3 Things Small Business Owners Should Include in Their Instagram Bio

I’m sure you’ve experienced this too: you come across an Instagram account for whatever reason, maybe the grid is pretty or a friend recommends them, but you can’t figure out exactly who this person is, or what the account is all about. So would you follow them? Probably not. You are soon distractedly scrolling through another feed instead.

Wait a minute though; do potential customers move on from your profile when they can’t figure out exactly what you’re about too? It’s time to reevaluate your Instagram bio to find out!

The Instagram bio is that little spot underneath your name on your profile page where you can write about yourself and what you’re about. You can access this to change what it says by clicking the “edit profile” button on your profile page and it’s a few fields down.

So what should you include in your Instagram bio? It has to be succinct (you’ve only got 150 characters), informative, and give your potential followers a reason to stick around.

So here are three things it should include and one thing it shouldn’t:

1. Include WHAT you do.

   For instance, on my bio it says brand photographer 📷 This is what I do and why I have an Instagram account. I included the emoji so that even when people don’t take the time to read my bio they can quickly SEE what I am all about (we process images far quicker than text).

2. Include WHERE you are located.

   This is especially important for brick-and-mortar and locationally-based businesses. So mine says Tacoma, Washington 🌲 (If you have a business profile you also have the option to add your location under “contact options” in the “edit profile” tab.)

3. Include a HOOK for more.

   You may have noticed that your website appears directly beneath your bio. This provides a great opportunity to direct people to your site or email list. For instance, a lot of the time I send people to my email list with a simple, download my free guide ⬇️ Again, the arrow emoji catches their attention if they are just scanning.

4. DON’T include any fluff.

   For instance, even though I post a lot about my kids, because this is not the primary reason for my account, I don’t say anything about being a mom in my bio. (Of course, if you are a lifestyle Instagram account focused on momming, you would want to mention that, but because it isn’t the reason for my account or particularly relevant to new followers, I don’t.)

   Need updated images to go with your updated bio? Book a personal branding session today!