How to remove category on Instagram

When managing your Instagram profile as an entrepreneur or musician, it’s vital to ensure that your displayed categories truly reflect your evolving brand identity and personal preferences. Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to remove or modify a category to align with your audience-attracting strategies.

Firstly, navigate to your profile and tap ‘Edit Profile’. Here, you’ll see your current category under your name. To remove or modify this, simply tap on it. A list of available categories will appear, showcasing options that might better suit your expertise and personality. If your aim is to completely remove the category, you can select ‘None’ which makes your profile cleaner and sometimes more appealing to a broader audience.

From my own experience as a digital marketer, keeping your profile updated and aligned with your current activities makes a huge difference in how you’re perceived online. Whether you’re showcasing a new album or launching a startup, a precise and relevant category helps in attracting the right audience.

Why Category Labels Matter  

On Instagram, category labels on your profile are not just placeholders—they are a crucial aspect of how you are perceived by your audience. Whether you’re a blogger, small business owner, or public figure, these labels help people understand what you do at a glance, significantly influencing your visibility in search results and recommendations. Choosing a category label that aligns with your brand’s identity and objectives is therefore essential. However, there are instances when it might be necessary to remove or change a label to stay up-to-date with your evolving brand. This guide will walk you through those steps, ensuring that your Instagram presence remains as impactful as ever.

Types of Instagram Accounts  

Instagram accounts come in three primary flavors: Personal, Business, and Creator. Each type offers unique features and limitations. Business and Creator accounts gain access to Instagram Insights, a powerful tool for tracking engagement and other performance metrics. These accounts can set a category label that aligns with their brand, enhancing their visibility and relevance in search and recommendations. On the other hand, Personal accounts don’t offer these advanced features but are perfect for those looking to keep their social media presence simple and less commercially oriented. Whether you’re aiming to grow a brand or just share moments with friends, understanding these account types is crucial in leveraging Instagram effectively.

Steps to Remove Category on Instagram

1. Open your Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap on Edit Profile, located just under your bio and username.
3. Scroll down to find Profile Display and again tap on Profile Display.
4. In the menu that appears, look for the toggle button next to Display Category label.
5. Toggle this switch to the off position to make your choice not to display the category label.
6. Once selected, tap Done in the top right corner to save your changes.
7. Your category will now be removed from your account.

This streamlined method ensures that your Instagram profile only displays what truly reflects your current interests or brand strategy.

But remember, you can always change your profile category in the future and make it visible on your profile once more! For this , follow these steps:

• Access your Instagram profile and tap on the Edit Profile menu.
• Scroll down to the ‘Public Business Information’ section and locate the option labeled ‘Category.’
• Tap on the category to open a dropdown menu featuring a list of predefined categories like fitness guru, travel enthusiast, or fashion icon.
• To remove the category, browse the options and select a blank or empty option if available, or choose the least specific category.
• After selecting your new category, click the ‘Done’ button in the top right corner of the menu.
• Return back to the Edit Profile menu and scroll down to ‘Profile Display’ option.
• Turn off the ‘Display Category Label’ option to stop showing any category.
• Finally, click the ‘done button’ at the top of the page to save your action.

If you’ve decided to remove or change the category on your Instagram profile for a more clean, minimalist aesthetic, or if you simply prefer a more streamlined look, the path to updating this detail is straightforward. Start by accessing your profile and tapping ‘Edit Profile.’ Within this menu, find the section labeled ‘Category.’ Here, you can either select a different category that better represents your current focus or remove the category altogether to not re-display any label.

This change can significantly contribute to a cleaner profile presentation, aligning with a minimalist design ethos that many users find appealing. After making your selection, ensure to click ‘Done’ at the top to save your new settings. This adjustment is not only about removing a category; it’s about tailoring your public persona to match your evolving style or brand philosophy on Instagram.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

When updating or changing your category on Instagram, several issues might arise, particularly with the changes not reflecting immediately or the option being unavailable:

• Clearing your app cache and restarting the app often solves the issue where updates do not appear right away.
• If you’re seeing the category option as unavailable in your Edit Profile, ensure you have either a Business or Creator account, as Personal accounts do not have this feature.
• Sync Issues can occur if your Instagram is linked to a Facebook page; sometimes, changes on one platform do not sync or update on both. Make sure both platforms are properly connected and reflect the current settings.

These points can help you smoothly manage your profile category, ensuring it always accurately represents your current role or brand identity.

Cons of Removing Your Instagram Category

Removing your category on Instagram can impact your profile in several ways:

• Reduced Discoverability: Categories help users who are searching for specific types of businesses or creators. Removing your category could make it harder for potential followers to find you, especially those who rely on browsing by category to discover new profiles.
• Loss of Context: A category provides a quick and easy way for visitors to understand what you do. Without it, visitors may need to spend more time deciphering your brand from your bio and content alone.
• Limited Targeting Options: If you plan to run Instagram ads in the future, having a relevant category allows for targeted campaigns. Without this, your ad reach may be less precise, affecting the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

Opting to remove your Instagram category can come with some drawbacks. Categories are effective tools that enhance discoverability, helping users who are searching for specific types of businesses or creators to easily find and connect with you. 

FAQs ( Frequently Asked Questions )

How to hide a category on Instagram? 

If you decide not to display your business category or contact information on your Instagram profile, there’s a simple process to hide these elements. Once logged into your account, go to your profile and tap on ‘Edit Profile.’ Navigate to the ‘Public Business Information’ section. Here, you will find the ‘Profile Display’ option. Within this menu, you have the option to choose whether to hide or display the category label and contact info. 

Can you block categories on Instagram? 

If you’re using a professional account on Instagram and are concerned about which ads show up as people scroll through your profile, feed, or view your reels, you might wonder if you can block advertisements from certain ad categories. Unfortunately, Instagram does not provide a direct way to block ads from specific categories. However, you can prevent advertisers from having their ads shown to you by interacting with each ad.

Can you have no category on Instagram? 

Yes, you can indeed have no category on your Instagram profile. To remove or change the category, navigate directly via the Instagram App. Simply tap on your profile, then tap on ‘Edit Profile.’ From there, you can tap on ‘Category’ and select an option to remove or leave it blank. Alternatively, if your Instagram account is linked to a Facebook page, you can also remove the category label via Facebook’s page settings.

Conclusion 

Removing your Instagram category can enhance your aesthetic and curatorial control, allowing for a more creative freedom in how your profile is perceived. While it’s important to acknowledge the potential impact on discoverability—as explored earlier—those who choose a minimalist aesthetic can still achieve strong reach by leveraging hashtags strategically, optimizing their bio with relevant keywords, and crafting a captivating message. Ensure your target audience discovers your content through compelling visuals and captions that resonate with your ideal followers.

The decision to remove the category ultimately rests with you, but this guide has equipped you with the knowledge to make an informed choice and has provided actionable strategies to maintain account performance without a category status. Feel free to experiment, explore, and curate an Instagram presence that truly represents your brand and resonates with your audience.