4 Tips for Nailing Your Instagram Bio
By: Asia Phua
Let me paint a picture for you. The year is 2025. A student opens their iPad XXV-administered college entrance exam and swipes up to read the first open-ended prompt: “In 150 characters or less, compose a bio that captures the essence of your personal brand. Note: Emojis and hashtags factor into character count.”
It’s a scene from the distant — yet, not so distant –– future and as we continue to evolve into a hyper time-sensitive/conscious (read: obsessed) society, the skill of crafting tiny bits of digestible text will become more valuable than ever.
‘Microcopy,’ as it’s more commonly referred to, spans across mediums and platforms. Think captions. Text message campaigns. Descriptions. Graphics. Microcopy is everywhere, but there’s one in particular that offers arguably the most valuable real-estate for you or your brand’s social identity — the Instagram bio.
With just 150 characters, your Instagram bio can either propel you or your brand into legitimacy or tank it alongside the infamously ugly, Valencia-filter. If you’d much rather see the former happen, read along and I’ll take you to Instagram Bio Bootcamp.
Tip #1: Refresh your bio monthly and before/after a campaign or relevant press feature.
“They still have an action button to buy tickets on their profile and the event was last month — smh #keepup.” A real text I’ve sent — smh.
There’s nothing more annoying than going to a profile’s bio and seeing old information and links or trying to find new information and it hasn’t been added yet. It may seem like a small slip but it has the capacity to reflect poorly on your brand’s organization as a whole. Schedule a monthly reminder to audit your profile and delete any outdated or inapplicable information.
Just because your brand is an event or seasonal doesn’t mean your account should be dormant during downtime. Do you think Steph Curry is just chilling at home eating muffins with Ayesha during the offseason? No! Take a note from the music fest giant Lollapalooza and update your bio immediately following the end of your campaign with next steps to keep your brand current.
Tip #2: Your bio should always have some type of call-to-action. Always.
This is your one free (FREE as in ZERO ad dollars) opportunity to direct followers back to your website, blog, press mention, petition, GoFundMe, raccoon fan account – you name it. Make the most of your hyperlinking abilities.
The two examples above from Condé Nast Traveler and Glossier are perfect examples of incorporating CTAs into your bio. Condé Nast Traveler plusses up the ask by including their branded hashtag which serves as instruction and also exposure. Glossier keeps it simple and straight forward with an emoji hand pointing to a link to their online store. And if you’re Jennifer Aniston and can amass 17.4 million followers in the span of 2 weeks, then I guess your CTA can just be a passive reminder of what you like to be called (#goals).
Tip #3: Utilize a link aggregating service in your bio to get the most bang for your buck.
Link services like Linktree and Lnk.Bio are two free options to make the most of Instagram’s single link allowance. These services typically offer paid versions that provide premium capabilities like page customizations, link performance and analytics, and CRM tools.
Tip #4: K.I.S.S. — Keep it simple, sis.
You don’t have to be an award-winning copywriter to nail your Instagram bio. No one is looking to an Instagram bio for deep spiritual enlightenment. Stay true to your brand’s message, voice, personality and mission, and don’t be afraid to use emojis! 🤡 That’s it for Instagram Bio Boot Camp. I’ll leave you with a sampling of greatest hits.
