What Kind of Information Should Be Included in BIO? A Guide for Beginner Instagramers

WHAT IS BIO ON INSTAGRAM?

Let's start from the beginning by explaining what BIO actually is and why we need it. BIO is nothing else but your personal description. It is a kind of business card, thanks to which the recipients learn something about the profile’s owner. It shows who the person is, what is his profile about, what are his interests, etc. Few people know that BIO is also our username and profile photo. Writing a good BIO to convince Instagramers to stay on your account is not as easy as it sounds. Remember that BIO is the first thing potential followers will see after entering your profile, so you should try to make a good impression on them. It is very difficult to write about yourself, especially since you have to present yourself in the best light, and you are also limited to 150 words. Where to start then?

1. YOUR BIO DOESN'T HAVE TO SPEAK TO EVERYONE!

Think about who you really want to stay on your profile longer. Define your target audience and think like them. Figure out what you would like to see on your profile and act now! Not everyone has to be interested in, for example, the beauty content, but you should focus on going in this direction. Who knows? Maybe you will also interest people who were not looking for makeup inspiration at all. Thanks to your BIO you will show people what the profile is about - if someone is not interested in your content – that’s ok! At least you are not going to forcefully try to stop people who are not into that.

2. BE YOURSELF.

You are one of a kind, remember that! If you create a profile on a particular topic, do not hesitate to add a few "fun facts" about yourself. Are you creating a travel profile but want to share with the world that you love pizza? Do it! It will be a kind of trivia for your followers that will also show that you are very similar to your potential followers. Who knows? Maybe your bio will attract pizza lovers who will be curious about what places you recommend to eat out? What is more, mention your passion and let your followers know how you can help them. Do you know social media marketing? Let your followers know that you will help them build a strategy on Instagram; are you passionate about dietetics? Write that in your BIO and teach your followers to eat tasty and healthy.

3. LESS IS MORE.

The more briefly you describe yourself, the better. Don't overdo it with long sentences - the character limit makes this type of description difficult. Focus on keywords. You can use emoticons to start your next thought. Do not use too many epithets, and focus on the specifics. Instead of writing, “I love horses. I have been practising horse riding since I was a child ", you can narrow it down to the most common one:" Horse riding lover ". 

4. SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS.

Let your followers know why you stand out from other influencers. Mention your advantage, like 10,000 copies of the book sold, PLN 500,000 collected on fundraiser Pajacyk, completing a language course recommended by the greatest Polish celebrities, etc.

5. REMEMBER ABOUT CTA.

CTA is simply a call to action. What you can add to your BIO is an invitation to click on links. Convince your followers to visit your website, blog, or other social platforms. It seems obvious that when you create a link, someone will click on it. However, the truth is that people are more likely to do something when encouraged to do so. Remember, however, that there can only be one active link in your BIO. If you want to share several websites, it is worth using the Linktree, which gathers all your most important links. 

6. UPDATE YOUR BIO.

Regularly check if something in your description needs updating. Maybe your taste, job or place of residence has changed? Keep your followers in the loop. They will see your commitment and in addition, it will increase your credibility. An interesting idea is also to add "variable information" depending on the category of the profile you are running. For example, if you start a bookstagram, you can add the title of the book you are currently reading to your BIO. There are so many options - it all depends on your imagination and creativity.

7. HASHTAGS - NO, LOCATION - ABSOLUTELY.

In many articles, you will can information that adding hashtags to your BIO is a good idea. However, we suggest – don’t it! Unless you want to discourage potential followers (of course it is worth adding hashtags in your posts.) It’s different when it comes to localization. Even though activities in Social Media are global, do not be afraid to introduce local action strategies. Especially if you are opening a local business like; a restaurant, beauty salon, etc. Information in the BIO about the location is very much recommended. 

8. MAGIC FORMULA.

Most beginning influencers wonder if there is a magic formula that will work for everyone. The answer is NO! It is very good that such a formula doesn’t exist because each of us is unique and it would be boring if everyone shared the same content. However, that doesn't mean you can't get inspired. If you don’t know how to start writing your BIO, make a list of few influencers with content similar to yours and choose the elements that you like the most. Change them and connect with each other, but DO NOT COPY! 

Ready to create your first BIO? So let's go!