You have 150 characters to make a solid first impression when someone lands on your Instagram profile and keep them interested.😱 That really isn’t a lot! 

Can you capture and keep the attention of your ideal client and customer with 150 characters? 

Chances are, if you Google “how to write an Instagram bio,” you will find article after article claiming to have unlocked the secret formula. I’m going to call BULL on that right now! There isn’t a secret formula. But there are tips that will help you stand out and get noticed, which I’m digging into now.

Tip 1: Use Keywords in Searchable Fields

Your Instagram bio has a couple of searchable areas. That means when someone types a phrase, like “social media agency,” into the search bar, the search results relating to those keywords will come up. Hopefully, your profile pops up so potential clients can find you! 

The areas you want to pay attention to are:

• Your Instagram Handle
• Your Name Field
• Your Bio

I’m using my own Instagram bio as an example below to explain throughout this post. Check out my Instagram handle. It’s my business name, @socialandstuff, because if someone searches my business name, my profile will show up. Another thing to note here is you are limited to 30 characters for your handle (a.k.a. username).

Next up is your name! You can see I have my actual name filled in there, but I also have “Social Media Agency and Content Strategist.” The name field allows you 64 characters, so don’t limit yourself to using only your name! Adding keywords that relate to what you do and your skill will widen the number of potential people who can land on your Instagram profile. That’s a great move!

Finally, your Instagram bio, which has a 150-character limit, is where you can make magic happen. Use keywords that describe your products or services, your specific skillset, your location (if that’s relevant), who is an ideal fit as a client or customer, their potential problems or pain points, and specific action (CTA) that someone should take after reading your bio. I list “Social Media Management, Strategy, Coaching and Content Days” as services and keywords in my bio so anyone searching those topics can find me. Then, I direct them to the links I’ve included to my website and membership.

Tip 2: Instagram Profile Picture & Branding

Should you use a professional picture of yourself or your logo as your profile picture? The answer to this topic is not one-size-fits-all. Typically, I suggest using a branding picture of yourself because people connect with the faces of others really well. (Like mine!) The exception to this is if you have a larger team or are a company where one person isn’t the face of everything. Then, using a clear, high-quality logo image will keep your branding consistent and identifiable. 

Speaking of branding, it can be easy to forget that the words and emojis you use are part of that. You’ll notice that I used a couple of fun emojis that show off my brand’s personality (casual, fun, and all things social!😉), and that will help connect with my ideal client.

Tip 3: Formatting Your Instagram Bio

Here is another tip that has wildly differing views! Some people swear by a 3 line bio that’s super short. Others love a bullet-point list style with emojis. Still, some people fall in between that range. Below, you can see that I lean toward a shorter sentence with a listing of my services. That sentence clearly identifies the issue that someone could face with their social media, and my services provide solutions for their problem. 

I’ve also included another example of an emoji bullet-point list format for a bio so you can see the difference. You’ll notice that this profile uses a logo rather than a branding photo for the profile picture. Neither way is right or wrong. They’re simply different approaches and support each business according to individual goals.

Tip 4: Instagram Bio Links and CTAs

Welcome to my last tip for crafting a killer Instagram bio…strategically use LINKS and CTAs! In the “good old days” of early Instagram marketing, you could only have one link in your bio. This single link option prompted the creation of several different tools (free and paid) that could contain multiple links to direct people where you wanted them to go. Think Linktree or Milkshake. Some people even have a “Links” page on their website so they are better able to track their traffic. 

Now, you can have up to 5 links in your bio! It’s good news for most businesses as you want the flexibility to direct people to different solutions. Maybe you offer a free discovery call, sell digital products, have a blog, and want to showcase your services. You can list each link individually to make your client experience smoother from the beginning. Make sure you regularly review your links to make sure they work and keep them up-to-date. 

Your Instagram bio CTA works with your links and needs to tell the person what to do next. Some examples of this are: 

• Book a free call
• Sign up for your e-mail list
• Shop digital products
• Check out your services, etc.

Switch these up occasionally and see if your link clicks metric changes depending on the CTA you use.

Like your social media strategy, your Instagram bio is a changing, shifting, living thing. Once you set it up, leave it for a few months and see if it’s helping you meet your goals. If it’s not, or if you’ve pivoted anything in your business, switch it up and try something new! Hopefully, this helped you figure out how to craft a killer Instagram bio. Questions? DM me on the ‘Gram, and let’s chat! 

Your Social BFF,

Sarah✌️