The Instagram Bio, Often Overlooked in Social Media Marketing

When first starting out on Instagram, people usually focus on the content and the photography. I want you to take a step back and think about the thing that is right at the top of your Instagram page—Yup, your Bio.

An Instagram Bio is 150 characters that most people tend not to put too much thought into. I’m here to give you some tips and explain why creating a good Instagram Bio is vital to connecting with your target audience, the first step to creating a successful Instagram strategy.

You are a brand. Get a business page.

First of all, if your plan is to use Instagram to sell something, or link back to your blog, you are a brand. Many solo entrepreneurs and bloggers I know don’t look at themselves as a brand, but I am here to tell you. YES, you are. And if you are a brand, you should get a business Instagram page. Go into settings and scroll down to switch to business profile. From there, you link up to a Facebook page to prove that you’re a real business.

The reason to do this is the analytics. Instagram provides some pretty important details when it comes to who is checking out your content, how many people are clicking on your link in the bio, and more details about your story views other than how many people saw them. All good info to help you see what content is working, and what isn’t.

Make sure to add your location, email, and phone number if that’s your thing. I purposely excluded my phone number because that’s not how I want people to reach me. Since my business address is my home, I just added Santa Rosa, California to my location.

Let’s talk SEO

You’ve probably had your Instagram handle for a while now, and I don’t recommend changing that unless you’re doing a rebrand. But what you can change is the name at the top of your bio.

This is a great place to add a keyword for your brand. If your business is your name, then make sure to use your first and last name – and maybe one or two words about what you do, or your location.

My name has Shana Bull | Sonoma County along with two emojis: a glass of red wine, and the food symbol of a fork and a knife. This quickly lets people know that I’m from Sonoma County, and I’m interested in food and wine. These are search terms that I predict my target audience will use, so I come up as one of the top results when you’re searching for Sonoma County. The emojis are eye-catching and help add a little color.  I am one of the first names that pop up when you do an Instagram search for "Sonoma County" so I know it's working!

Both your name and your bio should have some of the top keywords you are focusing on. This allows users to clarify what your brand is and helps people find you in Instagram search.

Make sure to write down the keywords for your business. It might be your location, what type of products you sell, or services you provide.

Local businesses especially

Having your location is especially important for businesses that cater to local consumers. If you’re a retail shop, be sure to include your hours of operation with your location. Make it easy for people to get the information they may be searching for. Maybe instead, your product is only available at certain retailers; if that’s the case, let people know where they can find you.

Share one passion

A good Instagram Bio makes the target audience want to learn more. If you have room, share one thing that you’re passionate about. It makes your brand more authentic. Maybe a fun fact about you or your brand, or your brand tagline.

Emoji's or no?

Emojis aren’t just for texting teenagers anymore. It is totally up to you if you want to use emojis in your Instagram bio. It is no longer considered childish; in fact, emojis are capable of telling quite a story without taking up too many characters. Remember, we only have 150, so if it makes sense for your brand… then emoji up!

Yes, Calls to Action can be here too…

Like any good marketing, a call to action should be included. What do you want your audience to do when they look at your profile? Most people want to send visitors to click that link in the bio.

Maybe you have a specific promotion, upcoming event, or fresh blog post that you want to call out. Well then, an ever-changing call action is helpful. If anything, it’s more helpful than sending people to your homepage, where they may not be sure of where to go.

LINKS?

When thinking about that link in bio, there are a few places you can direct your Instagram traffic to. Many bloggers and businesses use apps like LinkTree, but I have a few thoughts on using using linktree on instagram (spoiler alert, I love the idea, but there are other ways to direct traffic off of Instagram).