I'm in the process of revamping my branding and refreshing my social media – something I believe every creator should do occasionally.
This has made me focus on one of the tiniest, yet most impactful aspects of our online presence: the Instagram bio.
So, I want to pull back the curtain on how I tackled my own bio revamp – and give you some tips on how you can update yours as well.
1. The Profile Pic: Small Circle, Big First Impression
This is a big one. You want it to stand out and really show who you are.
- Tiny Circle Test: Remember, people mostly see this as a tiny circle. So, usually, a clear headshot is good (so they can see your lovely face), and you want to maximize colour contrast or use an image that really pops.
(I like to zoom way out when I'm looking at mine to imagine how it'll come across, or just stand back.)
- What's the Vibe? Happy? Sophisticated? Fun? Moody? Think about how you want people to see you. First impressions count.
I originally switched from a travel shot to a "professional" studio portrait. My goal? To position myself as more of an expert.
But then I felt like I almost went too "marketing-y," which isn't what I want to convey.
My content isn't super polished or smooth; it's more real. I'm not a social media marketer, and I definitely don't want to come across as one.
So, I toned it down and chose a more playful take from that same shoot. ( I'll probably still switch it up in the future since I've yet ot determine if the yellow it too baby poo yellow lol, but I'll leave it for now! )
Honestly, this is part of the art – just figuring it out as you go.
2. The Next Part of Your Bio: Those First Crucial Lines
Your first two lines are super important. They should have a mix of these things:
- Target Audience & What You Help Them With: Who are you trying to reach? (e.g., " busy moms," "travel lovers") Or what do you help people achieve? The "Helping X do Y" formula works well. Or the "I help X do Y".
What I put: " 🫶🏻 Helping creators grow, sustainably :)"
- Who You Are and What You Do (Specifically for Them): Most people want to know "what's in it for me?" – I know, I know, it sounds a bit blunt. But honestly, when people are just getting started finding you, they aren't going to care as much about you (yet!). They want to know what they get out of following you.
I put: "Mindset, content strategy (+life 💛)"
- Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What makes you or your brand different? (e.g., "100% organic," "Top Female Gardener in Manitoba").
3. Then Your 3rd & 4th Lines (or thereabouts):
This is where you can add a bit more punch.
- Social Proof (If You Have It): Things like your audience size on another platform, students you've helped, number of positive reviews, etc.
I put: "⤵ 500k+ on YouTube" because it adds more clout to my profile since it's my largest social media account. (It also doubles as a CTA with the arrow)
Something else I could have put was: "18+ yrs creating content".
- Call to Action (CTA): Tell visitors what you want them to do next. Some examples: "Shop our new collection 👇", "Book a consultation 📅 And you usually point down to the links you have linked in your bio. I.E your website, another social channel, product pages, or whatever else you want to send people to.
For mine, I'm trying to get people on this awesome email list here, so I put:
"• DM "freebies" for my FREE 90-Day Content Plan" (I'll keep this in as long as I have Manychat. For those that have seen these kinds of messages, or the "reply with a comment" thing, it's via that program. It's a paid service but super handy).
Optional, But Totally Underutilized Thing
- Location: If your target audience is in a specific location, or for brands to know where you're from (Instagram is global, so it can be helpful for brand deals), adding your location is a good idea. For example, if you are an Austin Foodie, making sure it's clear you live in Austin, is a good idea :)
Things NOT To Include (In My Opinion!)
- Your Email: If you have a business/creator profile, there is an email button! Use that, or put your email in your links. Don't take up valuable space in your actual bio text for it.
And Don't Forget: Make it Visually Appealing and Easy to Read
More is NOT more in this case. It should be scannable and get straight to the point.
So, those are the main bits for the bio itself.
Next up for me, I'll be removing all my old saved Instagram Stories (farewell, dear travels!) and over the next few months, I'll start replacing them with more specific, targeted stories that people might actually search for or find helpful when they land on my profile.
So that's where I'm at for now. As with anything on social media, there are several "right" ways to do it, and not one "perfect" way. The main thing is to keep refreshing it, because it's super easy to get comfortable and simply forget about it. Also, styles change, and Instagram features change.
If you'd like me to audit your IG bio, reply to this email with your Instagram link, and I'll select a few to review and give pointers on for my next newsletter!
Chat soon,
Nadine Sykora
No comments:
Post a Comment