The Instagram bio is a valuable digital space that welcomes users to your profile. However, it is often considered a secondary element. Besides eye-catching text, what are the requirements for a perfect Instagram bio? Who will help you optimize your profile and Instagram marketing efforts? Here's how to go about writing the perfect Instagram bio.
How do you create the perfect Instagram bio?
An Instagram bio is first and foremost a one- or two-line introduction to be written quickly when creating your account. It conveys key information about your business and can turn visitors into followers and followers into customers. For your Instagram bio, you have a maximum of 150 characters and a single external link. Since the username is customizable regardless of the link (i.e. @user), you have an additional 30 characters.
This space may seem very small considering the multiple purposes of your profile. Fortunately, there are several Instagram features you can use with the bio to meet those needs. Basically, it's about creating a profile that allows users to immediately understand what you do, what you sell, and how to shop by following the trend you post.
You have a limited number of characters available. So there are certain goals that you need to prioritize before you start optimizing the rest of your profile.
1. Let visitors know who you are and how to promote yourself
However you choose to express yourself, the first goal of a good bio is to explain what you offer and who your audience is. When someone visits your Instagram profile for the first time, you need to quickly give them the information that will keep them interested. Users' attention doesn't last long. So use short, concise copy that immediately catches a viewer's eye and gets them to follow your profile.
For many brands, this means posting an extremely clear and simple description. Additionally, your Instagram bio doesn't have to consist of just text. You can give it more prominence. If you haven't already done so, create a pitch to highlight the strengths and uniqueness of your business.
2. Promote branded hashtags and linked accounts using clickable tags
The link in the Instagram bio isn't the only clickable element visitors can use to get more information about you. If you are linked to a brand through a hashtag, include it in your bio to generate clicks and direct visitors to a branded content feed. This can also be user-generated. Just put it in your bio, as you would any hashtag. For example, one account user uses a hashtag with links in her Instagram bio to promote the hashtag of a company that makes bracelets, simply by linking her Instagram name to the brand's. To do this, simply write the username, pasted to the brand name by putting a "#" in front of it. The "followers" will be able to click directly on this link.
In doing so, a good Instagram bio encourages customers to take and share photos while wearing the products highlighted on the account. It is possible to search for hashtags from multiple brands, which has a number of benefits.
Similarly, you can tag other accounts to direct visitors to profiles that are related to you. If you have a sub-brand or partnership to promote, you can mention it in your Instagram bio (e.g. "@ username"). By doing so, the quote will appear in your bio as a link. This is how linked accounts are established.
There are actually brands that use tags for promotional purposes in the bio. They have separate Instagram profiles for "men's" and "plus size" sub-brands for example. By placing these accounts in their main profile, they make sure to send users to the accounts with content and products that best suit them.
3. Ride the trends with a call to action
By identifying the most important goals for your business and finding a space to promote them, it's possible to include a call to action in your Instagram bio. This is a great way to get Instagram users to follow you. The call to action greatly increases the likelihood that users will perform the desired action, by stating exactly what it is.
There are several actions you can promote by inviting users to perform them with you. All of this is possible through your biography. This way, you can take the opportunity to make different calls to action, depending on your activity.
However, keep in mind that your Instagram bio can be adapted to promote special events, such as: seasonal sales, contests or scheduled events. You can insert new links and several calls to action at once, so as to highlight current offers or events.
4. Make the most of the link in the Instagram bio
Along with drop-down links to posts and online shopping, there are many ways to drive Instagram traffic to your site. Linking in the bio is still a valuable tool to send "followers" to whatever page you want them to visit. Whether it's a campaign for a specific brand or to show them a YouTube video, anything is doable.
Usually, brands link to the homepage of their website. You can also include the link in your Instagram bio to promote the product or service that is related to your business. Just make sure to tailor the text in the bio to the call to action, and develop a new link when you add one.
It is by using a tool that allows you to generate URLs with UTM tracking, that you will be able to know if the bio link is effective compared to other Instagram traffic sources. Thus, you will be able to count the number of clicks, generated by the link compared to views.
Whichever option you choose, keep your goals in mind. There are parts of your profile that need to be eye-catching within the first few seconds of reading. You can change the biographical link as many times as you like. You can also increase its effectiveness by inviting users, through individual posts or articles.
5. Add "call-to-action buttons" to help users reach out to you
Often, users decide to contact you after finding your brand on Instagram. Sometimes, they can message you directly on the platform. However, if you only provide this method of contact, communications can quickly become unmanageable. To redirect customers to your favorite channels, provide your phone number, email address, and directions to your location on their own (if you have a physical store). This way, the contact information will no longer be entrusted to the Instagram bio, by simply clicking on the appropriate "call to action buttons", customers visiting your profile will be able to contact you more easily.
Proceed via the "Edit Profile" option and click on "Contact Options". Then enter the contact information and channels through which customers can reach you more easily. Users will actually use your contact information. Therefore, only provide data for the customer service channels you actually support. If you don't have a dedicated customer support phone line, don't add your personal phone number to show only one.
On the Instagram mobile app, this contact information will appear as clickable buttons in your profile. If you have more than three call-to-action buttons, the others will be accessible by tapping on a three-dot icon.
6. Enable the Shopping feature on Instagram to display your products
You may have noticed the "Shop" call-to-action button, on Instagram in English it is indicated by the term "Buy". The Buy tab appears by default once you set up Shopping on Instagram and start tagging images with product labels.
The Buy tab also contains all content tagged with product labels. It gives users the ability to purchase your collection through published photos. Users can try to use product tags only on photos that clearly show your products. This way, in the "Buy" tab, you will create a gallery of carefully selected product photos.
7. Highlight content on your profile
Stories are an essential part of Instagram marketing. Highlighted content gives stories a more lasting presence on your profile. In fact, they allow you to save individual stories that you can name and organize as you wish. This content will stay on your profile indefinitely. It's right below your bio and at the top of your feed. And, when clicked on, they display saved stories one after another.
So your stories will live beyond the usual 24 hours. Additionally, you can highlight content that strongly represents the brand by placing it at the top of your feed, where users are most likely to see it. This gives you the ability to control the narrative, and even produce stories to turn them into highlights.
Creating highlighted content is easy. Go to your profile page, click on the circle with the symbol under your bio. From there, you can select any stories you want to add. You will be asked to name the highlight. Remember, you have a maximum of 15 characters including spaces, so try to be clear and creative enough to get attention.
Once the highlight is set up, edit the cover image and it will be published on your profile. You can add to the highlighted content at any time. Simply click on the content and press the "Edit" button. There are countless ways to organize your highlighted content.
8. Make the most of your Instagram bio
While you are building relationships on Instagram and posting new content for followers, inevitably new users will visit your profile, out of curiosity or to get news about your business. So, in the end, the Instagram bio is the card to play to strongly present your brand and convince visitors or "followers" to stop by and follow you.
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