Business Benefits
Attract your target audience and drive conversions.
Choose a social media name that catches attention and includes a searchable keyword.
Your social media name is the name that shows up at the top of your bio and in search results on the social media platform. This differs from your actual social media handle, for example, the @name on Twitter or Instagram. When crafting a social media name:
- Start with your first name at minimum. Being an influencer is all about appearing as a real, human person, so a nameless account reduces engagement.
- Add a searchable keyword that tells people your background or what you talk about. This also helps you appear higher up in the results when people search for your main subject matter or topic of expertise. For example, Instagram culinary influencer @hannah__chia added vegan recipes to her name.
- Include emojis or symbols that catch people’s attention as they scroll. These emoticons should tie into your topic or background. For example, Instagram travel influencer @candaceabroad includes the British flag in her social media name because she focuses on life in the United Kingdom.
Start your bio with one sentence that explicitly mentions your topic focus and target audience to make it clear who you’re trying to reach on social media.
This reduces social media churn, people following you then unfollowing shortly thereafter when they realize your content isn’t aimed at them. Include exactly who your ideal audience is and what you offer them.
Cincinnati-based printing and publishing company Goldleaf (@gldleaf) is a prime example:
- Twitter: A printing co for the cannabis community.
- Instagram: Science-forward journals & decor for cannabis patients, growers and enthusiasts.
Include another sentence that adds personality and tells a story about you, your vision, or your brand.
Storytelling and the personal lens through which you see the world are core parts of influencer strategy. Hint at your own story in your bio to give people a preview of who you are. Try these brainstorming questions to help get you started:
- Geography: Where are you from, or where do you live, and how does this make you unique?
- Personality: What is something specific about you, like your lifestyle, diet, education, work experience, pets, or even horoscope sign, that aligns with your brand and topic?
- Goals: What are you hoping to accomplish and that you’re documenting through social media?
In the earlier @candaceabroad example, the personal story she includes is: American travel blogger & writer helping you live your best London life.
Create a bio link that will allow you to list and link to future campaigns and initiatives.
Most social media platforms only allow you to add one link to your bio. Create a bio link, which is a simple landing page that groups together all the different sales, marketing, and promotional links you will be sharing in the future. There are many paid and free platforms that do this for you, including:
- Shortby
- Link in Bio by Later
- Linktree
- Koji
- Lnk.bio
Craft a CTA that drives people to your bio link.
You will be promoting your bio link in your individual social media posts whenever you’re posting specific influencer posts. However, your bio should also point to your bio link with a simple CTA. A good CTA should include:
- A benefit for the user
- A call telling them to click or tap your link
Prominent Instagram examples include:
- @latermedia tells people Get our free tips, tools & guides? with the down facing emoji pointing at where their bio link will appear on Instagram.
- @hannah__chia ends her bio with ? recipes here with the down-facing arrow once again pointing at her bio link.
Optimize your completed bio with your branded voice and additional keywords.
Go back through your bio to include your voice and brand. For example, if your brand is playful and irreverent, you might use fun emojis to visually break up your bio. But if you’re a serious influencer, such as a nutritionist or doctor, steer clear of emojis.
Add one or two more SEO keywords to your bio. For example, @thechalkboardmag on Instagram uses terms like wellness and nutrition.
Edit your bio for the platform specific length restrictions of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms.
Here are the platform specific bio character limits:
- Twitter: 160 characters.
- Facebook: 101 characters.
- Instagram: 150 characters.
Publish your bio on social media platforms and review it quarterly or a few times a year, and replace or modify information that is no longer relevant and update your bio links.
Last edited by @hesh_fekry 2023-11-14T16:10:19Z