An audit is a calm look at your account through a customer's eyes. You do not need special software: twenty minutes, your phone and the Insights tab are enough. Go through the checklist below in order, write down what is missing, then fix the three things that would make the biggest difference this week.
Profile: the first three seconds
- Name field: your brand plus what you do, such as your business type and city, in the words people type when they look for you.
- Bio: what you sell, for whom and where, in one or two lines, with one clear next step.
- Link: goes straight to ordering, booking or WhatsApp, and works well on a phone.
- Profile photo: your logo, readable at a small size.
Rewrite it in seconds with our Instagram bio writer.
Highlights
Check that the first four highlights answer the questions people ask most: prices or menu, how to order or book, location and your work. Remove anything outdated, such as last year's offers.
See our Highlights guide for covers and order.
The grid
Look at your last nine posts together. Do they look like one brand, with the same colours, fonts and logo? Could a stranger tell what you sell from the grid alone? If not, choose two colours, one font and one post layout, and use them for the next month.
Plan the next nine with our grid planner.
Posting rhythm
Count your posts in the last four weeks and find your longest break. A steady rhythm, such as three fixed days a week, does more than many posts in one week and silence the next.
Content mix
Of your last twelve posts, count the reels, carousels and single photos, then compare their reach and interactions in Insights. Do more of the type that works for your audience, and keep reels in the mix, because they are how Instagram shows your work to people who do not follow you yet.
Engagement
Add up the likes and comments on your last twelve posts, divide by twelve, then divide by your followers and multiply by 100. Compare the result with accounts of a similar size, not with big brands, because engagement rates usually fall as accounts grow.
Our engagement rate calculator does the maths for you.
Captions
Read your last five captions. Does the first line make people stop? Does each one say why the post matters to the customer and end with one clear next step, such as ordering on WhatsApp or booking from the link? Are the hashtags few and relevant?
Replies and messages
Open last week's comments and messages. How many were answered, and how fast? Fast, friendly replies turn questions into orders, so set quick replies for prices, hours and location.
See our guide to replying to comments and messages.
Insights
In the Insights tab, note your reach, follower growth and profile activity, such as link taps and calls, for the last 30 days. Write the numbers down: next month's audit will show whether your fixes worked.
Let us do the first pass
Our Instagram check-up reads a public business account and writes a short brief on most of this list in seconds: profile, posting, best time, content mix, engagement, captions and best post. For a full review with a plan behind it, book a call with our team.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I audit my Instagram account?
Once a month is enough for most businesses, using the same checklist so you can compare the numbers.
What is a good engagement rate on Instagram?
It depends on the size of the account. Smaller accounts usually have higher rates, so compare yours with accounts of a similar size.
What should I fix first?
The profile and the link, because every visitor sees them, then the posting rhythm, then the content mix.
Can I audit a competitor's account?
Yes. Everything public can be compared: the profile, the posting rhythm, the content mix and the visible engagement. Our Instagram check-up can compare two public business accounts side by side.
Want a full audit and a plan for your account? Book a free call.