and brand values. (These Instagram features aren’t just blogs on decoration, though—they’re practical, results-driven tools for growth, connection, and storytelling.) From the quiet, humble but impactful Guides to Building Closeness through Close Friends List, each element pushes you to think differently about your marketing.

Elevate your business presence by exploring these features, refining your strategy, and building a vibrant community.

Looking for ways to streamline your growth even further? Join conversations, connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, and keep your eyes open for more Instagram marketing tips to master today.