How to craft your Instagram profile bio
150 characters.
That’s all the space you have to tell the world on social media what you do. No pressure at all, really.
Seriously speaking, though, the reality is that you DO have only a window of literally eight seconds to convince people to stay on your page, to click on your posts, and hopefully to click through to your website. Instagram can be a very powerful platform to engage your community if you can do it right.
When crafting your Instagram profile, here’s what you need to consider.
Your Name
This is the name directly beneath your profile picture when you visit your own Instagram page. It doesn’t only appear there, though — it also appears under your username in search, so it’s one of the first things someone sees about your account even before they click through to your page.
That’s why it’s essential to think hard about what you want to put there. Having just your business name alone wouldn’t tell your audience what you do. Instead, consider listing your main service right after your name, so it’s clear who you are and what your business offers.
For example, “Watermelon Studio” for a photography business specialising in weddings wouldn’t cut it. Instead, try “Watermelon Studio - Wedding Photography”, so there’s a higher chance that brides searching for photography services will click on you.
Your Link
Instagram only allows one link per profile, so it can get tricky when you want to list a few (like your website, a giveaway, opt-ins etc.) Luckily, there’s a fairly easy solution to this — simply create a link directory. You can do this in a few minutes with LinkTree, which has a great free option but also offers a paid version if you want to use your brand colours and track clicks.
Alternatively, you can create a page on your own website, with a list of important links, and use that as your Instagram link instead. It should ideally have a /links or /instagram URL slug, and be mobile-friendly.
Your Actual Bio
This is where you can get specific. Your purpose here is not to describe your business and leave it at that. Your goal should be to use that precious eight-second window to make yourself appealing to your audience — by telling them how you can benefit them, or how you might be able to solve a problem they’re having.
I like to call this the one-liner elevator pitch. It should contain three main aspects: what your business does (in layman terms), your niche, and your ideal client. All of this can be summed up in a single sentence that’s formatted along the lines of “we serve (ideal client) by (what your business does”.
(Related: How to write a one-liner business profile that attracts the right clients)
For an interior design studio, for instance, that would read something like “we serve detail-oriented homeowners by creating minimalist luxe interiors”. Having this visible in the bio speaks directly to your ideal client and signals to them that you are the one to go to.
Here are some other examples of what that could look like:
I help businesses look good with stylish, creative branding
We design beautiful websites for non-profit organisations
Some business owners like to put a bit about themselves in their bio, and that’s fine too — but your one-liner should come first. Instagram tends to hide descriptions that are too long, so if you want to talk about being a cat-lover or a mum of two, that should be after the one-liner. Exceptions can be made if it DOES influence your business, e.g. if your brand is religion-based.
What about having jargon in there? It really depends on who you’re writing to, and why having your ideal client in the forefront of your mind is so important. If your ideal client is someone who already understands your industry and is looking for an expert, jargon and complex terms can position you as someone who knows your stuff. If your ideal client is the mainstream audience, though, it can backfire and cause you to lose their attention.
(Related: What’s your brand personality? Take the quiz to find out)
So while it depends on the nature of your business, you should always keep your purpose and audience in mind. Doing so will help you clarify your brand message, and help you to craft a winning Instagram profile that’ll hold attention and get your brand front and centre. ■