“You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” wrote American humorist and entertainer, Will Rogers. First impressions don’t just apply to face-to-face interactions, but also to every aspect of the online world, starting from when you create a website all the way down to your marketing strategies. When it comes to Instagram, your bio is the one place to truly control how you’re perceived by your potential clients.
In addition to initial judgments, a good Instagram bio also determines if visitors will click the ‘follow’ button and potentially convert to customers, or simply just leave your profile page and never return. This is even more important on your Instagram Business Account page. So, with just 150 characters to use, it’s important to make every word (or emoji) count. Providing a memorable description and introducing your products and services are just the beginning of it.
Instagram Bio ideas to get you started
Starting in the ‘Edit Profile’ section, here are some useful tips to help your company’s best and brightest face shine through – from your profile picture to links, hashtags, CTAs and the many other elements that make up a good Instagram bio:
01. Include your logo
Your company should look picture perfect on Instagram, and every other social media platform, at all times. A great way to ensure consistency throughout your online presence is to use your brand’s logo as your profile picture. And if you don’t have a logo, you can easily get started creating one with Wix Logo Maker. After answering four easy steps regarding your style and purpose, this artificial intelligence marketing technology will generate numerous options for you to choose from, all tailored to your brand’s needs.
02. Optimize your name for the search query
There are only two factors that Instagram’s query takes into consideration in searches: your name and your username. Yet, when users search for your business on Instagram, they will undoubtedly type in the actual name of your business. Therefore, what you choose to type in the ‘name’ field should align with what your business is called, for example, Ryan’s Tea Bar Los Angeles. For your username, you can get a little creative, such as @Ryansteabar – just don’t stray too far from your company’s name.
03. Make your one link count
“You only get one shot, do not miss your chance [to link to your website].” The words of hip-hop legend, Eminem, couldn’t be more fitting here. Instagram provides you with just one opportunity to link your website to your Instagram profile. And since you can only include a limited amount of information in your Instagram bio – which is clearly not enough to describe the many things you do as a business – you’ll need to link to a website that shares a deeper knowledge of your business. One recommended link in bio tool is Hopp, since not only does it incorporate several links into one URL but it also offers a customizable search engine integrated directly into your link in bio. This means that your followers can quickly and easily find the specific content you're promoting such as another social media profile, a product coupon, a specific service and more.
Learn more: If you want to discover more tools besides Hopp, check out our guides on Linktree alternatives and the best link in bio tools.
We know the Internet landscape moves quickly, so just in case you missed the memo, we thought it was worth repeating: These days, having a website is an absolute must. If you still don’t have one, though, you can easily create a website with Wix, which offers a plethora of opportunities that can fit any SMB, from the simplest to the most hands-on creation process. You can also go with a more flexible option by choosing one of our many customizable website templates and building your foundation from there.
04. Hand out your digits
A very crucial component to any good Instagram marketing strategy is providing your business’s contact information in your bio. This is especially the case if you aren’t on Instagram 24/7, as it allows your customers to still be able to reach you and find you. Here you should include everything from your phone, email address, location and operating hours. And if you have an Instagram Business account, you can access your contact options and choose to include your email, phone, or address. This will be displayed below your profile text information as a bold CTA button – making it extra convenient for your customers to reach out to you.
05. Understand that every word matters
Pictures are worth a thousand words, especially on a picture-sharing platform like Instagram. However, your Instagram bio is one of the few opportunities you have to literally type out what your intention is in text. With a limit of 150 characters (roughly two sentences or 25 words), you’re going to need to make every word count. Think about what you want to say about your company and sum it up here briefly. Likewise, speak in the tone of your brand’s voice. Are you fun and playful, or straight to the point and serious? Keep this personality consistent from platform to platform (and post to post) to create a cohesive feel that customers will always know to associate with your company.
06. Answer the basics
Make use of the space in your bio section to provide an introduction to your business. The following questions will give you pointers about what to include:
What do you generally do?
What do you do best?
What makes you different?
Why should your audience care?
07. Think like a search engine
Although your Instagram bio has nothing to do with actual SEO and making your information more searchable (you can breathe now), you should still put some emphasis on your keywords. These are any individual words or phrases that your company hopes to be identified with, like “t-shirt designer” or “calligrapher.” Consider the power of each word in association with your brand. As you fill out your bio and provide information about your company – like your slogan, products, and services, skills and values – put thought into your word choice.
08. Lead the way with a strong CTA
Another direction you can take with your bio text is to treat it like a CTA (call-to-action). This is a short phrase that prompts your viewers to act immediately. To embed this suggestion into your bio, you can say something along the lines of ‘shop our summer sale on our website,’ while also linking to the sale page of your online store in the website section.
09. Express yourself
As serious as your business is, Instagram is a platform for being playful and entertaining. For example, look at how these brands used funny Instagram bios to convey their personality in even the tiniest of spaces. Engaging accounts with large numbers of followers are typically both personable and creative. To get on board and gain some popularity, you can add in information about your personal hobbies, interests, skills, and values. And no one will scold you for using emojis, either. Including a sense of your personality will make your business come across as more likable and memorable in the end.
10. Add a sprinkle of hashtags
These keywords or phrases preceded with a # symbol are more than just a fad for teenagers. First of all, they make your content searchable. Additionally, since Instagram recently enabled the use of them in bios, their usability has skyrocketed. Including hashtags in your bio is a great way to drive engagement to your posts if the same ones are presented there. Also, choosing to do so will get your followers in the mindset of posting with these specific phrases when they share content related to your brand. For the most proficient use, choose a combination of branded hashtags and the most popular hashtags in your bio.
11. Write in style
Instagram might limit you to just one font, but that doesn’t mean that you have to use it. While this is a good Instagram tip for designers, it's a great way for any brand to express their unique personality and style through a handpicked font. There are several apps to install on your smartphone to change the font type. One example is Sprezz, although there are many options available in whatever mobile app store you use. Just make sure that your fonts are still readable and attractive. If done correctly, implementing unique fonts will allow you to spice things up and stand out amongst the crowd.
12. Let your content breathe
To accentuate each element of your Instagram bio, every word or phrase should be spaced out from each other. There are several ways to go about this, from making a bulleted list to adding asterisks, emojis, and extra spaces. This will not only look stylish and on-trend, but it will also make your content more digestible for your Instagram browsers.
