Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

New Update Alert!
Instagram is making it easier for people to discover Black-owned businesses directly on Instagram. Businesses based in the US with Shops on Instagram will now be able to designate as Black-owned and display a “Black-owned” label. 

How to designate your business as Black-owned on Instagram

To begin, tap on “Edit Profile,” and select “Business Diversity Info” where you can learn more about what it means to designate your business as Black-owned. Tap “Get Started” and you will land on the “Diversity Info” page. Toggle on the “Show Black-owned business label” setting, which will enable a “Black-owned” label on your business profile and product pages.

Once you designate your business as Black-owned, it may also be highlighted in places like the Shop tab — helping more potential customers discover your business

It’s also important that businesses can safely express themselves on Instagram. Business accounts have full access to tools to protect from abuse, spam, inappropriate comments and offensive language.

Discover more Black-owned businesses

We’ve heard from our community that in addition to showing love to their favorite Black-owned businesses, they’re eager to discover more of them. If you are located in the US, you will see the “Black-owned” label on the profile and corresponding product pages of any eligible business that has self-designated. You can also explore curated collections created by @Shop in the Shop tab, highlighting a range of products from Black-owned businesses.

An example notification of Black-owned shop on Instagram.

Don’t yet have a business Account? Follow these instructions to Set Up a Business Account on Instagram

On Instagram, you can convert your personal profile to a business account to access features that can help you grow your business.

Note: you may only have 5 Instagram accounts at a time.

To switch your profile to a business account:

  1. Go to your profile and tap Menu in the upper right corner.
  2. Tap Settings.
    • For some accounts, the Switch to Professional Account option will be listed directly under Settings.
  3. Tap Account.
  4. Tap Switch to Professional Account.
  5. Tap Continue.
  6. Select a Category for your business and tap Done.
  7. Tap OK to confirm.
  8. Tap Business.
  9. Tap Next.
  10. Add Contact details and tap Next. Or tap Don’t use my contact info to skip this step.
  11. If you’d like, you can follow the steps to connect your business account to a Facebook Page associated with your business. This step is optional, and will make it easier to use all of the features available for businesses across the Facebook family of apps. At this time, only one Facebook Page can be connected to your business account.
  12. Tap X on the top right corner to return to your profile.

With a business account, you’ll be able to access insights that can help you understand who is engaging with your business on Instagram. You also have access to the Professional Dashboard, where you can track your performance, access and discover professional tools, and explore educational information curated by Instagram.

You also have the option to display or hide your business category and contact information on your profile. After setting up, go to your profile and tap Edit Profile. Go to Profile Display under Public Business Information to choose whether you want to hide or display your category label and contact info. Then, tap Done.

Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

How to DE-stress and RE-focus

 

Does it seem like you can’t complete even the simplest task without being distracted? Texts, emails, social media alerts, noisy colleagues, ringing phones… Friends, you are not alone.

Distracted thinking — aka daydreaming or mind wandering — affects everyone. In fact, researchers have found that people think about something other than what they’re actually doing — or supposed to be doing — almost half of the time. Turns out that a wandering, easily distracted mind is actually the default mode for the human brain.

Succumbing to distraction over and over, though, can build stress, foster unhappiness and even lead to depression. So if you’re one of the many looking to figure out how to handle distractions and improve your ability to focus, take comfort in the fact that research has shown a way forward.

One word: mindfulness.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-to-moment awareness of where you are and what you’re doing. At work, for instance, it means you’re focused on the project in front of you; walking with a friend, it gives you the ability to really focus on your surroundings and your conversation. Scientists have shown that you can actually train your brain to become more mindful. Like anything else, it just takes practice.

Ready to get started? These three practices have all proven useful in building mindfulness.

1. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)

MBSR training has become a recognized way to help people learn to avoid distractions and increase their attention on the task in front of them. It can also help improve memory, motivation and autonomy — all things likely to make you (and your boss) happier. MBSR programs typically include breathing, stretching and awareness exercises.

2. Meditation

Meditation aims to increase your awareness of the present moment and help you develop a gentle, accepting attitude toward yourself. Regular meditation practice has been shown to actually alter the brain — in a good way. One study showed that the area of the brain dedicated to regulating your emotions was significantly larger in meditators. In other words, in a world determined to trip you up with distractions and unpleasant surprises, meditation can help you stay more positive and more focused.

3. Mindful movement

The hallmarks of mindful movement, or yoga — structured breathing, controlled movement, mental focus — make it sound like the perfect antidote to stress and distracted thinking, but does science back that up? Yes, over and over again. Many studies have found that, after beginning a yoga program, people feel less stressed, more focused, even more optimistic. In fact, yoga’s been found to be even more beneficial to people who’re highly stressed.

In today’s so-called attention economy, the world is actually being designed to distract you. Everybody wants your attention, and they want it right now. But you can take back control of your focus, shed that stress, and wake up happier to meet your day.