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How to create instagram bio for business


How to Craft an Impactful Instagram Bio for Business| Sprout Social

Even though it may seem like a small part of your profile, coming up with the perfect Instagram bio for business can be challenging. Your bio sets the stage for your brand presence on the platform. And you only have 150 characters to sum up what your business stands for, so it’s perfectly reasonable to overthink it.

To make drafting an Instagram bio easier, we’ve broken down the elements that go into the best Instagram bios for business and how to write one for your brand.

Why your Instagram business bio matters

First of all, why does your Instagram business profile bio matter so much? As simple as it may seem, an Instagram bio plays a critical role in establishing your brand presence. It shows people who you are and what you sell. You can also use the same space to tell them why they should care about your business and its offering.

In many cases, your Instagram profile may be the first point of contact whether someone discovers you through an Instagram hashtag or by clicking through from a paid post or share on Stories. Your bio is an essential good first impression while clarifying why they should follow you.

That’s why you should focus on creating an Instagram business bio that effectively portrays your brand personality and establishes your unique value proposition. In other words, it should factor into your overall Instagram business strategy.

Learn how to develop and implement your Instagram marketing strategy today.

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What goes into an Instagram bio?

Writing your Instagram bio for business is one key part of creating the perfect Instagram business profile. Here are the essential elements that go into your Instagram bio:

1. Name and username

Your Instagram username is your @handle and your Instagram identity. It’s a part of your Instagram profile URL (instagram.com/myusername) and holds a prominent location at the top of your profile page. On the other hand, your name is your real or full brand name. Depending on data sources like audience and keyword research, you may know of abbreviations or name variations commonly used for your brand name. You might consider using those in one spot in your Instagram bio, such as in your username.

For instance, in the following Instagram business profile example, the username for Sprouts Farmers Market is just @sprouts but the name section has the full name of the business.

2. Profile photo

This should be relevant to your brand’s visual identity. You could include a brand logo, a brick-and-mortar location or even a product photo. But regardless of which photo you choose to use, it should look great and be relevant to your business.

For brands with a widely-recognized visual identity like National Geographic TV, even just the iconic yellow rectangle logo makes for a great profile photo.

Be sure to choose images that are visually cohesive across all your profiles to help create a recognizable and authoritative brand identity. One way of ensuring all your images for Instagram are consistent with brand standards, whether your profile logo or in-feed content, is to use a tool like Sprout’s Asset Library, which can store approved images for all team members to use across social.

3. Instagram Bio Section

This is the section under your name, where you get to express yourself (or in this case, your brand personality). You have 150 characters to tell people what your Instagram profile is about, what your brand offers and why they should follow you. So you don’t have much to work with, which makes it even more crucial to plan ahead and perfect your Instagram business bio.

Read on or jump to the next section for tips on how to perfect your Instagram bio’s copy.

4. Website

This is the only section of Instagram that allows you to add a clickable link, so make sure you use this space wisely. While you can always add a URL to your homepage, you can also update this link more frequently by posting new products, new content, new projects and more. Many brands use a service like Linktree to maximize the single link limit by taking the user to a landing page with shortcuts to featured content and product pages.

5. Category

Instagram also allows you to specify which category your brand falls under – whether you run a restaurant or a media and entertainment company. This shows up right under your business name if you choose to enable it, so it helps free up space in your Instagram bio for other important details.

6. Call-to-action buttons

You could further free up space in your Instagram bio if you make the most of the call-to-action buttons available for Instagram Business accounts. This allows people to take action straight from your Instagram profile when on the mobile app, making it easier for customers to convert on actions – from buying tickets to booking tables.

7. Contact info

Contact options provide prospective customers with the info they need to connect with your business. Make the most of the email and call buttons to highlight your business contact info without taking up precious space in your bio.

Tips for writing the best Instagram bios for business

Now that you know what goes into an Instagram bio, let’s take a look at tips on how to write the best Instagram bios for business:

1. Know what your goal is

Since you have to stay within the 150-character limit, it’s crucial that you have a clear sense of direction when writing an Instagram bio for business. Knowing exactly what you want out of your bio will help you narrow down on what to say.

For instance, you could simply use it to convey your brand’s personality and announce your Instagram presence. You could also use it to promote your latest products and offers or inform people about what your business does. If you do promote sales and recent products, be sure your team is ready to regularly refresh your Instagram bio and ensure this info is up to date.

Some businesses also use this section to express their brand mission and what they stand for. Check out the following Instagram business profile example from Black Elephant Coffee. The company’s bio tells us a little bit about what the business sells and what its brand values are.

2. Let your brand personality shine through

Make the most of your Instagram business bio to express your brand personality. This includes the language and tone you use or what you say, in general. For instance, Reese’s uses a fun and friendly tone in its bio while using the opportunity to establish its brand authority.

Some businesses may also add relevant emojis if that kind of approach fits the brand personality. But note that special characters and emojis may not translate well on a screen reader. Be sure to keep accessibility best practices in mind for all your followers and avoid filling your entire bio with characters that are hard to read or understand for customers using screen readers.

3. Include relevant hashtags and profile links

Instagram lets you add clickable hashtags and profile links in your bio. So make the most of this to direct customers to your other Instagram handles or to relevant, tagged content.

The option to add profile links is great for businesses that manage multiple accounts. See how Madewell added a link to their Instagram account for menswear.

As for hashtags, adding them to your bio will let you direct your audience to stunning tagged user-generated content. You could use a branded hashtag to collect user-generated content like Canva.

Alternatively, you could also use branded hashtags to promote a specific campaign or a new/upcoming release. See how OnePlus uses the hashtag #OnePlus8T to promote the launch event.

4. Make sure it’s easy to read

As mentioned earlier, your Instagram bio should be able to convey what your business does or what it offers. So it’s crucial that people can easily read and process the information without too much trouble. Formatting such as line breaks and spacing make it easier to read and emphasize important information at a glance.

You could use a pipe or vertical bar character to space out your info like in the following Instagram business profile example from Café Gratitude.

You could also use line breaks to style your info in a list format. See how thredUP skillfully uses lists in its bio, using emojis as a kind of bullet point.

Keep in mind that these characters and line breaks will factor into your total character count. So make sure you use them sparingly and strategically to avoid going over the character limit. You could also test different formatting to see how they impact your overall profile engagement. Use a tool like Sprout Social Instagram Analytics to measure how your profile engagement changes as you update.

5. Include a compelling call to action

While the call-to-action buttons frees up a lot of space in your bio, it doesn’t hurt to get more direct with your CTA. Make sure people know exactly what they need to do when they visit your profile by including a CTA in your bio.

Get very specific with this depending on the goal of your Instagram business account. You could invite them to visit your website, shop your feed, check out your latest blog post, download your new guide or even share their own photos using your branded hashtag. If you want to grow your Instagram following, you could even add a CTA to “follow us” for your regular content such as daily recipes, fashion updates and so on.

For example, Ahrefs uses their bio text to create a CTA that points (literally, thanks to their use of emoji) to their latest feature release.

Perfect your Instagram presence

Getting eyes on your bio is just one aspect of building a meaningful presence on Instagram. Check out these guides for more best practices and vital strategies:

  • Get more authentic Instagram followers with these 10 tips
  • How to promote your Instagram: 13 ways that actually work
  • 9 Instagram post ideas to spice up your account
  • How to regram on Instagram
  • How to get more Instagram Likes

Ready to create an impactful Instagram bio?

Your Instagram bio could make all the difference in boosting your social presence. It’s the perfect place to exhibit your brand identity and show off your creative side. It could also help you showcase your uniqueness and entertain your audience. And according to the 2021 Sprout Social Index™, these are all the things that make a brand’s social presence stand out.

To discover more insights that will help you take your social strategy to the next level, Sprout Social Index™: Social Media Trends for 2022 & Beyond.

10 Instagram Bio Ideas + 13 Tricks to Stand Out [TEMPLATES]

As far as history goes, we’re living in charmed times — but Shakespeare never had to write an Instagram bio (and let’s face it, the man wasn’t known for being concise). Typing those fateful words into your profile is stressful, and for good reason: your Instagram bio is often the first place other users will look when they’re deciding whether or not to follow you.

Here’s everything you need to know about Instagram bios, and how to write one worthy of a three-act play. Wherefore art thou bio?

What is an Instagram bio?

What makes a good bio for Instagram?

10 Instagram bio ideas

13 Instagram bio tricks you may not know about

Instagram bio templates

Bonus: Unlock 28 inspiring social media bio templates to create your own in seconds and stand out from the crowd.

What is an Instagram bio?

A bio on Instagram is a description of your account that can be up to 150 characters long and sits at the very top of your profile page, next to your profile picture. It’s a snapshot of your Instagram account and a quick way to show users who you are and what you’re about.

Because of the limited character count, an Instagram bio needs to be concise, easy to read and informative… but don’t be afraid to have fun with it. Emojis and jokes are fair game, even for professionals using the platform. After reading your bio, people should understand what you do and why they should follow you.

What makes a good bio for Instagram?

A good Instagram bio is a bio that users can’t resist interacting with, whether it’s by slamming that “follow” button, scrolling through (and liking and commenting on) your content, watching your story highlights or sending your Instagram profile to friends. The best Instagram bios are short and sweet, and genuinely convey your personality as a creator or brand.

For more details, watch our video on making the PERFECT Instagram bio:

When you’re dreaming up your bio, try asking yourself these questions — especially if you’re using Instagram for business:

  • What is your brand promise?
  • How about your brand personality: Funny? Serious? Informative? Playful?
  • What are your special skills?
  • Are you a local business? National? Global?
  • What makes your product or service unique?
  • What is the first thing you want people to do after they visit your profile?

On that last point: All good marketing materials should include a clear and compelling call to action. Good Insta bios are no exception. Give visitors clear direction if you want them to click the link in your bio, follow your account or take a different specific action.

You might want to add a link to your bio to send people to a page where they can buy your products, or you might have a different conversion goal in mind. Maybe you want people to Like your Facebook page, follow you on TikTok or sign up for your newsletter.

If your goal is to build an Instagram following, your call to action might be simply to ask visitors to press that follow button, or to share their photos with a branded hashtag.

10 Instagram bio ideas

If you’re feeling a little stuck, no fear — there are literally 1.22 billion Instagram users you can get inspiration from. Here are a few bio ideas for Instagram to get you started.

1. Funny Instagram bios

Unfortunately, there’s nothing less funny than trying to be funny. The key to a comedic Instagram bio is keeping honest, like this one from a drink brand.

Source: @innocent

Playing to your audience — and embracing how they see your brand — is another way to get laughs.

Source: @buglesmemes

And when all else fails, being quippy and somewhat vague is also a good source of comedy. If chaos is your brand, embrace it.

Source: @fayedunaway

2. Instagram bio quotes

Using Instagram bio quotes can be a great way to express an idea or create a feeling of connection.

You could use a saying, a line from a poem or song, or any phrase that will mean something to potential followers. Just make sure to give credit where credit is due if you use someone else’s words.

The Quotations Page is a good place to start your search for good Instagram bio quotes.

Here are 15 quote ideas you can copy and paste directly into your Instagram bio.

  1. Happiness depends upon ourselves – Aristotle
  2. We’re all born naked and the rest is drag – RuPaul
  3. Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time – Barack Obama
  4. I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done – Lucille Ball
  5. Imagination is more important than knowledge – Albert Einstein
  6. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take – Wayne Gretzky
  7. Cherish forever what makes you unique, cuz you’re really a yawn if it goes – Bette Midler
  8. If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one – Dolly Parton
  9. Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game – Babe Ruth
  10. I am a rich man – Cher
  11. You can be the lead in your own life – Kerry Washington
  12. When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful – Malala Yousafzai

3.

Creative Instagram bios

A bio may only be 150 characters, but that’s more than enough to stretch that creative muscle. During the launch of Netflix’s Heartstopper, the company changed their bio to an invite for the main actors to start a band.

Source: @netflix

This bio from Crocs is so creative, it takes a second to understand — we’ll let you read it before spoiling.

Source: @crocs

Did you get it? It’s “If you ain’t Croc-ing, you ain’t rocking.”

If you can’t make up your mind, do it all. Insta-famous Italian greyhound Tika has emojis, a quote from Lizzo, “Fashion Model” and “Gay Icon” status, and a link to her book in her bio. Impressive (but not as impressive as a dog writing a book).

Source: @tikatheiggy

4. Cool Instagram bios

“All your friends are so cool, you go out every night” — Olivia Rodrigo. Who is pretty cool herself: this short, informative and rhyming bio says it all.

Source: @oliviarodrigo

Another way to up the cool factor: commit an ultimate branding faux pas and don’t introduce yourself in an easily identifiable way. For example, most folks would identify Serena Williams as a tennis superstar. In her Instagram bio, she’s simply “Olympia’s mom.” It feels very true to her, and that’s cool.

Source: @serenawilliams

There’s a pattern here — ”cool” and “short” go hand-in-hand. If you want a cool bio for Instagram, being too wordy won’t help. If that’s what you’re going for, try and be as concise as possible. Like Lizzo.

Source: @lizzobeeating

5. Short Instagram bios

Speaking of short — if you don’t need 150 characters, don’t use them. Dating app Bumble’s bio simply prompts folks to make the first move.

Source: @bumble

Fewer words makes the words you do use more powerful, and really makes a statement.

Source: @bobthedragqueen

Or, you can go in a totally opposite direction and write a short bio that few, if any, will understand. You do you.

Source: @kirstentitus

6. Clever Instagram bios

A clever Instagram bio will score a chuckle (and hopefully a follow) from users. Stay self aware and lighthearted, and the cleverness will come. Old Spice’s bio is a play on the bizarre masculinity that’s present in men’s deodorant branding.

Source: @oldspice

Tiffany Haddish hypes herself, but stays humble in her Instagram bio.

Source: @tiffanyhaddish

And sometimes, the cleverest route is the simplest: in a world of people trying to be as cool as possible, artist Allie Brosh just tells it like it is, and really stands out.

Source: @allie_brosh

7. Instagram bios with emojis

Emojis are like cheating (the good kind). When words fail, emojis are there. Designers Josh and Matt describe their relationship, career, home base and pets all in a single line of emojis.

Source: @joshandmattdesign

You can also use emojis like bullet points for a super-aesthetic look.

Source: @oliveandbeanphoto

Or, go with the classic (if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it) and substitute emojis for the words they represent — hearts for love, etc.

Source: @pickle.the.pig

8. Instagram business bios

If you’re using Instagram for business, a bio can be a great place to introduce yourself (more and more folks are using social media to research brands). Kraft peanut butter has a great example of a succinct bio that describes their company.

Source: @kraftpeanutbutter_ca

Businesses can also use their bio to describe their brand ethos, and what makes them different from others in the industry.

Source: @ocin

If you’re doing affiliate marketing or partnering with other businesses, a bio is a good place to put discount codes or promotions related to those affiliations.

Source: @phillychinchilly

9. Instagram bios with links

Your link in bio is a rich place for users to gain more resources and information about your brand. Make sure your audience sees it by pointing to it. Yeah, we mean literally. Clothing brand Free Label uses their bio to identify what the link is (in this case, a path to their latest launch).

Source: @free.label

In a similar fashion, artist Zoe Si uses her bio to point to her latest book, which is accessible through her link in bio.

Source: @zoesees

10. Informative Instagram bios

Sometimes, you just want the facts. Having the answer to your most frequently asked questions — in the example below, that’s probably “When are you open?” — can pay off. It might not be fun, but it’s simple and clear.

Source: superflux.cabana

13 Instagram bio tricks you may not know about

Hungry for more? We got you. Here are some tips to make sure you have the best bio for Instagram.

Bonus: Unlock 28 inspiring social media bio templates to create your own in seconds and stand out from the crowd.

Get the free templates now!

1. Use fancy Instagram bio fonts

Technically, you can only use one “font” in your Instagram bio. But there are tools out there that will help you create the look of a custom font by mapping your text to existing special characters.

Here’s an example of what Hootsuite writer Christine’s bio looks like in a few different fonts, as created using the tool Instagram Fonts.

That third one is a little bonkers, but you could pick and choose a few words to incorporate strategically for visual appeal. In general, it’s a good idea to use this trick sparingly, for emphasis, rather than dressing your entire bio up in fancy fonts.

Once you find a font style you like, just copy and paste it into your Instagram bio.

2. Use Instagram bio symbols

We’ve already talked about using emojis. But you can also go old-school and use special text symbols to break ★ up ★ your ★ bio. (Remember Wingdings and Webdings? How very 1990s. )

This trick uses the same principle as the tip above, but instead of using symbols to create the look of a custom font, you can use them as retro emojis or unique bullet points:

Source: @blogger

The easiest way to find your special character is to open a new Google Doc, then click Insert and choose Special characters.

You can scroll through the available options, search by keyword, or even draw a shape to find a similar character. Then, just copy and paste into your Instagram bio.

3. Add a location

This is particularly useful for businesses: customers will want to know who (and where) they’re buying from. Marking your location can also help your brand be more searchable.

When you add your address to your Instagram business profile, it also appears below your bio but does not use up any of your bio character count. This is another great way to free up space for more compelling bio information. Be warned, your address only shows up on mobile.

Source: @pourhouse

4. Add contact buttons

Business profiles can include contact information in the form of buttons that allow people to phone you, email you, or get directions to your business directly from Instagram. This is another one that only shows up on mobile.

Source: @midnightpaloma

5. Add a call to action button

Another mobile-only feature: You can encourage people to take action straight from your Instagram bio with CTA buttons. These allow your followers to take direct actions like ordering food from your restaurant, or buying tickets for your event.

Source: @maenamrestaurant

You’ll find these options under Action Buttons when editing your business profile.

6. Add a link in bio

You get one clickable link in your Instagram bio. Since you can’t use clickable links in Instagram feed posts (unless you’re using Instagram ads or Instagram Shopping), your bio link is valuable real estate.

You can change the URL as often as you like. You might want to link to your newest or most important content (like your latest blog post or video), a special campaign, or a landing page specifically for visitors coming from Instagram.

You can also use Instagram tools like Linktree to set up a mobile landing page with multiple links. That way, you don’t have to keep updating the link in your Instagram bio, which can lead to outdated “link in bio” statements on older posts.

7. Use your bio to direct traffic to another platform or website

If your primary social media is on a different platform and you consider Instagram a necessary evil, that’s okay — you can use your bio as a way to direct other users to that platform.

Comedian Ziwe Fumudoh rarely posts on Instagram, but is very active on TikTok, so she uses her bio to steer audiences towards that app.

Source: @ziwef

Lush, weirdly, “departed” from social media but still has an active Instagram and uses their link in bio to explain why they’re not online.

Source: @lushcosmetics

8. Use line breaks

People don’t tend to read information online. Instead, they scan for bite-sized chunks of information.

Make that information easy to identify using line breaks.

Okoko Cosmetiques uses a combination of emojis and line breaks to create this cute Instagram bio:

Source: @okokocosmetiques

It’s really easy to add line breaks using the Instagram web interface. Simply space your bio as you would like it to appear.

On mobile, your best bet is to create your bio with the spacing you want using a notes app. Then, copy and paste it into your Instagram bio field. Or, use one of the Instagram bio templates below.

9. Share your pronouns

If you want to, it’s great to share your pronouns on Instagram. Since the option was first added in May 2021, it’s become customary on the app to add your pronouns to your bio, whether you’re cisgender, transgender or nonbinary. Displaying your pronouns means your followers will know how to properly address you, and normalizing the practice helps make everyone feels more comfortable on the platform.

Source: @ddlovato

10. Use Hashtags

Hashtags in your Instagram bio are clickable links. Keep in mind, though, that Instagram bios do not appear in hashtag search results. Adding Instagram hashtags to your bio won’t make it more discoverable.

That means you should not include hashtags unless they are directly related to your business, because each one represents an opportunity for potential followers to click away.

However, adding a branded hashtag to your bio is a great way to promote and collect user-generated content.

This is one of the best ways for businesses to use hashtags in their bio. When a user clicks on the hashtag, they will see all the content your fans and followers have posted, which creates excellent social proof for your business.

Source: @hellotushy

Branded hashtags are also a great way to get more content: you can reshare follower’s posts that use the hashtag. In fact, some users build their entire following off of user-submitted posts.

Source: @chihuahua_vibes

11. Use your bio to link to other accounts

If you have a personal and a business account, or you’re involved in a cool project that has its own handle, you can tag that account in your bio. This can help people identify you (Oh, THAT’S where I know Zendaya from) but be careful using them, as they may encourage audiences to navigate away from your page. (This is something Zendaya likely does not care about).

Source: @zendaya

12. Add a category

If you have a business profile on Instagram, you can choose a category for your business. This appears under your name and can help people see what you do at a glance.

Source: @elmo

Elmo, for example, is a public figure.

Using a category for your business can free up space in your Instagram bio, since you don’t need to repeat this information. However, it only appears in the mobile view, so you can’t assume everyone will see it.

13. Announce news

As long as you remember to update your bio regularly, you can use it to announce news about new products and updates for your brand. If you’re going to put a date in your bio, though, mark your calendar or set a reminder to change it. If you have an old date in your bio, it makes your account look like it’s not being monitored closely.

After Mexican pizza made its triumphant return, Taco Bell updated this bio.

Source: @tacobell

Instagram bio templates

Still not sure what to include in your Instagram bio? We’ve created some social media bio templates, including IG bio ideas, to get you started.

Bonus: Unlock 28 inspiring social media bio templates to create your own in seconds and stand out from the crowd.

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How to write a flawless Instagram bio for a business account

If you sell products online, you really can't ignore Instagram.

In addition to the obvious sheer number of users, Instagram's visual nature makes it an ideal platform for promoting physical products. This is why many e-commerce stores sell through Instagram and even use as their main sales channel.

One of the most important characteristics of a successful Instagram e-commerce strategy is profile biography . This is usually the first thing users see when they log into your account. A strong bio can improve brand perception and awareness while increasing the number of clicks on your call to action.

To understand how to write a great Instagram bio, we analyzed 100 randomly selected Instagram stores. We studied what calls to action, language and information they used in their biographies. Following the example of these stores, you can change your store profile to improve performance.

We started by selecting 100 stores at random using the hashtag #onlinestore on Instagram. For a better analysis, we ignored partner stores and individuals promoting products from other stores.

At the end of the data collection phase, our spreadsheet looked like this:

Our list was very broad in scope. We had big stores with over 1.6 million followers (@saboskirt) and new small stores with just over 1800 followers (@xanasboutique).

Here are some of the things we learned about Instagram Bios from this analysis:

Start with what you're doing

Sounds like "Is this a joke?" but how many times have you been on Instagram and a stunning image caught your attention? You scroll through the grid and even read the bio… before thinking to yourself, “I wonder what they do. ”

Put your business ahead of everything else so there is no confusion.

If you're positioning yourself as an expert, the first step to creating a good Instagram bio is to make sure your name is actually your name! By this we mean the "name" field on your profile, not your Instagram username. People searching for you on Instagram are more likely to use your name or your company name, and consistency lets people know that the Instagram profile they're viewing is actually yours and not an impostor.

This may seem pretty obvious, but there's actually a bigger reason for this: your name and username are the only fields that Instagram considers in searches. So it's very important to make sure that the name you use in your Instagram bio is what your followers and customers are looking for!

For example, if you work in the healthcare industry, you can include your full name along with your job title. That way, when people search for you on Instagram, they can easily find the right account.

Instagram also respects the name and username fields in search queries, so it's a good idea to make sure they're optimized. With that in mind, you can use keywords that potential subscribers might be looking for. Do you offer a specific service? Are you known for something special?

Use a CTA

A CTA is probably the most important part of any Instagram bio . This is what you want users to click on when they land on your page.

Calls to action can generally be divided into three categories:

  • Home Page : A link to the store's home page. It's far from ideal, as it's not very targeted. A user who clicks to view a product may become confused due to the length of the home page.
  • Landing Page : This can either be a dedicated landing page for Instagram-only users, or an internal page that directs users to a product or category (such as "new arrivals"). They are are great for most stores.
  • Social shopping page : This is usually a carefully curated page with products featured on your Instagram page. Users can buy products directly from this social media page.

Our analysis shows that most stores still don't use CTAs properly. The majority of stores (70%) directed users to their non-targeted home pages. Very few directed users to social media pages.

If possible, direct users to custom landing pages for Instagram users. Here is a great example from @georginasasha. The store bio directs users to instashop

The landing page is called "Instashop" and shows the latest items featured on the Instagram page:

Clicking on any of the products (notice how the URL changes to a unicorn - fun touch!) , You will see the checkout form:

Alternatively, you can create a social media shopping page using tools like Like2Buy. Here's an example from SwimsuitsForAll:

If you don't want to go that route (or if it's too expensive/time consuming), at least link to your new arrivals, top selling or featured products. Dissh, for example, directs users to its new arrivals:

If you link to your home page, at least make sure you have a dedicated section for new arrivals and recommended products. Make this section the very top of the page so that users can easily find your in-demand products.

Bio length about 140-160 characters

During our analysis, we found that average profile length was about 143 characters . The average was 150 characters.

Keep in mind that this length includes your CTA.

Stores with very long biographies (more than 200 characters) usually contain tons of information. For example, @barbiesonly's bio has 208 characters. It includes store address, email, phone number and website in bio:

At the other end of the spectrum are stores like @sorellaboutique that only include a CTA and a hashtag.

The length of the profile must be 140-160 characters. This gives you plenty of space to include CTA, phone information, email, etc.

Use emojis

Should you use emojis in your Instagram bio?

Our analysis showed that most stores prefer to use them:

However, instead of emphasizing emotions, most stores use emoticons to separate and mark key information . For example, @thealphabetpress uses a simple block emoji icon to list all of its features and services:

Similarly, @moorepiecesboutique uses emoji to identify its location, shipping policy, phone number, and email:

Does this mean that emoji have no place for fun?

Of course not! Here is an example from @thyrahshoppe. Note the water splashes, bikini and emoji on the palm next to the copy - "endless summer".

Our recommendation

You have limited space in your profile bio; make the best use of it. Use emoticons sparingly . They work best when you use them to identify key information about a store - its location, hours of operation, email address, and contact number.

@suelasonline is a good format to follow:

Use hashtags only when necessary

A common piece of advice you'll see on the internet is to use hashtags in your bio. These can be:

  • General: hashtags related to a keyword (eg #shoes), an event (eg #coachella), or an Instagram trend (eg #picoftheday).
  • Branded: Brand-related hashtags like #ASOS, #cocacola, etc.

Generic hashtags are usually good for boosting your visibility. For example, if you include the hashtag #picoftheday in your bio, your profile will be visible when someone searches for that hashtag.

Branded hashtags are useful for curating posts. You can also use them to request user-generated content (UGC). For example, Coke recently ran a contest where users had to submit images with the #CokeEssenceFestContest hashtag.

Should you include such hashtags in your biography?

Here's what our data showed:

It's clear that hashtags aren't very popular, at least in profile bios.

Interestingly, of the 14 stores that used hashtags, only one used a common tag. The rest used branded hashtags.

The most common use of branded hashtags is to collect user-generated content, as in this example @threadless:

Our recommendation

Hashtags are not needed for a strong Instagram bio. But if you use them, you should only use branded hashtags and combine them with a user-generated content campaign.

You can also use branded hashtags as a way to brand your store. For example, @shoploveyourz uses the hashtag #loveyourzcurves to promote body acceptance.

If you don't already have a user-generated content campaign, adding a hashtag would be a waste of space.

Include key information

What information should you include in your store biography—email address, phone number, address, or store hours? There is a simple answer to this question: is all you need .

We saw a clear bias towards email and phone numbers in our data.

This makes sense for online stores. They usually don't have a physical location and therefore store opening hours. Email is a much better way to communicate and collect orders.

Interestingly, many stores mentioned their WhatsApp when they listed their phone numbers. This was especially true for stores located outside the US and EU.

When we looked at larger stores (>300,000 subscribers), we saw a clear preference for email over the phone. Larger stores receive more orders. It can be difficult to trace them over the phone.

Our recommendation

There is no one piece of advice that fits all when it comes to key store information. Include whatever you think is necessary to give your customers the best service.

Enabling email is a good idea. Only add a phone number if you can actually respond to customer inquiries (this can be difficult for understaffed retailers). And of course, the physical location/store hours are only necessary if you have physical stores.

A good way to make this information more visible is to add emoticons, for example:

You can also include your Facebook account if this is an important marketing channel for you. If space permits, also include information about shipping rules. This is especially useful if you are targeting overseas clients.

Putting It All Together: Creating a Great Instagram Bio

Based on the lessons we've learned, here's what you should have in your Instagram bio:

  • Your store name
  • 140 to 160 characters long.
  • CTA link to Instagram landing page or social media shopping page. Or a link to your latest/top selling products.
  • Emoticons to highlight key information (phone number, email address, etc.)
  • A branded hashtag for storing images and videos (if you're running a user-generated content campaign).
  • Brand Brief

Including all of this information will make your store stand out from other stores on Instagram. After making these changes, you should see an increase in engagement and clicks.

Download checklist in pdf

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash.

Quality profile and content - how to start your business on Instagram?

Anna Kuznetsova

Updated by

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Content:

  1. Creating an Instagram business account: name, avatar, biography
  2. How to take beautiful photos for Instagram using a smartphone
  3. the main content is photography and video.
    Cafes, restaurants, boutiques, flower shops and all kinds of activities that can be “beautifully photographed” have long been making money from just one Instagram account.

    This is not only an opportunity to share photos and videos with friends, but also a powerful tool to support brand loyalty, the ability to be closer to customers, know their interests and attitudes towards your product.

    It is not necessary to rent an office, equip a store or have an Internet site to start a business, sell goods or provide services. A systematic approach, a little creativity and you can earn money with just one page on Instagram.

    Before you start promotion, you need to do some preparatory work. Competent filling determines whether your buyer will find the product or service of interest on your page.

    Let's start with the creation of a "skeleton" for the Instagram online store.

    1. Creating an Instagram account: avatar, title, biography

    Getting to know your account begins with a page description and a photo in a small circle: a catchy avatar, page name, a description of what you do and how to contact you.

    How to come up with a name for an Instagram business account

    Most likely, you have already come up with names for your business. Remember that on Instagram, the profile name is always written in Latin.

    The name is the brand name, semantic power in one or two words; it is what describes your activity; what the user will score in the search to buy your product.

    Need ideas for a company name? Read the article How to choose the right company name.

    It is best if the nickname matches the names of the company and does not contain unnecessary words and commercial messages (official, the best, shop, etc.). It is also good if you have one nickname for all social networks. It will be easier for subscribers to remember or find you:

    All social networks are consonant with the name of the Lamoda online store itself.

    Avatar

    Do not neglect the principle of “dress by clothes”.
    Avatar is the main recognition attribute of your profile. The person by which you will be met, remembered and fall in love. The picture should be clear and not contain unnecessary details:

    In the example above, the manicure studio adheres to the principle of simplicity and minimalism: picture and text on a white background.

    You can't fit a lot of elements in a small size photo, it will look out of place and incomprehensible to the subscriber:

    The flower shop uses an iconic logo, but the picture is cluttered and the font is chosen so that it is difficult to read the name. A photo as an avatar for a business account is also not the best option: the small size does not allow recognizing details or faces.

    What then? How to look aesthetically pleasing for a subscriber at the first meeting, not to be full of your already established subscribers in the list, while perfectly conveying the essence of the activity?

    The company logo is fine, but with a slight modification. The thing is, for the logo to look great on the profile page, it needs to fit nicely into the circle. How to do it?

    Can be made by hand using graphic programs. Or create with Logaster and download a ready-made logo for Instagram. The required logo size is 110px x 110px.

    How to create a logo online? The Logaster service will help you choose a logo from a dozen options for the name of your business:

    You can change the font, color, arrangement of elements to create a unique and adaptive logo for Instagram:

    After editing, save the created logo.

    An avatar that is pretty in every sense should contain information that the subscriber needs. After all, it is by the description that a person will determine whether he is interested in your activity.

    How to fill in your Instagram profile information:

    Add or edit this information by clicking the "Edit Profile" button at the top of the page. You need to clearly understand what exactly is important for a person to see on the page he is interested in: and provide this information in the description (products or services of the company, address, slogan, etc.).

    1. Profile picture;
    2. Biography;
    3. Phone number;
    4. Email;
    5. Geodata.

    Instagram page descriptions

    Research shows that we remember 20% of what we read and 80% of what we see. But as information develops, people stop perceiving everything superfluous. Even if you have placed important information between the lines, a person can simply scroll through it. You have 5 seconds to grab the attention of a potential customer who has landed on your page for the first time.

    Make sure that the required information is filled in the profile:
    • company name;
    • a brief description of what you are doing;
    • contacts;
    • coordinates;
    • link to the site.

    If even before creating a profile you figure out how to fill in the necessary information correctly, then upon completion, you can safely forget about the need to update your biography or contacts. What certainly can not be said about the content itself. Here you need to always be in trend and be creative. Since photography is something that must be liked by potential customers of your business.

    2. How to take good photos for Instagram using smartphone

    All the work done before will be appreciated and effective with good content on your page. In order to create it, it is not necessary to be a photographer, have expensive photographic equipment or contact professionals.

    Here it is enough to know 3 basic rules of photo content:
    1. Use a smartphone with a good camera;
    2. Take pictures in daylight;
    3. Always use the same photo editing filters to create a unified account style (we'll also talk about mobile photo editing apps).

    Decide what mood the profile conveys to your reader: calmness - pastel colors, minimalism (suitable for textile stores, children's clothing, etc.) or rich colors - energy, expression. To make the photos in the profiles harmonize with each other, place light, dark or photos with color accents in a checkerboard pattern:

    Of course, this is not necessary and creating your own unique profile will be better than generally accepted templates. But if you are just starting out and there are no ideas yet, you can use this one.

    Remember that a new user always pays attention to the profile as a whole, and not to individual pictures. And your subscriber is in the photo in the feed. Make sure to keep both of you interested.

    3. The best applications for photo editing and delayed publications:

    VSCO is a good set of ready-made filters. Choose the one that best suits your product. Experiment with multiple photos and filters. Do they harmonize with each other?

    Download VSCO on iOS

    Download VSCO on Android

    Lightroom . Helps create a unified white balance on your Instagram profile.

    Download Lightroom for iOS

    Download Lightroom for Android

    Of course, the program has much more potential, we advise you to study it to create your stylized account.

    Snapseed . The program will help create an exposure or highlight the accents in the photo.

    Download Snapseed for iOS

    Download Snapseed for Android

    UNUM . Create profile photo arrangements before they are published:

    Download UNUM for Android

    Download UNUM for iOS

    Photos taken and processed. But this is half the work on the post. The next step is a description or text.

    Text in posts

    Decide on the purpose of your presence on Instagram: is this a platform from which you want to sell, or a customer connection tool (suitable for existing stores. Here Instagram is not the main source of sales, but in the future it can increase them significantly).

    There is an option to hire a copywriter or SMM specialist. But the owner may well manage the business account. After all, no one knows your product, its properties and capabilities as well as you.

    In fact, there is nothing difficult in writing texts for product posts. But still, always “try on” the text for yourself: what a person should think after reading and, most importantly, what to do.

    In the text, give real benefits to the person, not characteristics that may not always be clear. For example: you sell portable batteries for phones. In the description you write 1000 mAh. But not always people know how much it is. And if you write: “1000 mAh - up to 5 phone recharges” - a potential client will evaluate whether the product suits him and save him from unnecessary thoughts. Here he sees the value of the battery and its application to his needs.

    A post should always contain a call to action: order, buy, call.

    Avoid template words and applications in the text: “best quality”, “lowest price”, “unique production”, “reliable service”.
    Replace them with the actual properties of the product:

    • “best quality” for “80% of the composition is steel”;
    • “low price” - always write the real price, comparing yourself with competitors;
    • "unique production" - we make orders based on your preferences;
    • “reliable service” - 5 year warranty.

    Without water, with real use cases.
    In posts, try to balance between commodity posts and useful content. So you will look like an expert in the eyes of the reader, become an authority, build a trusting relationship.

    Hashtags

    Hashtags for the page are necessary for easy search of the necessary posts.

    Alternatively, place a post with your categories in the profile header with an active link (instead of the company's website):

    Create your own unique hashtags:

    These work well for a range of products. For example, the tag #cupcake_Instabakery: the subscriber will be able to quickly find all the cupcakes you offer.

    Geolocation

    Decide where you want to sell your goods: if it is outside the city and you have an offline store, geolocation is definitely needed.

    But if you go to an audience outside your region, it's better not to set the location. This can scare away potential consumers. They will think that it is far away and will not pay attention to the goods.

    Learn more