How to Craft the Perfect Bio: Part 1 of the Instagram Growth Series

There’s something about Instagram bios that tends to stress people out. What should you include? And how should you say it? Writing about ourselves often doesn’t come naturally to us and we struggle to find the right words that will pack a punch. But don’t panic. For part one of my Instagram Growth Series, I’m going to take you through step-by-step how to optimise your bio to increase your growth. So open that Instagram app and get ready to own that bio!

Why is Your Bio Important?

Generally speaking, simply liking your feed isn’t enough to make someone follow you. In fact, it’s the bio that usually convinces them one way or the other. Does what you’ve written resonate with them? Do they believe that following you will add value to their scrolling experience? Nailing the bio is the thing that turns a visitor into a follower.

1. Optimise Your Name

If you implement just one thing from this post, make it this: optimise your name.

When using the search function, the only two things that Instagram takes into account are the names and usernames of its users. By optimising your name then, you make your profile easier for your ideal client to find.

For example, on my personal account my username is @emmakatehall. However, as you guys know, I’m a travel blogger and use this account exclusively for travel content. So to make sure that people can find my profile for this kind of content, I’ve made my name ‘Emma Kate – Travel Blogger’. This way, when someone searches ‘travel’ on Instagram, my account is more likely to be suggested.

Using a key word in your name will increase the likelihood of being found in the Instagram search.

2. Mention Your Key Skills

Use your bio to let people know exactly what they can expect from your account – what can they gain from following you? For example, if we look at popular fitness influencer & entrepreneur @sarahs_day bio, we can see that she posts about holistic health and being a mum. Those interested in learning about either of these topics are likely to follow her as a result.

Pick 2-3 key skills or expert topics that your Instagram focuses on and highlight these in your bio. This way you’re assuring people instantly that your account will deliver on what interests them.

3. Target Your Niche Audience

Your bio is the perfect place to target your niche audience. Avoid broad, sweeping phrases and instead get really clear on what your audience wants to hear.

Use this space to speak directly to your ideal client. For example, if you’re an online fitness coach, be specific about who you work with. Instead of simply writing ‘online fitness coach’, try ‘coaching you through a FITTER pregnancy’ or ‘I train winning bikini competitors’. Let your ideal client know that you’re the perfect fit for them.

4. Include a Link

Failing to use a link in your bio is an opportunity missed! It’s perhaps the easiest and most effective way for people to find out more about you & your services. If your bio is any good, you can bet people will want to know more, so always make sure you’ve got a working link to your website/youtube channel/mailing list. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to find out more.

5. Call to Action

Think of the web link & call to action as best friends – two peas in a pod, they go everywhere together, never one without the other. If you’re ever including a link somewhere, you know that means that its call to action mate will be tagging along.

Simply including a link in your bio might result in a few clicks, but partner it with a call to action and you’ll see those site visits sky -rocket. A call to action gives people a nudge in the right direction, convincing them to investigate your services further.

For example, let’s say you’re faced with two fitness coach profiles. One includes an unexplained link at the bottom of their bio. The other tells you to click their link for a life-changing 10 week body transformation. Which do you click? I’m willing to bet it’s the second.

6. Use Emojis

I always recommend using emojis in your bio. Not only do they break up the text, making it easier to read, but they also instantly give the viewer an idea of what your account is about. Images are a great way to instil emotions & ideas in a limited word count. For example, a fitness account might include the seedling emoji to instantly let potential followers know that they post plant-based content & recipes.

7. Include a Branded Hashtag

Consider using a branded hashtag in your bio. This is a great way to remind your followers that they can get involved with your account. By encouraging the use of a branded hashtag you’re able to create more organic content with almost zero effort. Each time someone uses your branded hashtag, it increases brand awareness & engagement, and the likelihood of someone finding your page increases. Just make sure to pick something specific so you don’t get lost in a hashtag that’s already 4 million posts deep. This preset brand encourages its customers to use the #doyoutravelpresets in order to create buzz around their products.

8. Include a Qualifier

A great way to immediately legitimise your business or service is to include a qualifying fact or statement. Humans tend to be kind of like sheep – we follow the crowd. We love to see that other people think something is good before investing in it ourselves.

You might let your followers know that you won an award or that you’ve been featured on a national news site. Maybe you already have authority on Youtube so decided to tell them about your 500k views. Whatever it is, use your achievements to assure potential followers that you’re the expert in your field & that you can provide the answers they’re looking for.

What Next?

Now that you’ve aced your bio, it’s time to look at the rest of your feed. Check out the rest of the steps in my Instagram Growth Series to find out more: