Writing an Instagram bio for maximum engagement
Instagram for business: Writing the perfect bio for maximum engagement
In Instagram’s ecosystem of visuals, words stand out. They may seem secondary, but beyond the dog pictures, dinner snaps and selfies, people search for context, character and more information. That’s where profile biographies come in. They offer businesses a valuable opportunity to provide audiences with the substance that moves them to act and engage with products and services.
Put simply, every written aspect of Instagram provides a valuable opportunity for businesses to connect with their audiences. Let’s give them something to grasp onto and discover how to write the perfect bio that encourages customers to get involved!
Developing an adaptable copy strategy
Just like with any business copy, Instagram copy should be driven by a strategy that outlines your business’ specific goals. Are you looking to show off your personality? The products and services specifically? Connect with new customers? Are you seeing Instagram as an ecommerce opportunity? Trying to fuel collaborations? However you’re going about it, this plan will dictate your copy approach and should reveal an ideal tone of voice that will allow you to best resonate with your desired audiences.
That leaves with you with a researched:
Now, let’s get these words working for you.
Instagram biography
They say it takes one-tenth of a second to judge something and make a fairly accurate first impression. That’s in person, though it’s equally as important to closely consider the weight of initial virtual interactions.
An Instagram profile biography gives prospective audiences that first taste of your business’ “vibe” - what you’re all about. On a more technical, SEO level, it also allows you to increase your profile’s searchability as Instagram considers the name and username fields in their search algorithm.
Username: Your Instagram handle. It’s important to notate your brand name as closely as it is in actuality. Try not to make it too long, and don’t forget to pop in some dashes or underscores to secure it!
Name: The name field is naturally in bold style and can include the brand name, service and product or possibly a searchable keyword too. You might even want to include it all at once, there’s no perfect way to do it. I use my username (caro.gardner) to let audiences know who I am and the name field to embolden what I do (Pilates & IG Branding). Others may use it as an opportunity to establish who they are exactly (eg. Lacy Williams - Physiotherapist). Whatever you do, try to include keywords that will put your brand front and centre in searches.
Category: You can now include the field of your business in the category section. This appears in grey text and ensures audiences know that they’ve tapped on the right profile.
Bio: The thick of it. An Instagram bio is a 150-character space that allows for your brand’s services and personality shine. This is where you first establish your tone, highlight your specialities and aim directly for your target audience. The key is to keep it brief but still include searchable keywords, with dot-point format a common technique used to succinctly highlight a brand’s key strengths and differences. Emojis can be powerful but be careful not to go too wild with them! Many brands also include a directive call to action to the website link that sits below.
Link: This is your best opportunity to draw people away from their feed and direct them towards your brand’s website, blog or ecommerce store. It’s what many businesses direct to in their posts and ultimately what you want audiences to interact with to mobilise off-site conversions. The great irony of it all - capturing the attention of people on Instagram to leave Instagram!
Action buttons: The knobs that make that personable connection possible. This can include a call prompt, direct messaging link, email form and a button for directions, as well as more specific options like book, buy tickets, start order and reserve. While some are industry specific, the buttons that allow for a back and forth between audiences, other businesses and your brand are essential to building a rapport built on communication and also provides you opportunities for business.
Mobilising action from the get-go
As I’m sure you’ve realised, writing a bio that encourages audiences to take action requires some technical, strategic and creative prowess. It’s all about balancing context, tone, personality and action all at once, and with that little amount of space it can be difficult. Aim for brevity and clarity while letting your brand shine. Also, don’t be afraid to have some fun with it.
