Social media marketing plays an important role in marketing your business, and Instagram is a great place for many businesses to connect with their audience. While the content you post is the first thing people see on social media and what initially draws people to your business, your Instagram bio is one of the main factors that will encourage them to follow you or further engage with your content by clicking through to your website. Your bio is a great way to make a lasting impression, so make it count.
Writing an Instagram bio doesn’t have to be hard. Here, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know to write the best Instagram bio and include some Instagram bio ideas specifically tailored to e-commerce companies like yours.
Table of Contents
What is an Instagram bio?
Why an Instagram bio matters for businesses
Instagram bio ideas and tips for writing the best bio
Instagram bio ideas for e-commerce businesses
7 common Instagram bio mistakes to avoid
Final thoughts
What is an Instagram bio?
An Instagram bio is a short description at the top of an Instagram profile. It’s a brief snapshot of who you are or what your business represents. You have a maximum of 150 characters to convey your message, making it essential to be clear, concise, and impactful.
Your bio includes more than just the words you include, there are some other small things that are important elements to your profile you should be thinking about when creating or updating your profile. These elements include:
- Profile picture: Usually, your company logo or a recognizable brand image that aligns with your brand identity.
- Username: Your brand name, preferably consistent across all social media platforms.
- Name: A space to add a keyword-rich name that can help in search results.
- Bio text: The main area to describe your brand, what you do, and what you offer.
- Website/ external link: A clickable link to your website, a landing page, or specific promotions.
- Category: Helps identify what type of business you are (e.g., Clothing Brand, Health/Beauty).
- Contact info: Email, phone number, or directions for direct communication.
- Call to action (CTA): Encourages users to take a specific action, like visiting your website or using a hashtag.
Tip: You want to ensure that your Instagram account is a business account so you can take advantage of the insights and analytics.
Why an Instagram bio matters for businesses
These days, social media is often the first point of contact with your brand, so you want to make a good first impression. As we mentioned, your bio is the first thing visitors will see when they navigate to your profile, so writing an irresistible Instagram bio can make all the difference in convincing that first-time visitor to follow your account or click on your link to learn more about your brand.
This is why your profile should accurately represent your brand image, clearly communicate who you are, and encourage people to engage with you.
Instagram bio ideas and tips for writing the best bio
Rather than simply giving you a list of the best Instagram bio ideas, we will provide some tips on writing the perfect Instagram bio and what elements to think about so you can write the perfect bio for your business.
1. Know what your goal is
Social media marketing is part of your overall marketing strategy, so before writing your bio, take the time to think about your goals. Understanding what you are looking to get out of your bio and your Instagram account, in general, can help you narrow down what to say. This is important as you only have 150 characters to get your point across.
For example, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, your bio is likely to look different than if you are looking to promote specific products.
Tip: When considering your social media goals, you should be thinking about your target audience and the best ways to connect with them directly.
Also, remember that your Instagram bio isn’t static; you can switch it up as your goals change or your company evolves.
2. Consider your brand personality
When writing any forward-facing content, you should keep your brand personality in mind. This includes the language and tone you use; for example, are you fun and friendly? Or are you more serious?
Many people use emojis in their Instagram bios to say more with less text. Consider whether or not the use of emojis aligns with your brand personality.
3. Ensure it’s easy to read
Not only does your bio need to be concise to fit into the 150-character limit, but it also needs to be easy to read. Formatting can play an important role in ensuring content is easy to read, and many companies use intentional line breaks and lists to make their bios easy to read. But remember, these line breaks do factor into your total character limit, so use them strategically.
4. Use branded hashtags and profile links
Your bio is one of the only places on Instagram where you can use clickable links, so it’s important to make it count. Since you can only put one link in your bio, many companies use linking platforms like LinkTree.
You can also add clickable profile links to your bio that link to other Instagram profiles. This could link to other accounts your business has related, for example, to a specific account related to a niche within your company, like related products but made specifically for your pet. Other companies use this to link to the professional pages or personal accounts of their founders to give their brand a human touch.
As you can see below, Arcteryx has linked to two of their other accounts, Arcteryx academy and their veilance clothing line.
Hashtags are another way to engage with the community through your bio and connect your audience to user-generated content. If you’re considering encouraging user-generated content, create a branded hashtag and include it in your bio.
Some examples of branded hashtags include #ShareACoke, #GoProFamily, and #ShotoniPhone.
5. Include a call to action
One reason you want to think about your goals before writing your Instagram bio is because of the call-to-action. You want to ensure people who land on your profile know exactly what you want them to do next (other than follow you, of course).
Here, it is important to get specific. Invite them to visit your website, check out your latest blog post, download a guide, or share photos of them engaging with your product using your branded hashtag.
As you can see on Alibaba’s profile, they are currently promoting #CoCreate2024 and encouraging visitors to get tickets.
Instagram bio ideas for e-commerce businesses
Here are some creative Instagram bio ideas to help get you started writing a great bio for your business.
- Fashion Brand
- “Eco-friendly fashion 🌱 | Stylish & sustainable 👗 | Shop our latest collection! 👇”
- Link: [yourwebsite.com]
- Jewelry Store
- “Handmade jewelry ✨ | Unique designs | Free shipping worldwide 🌍 | New arrivals 👇”
- Link: [yourwebsite.com/new]
- Beauty Products
- “Natural skincare 🌸 | 5,000+ 5-star reviews | Glow up with us! ✨ | Shop now 👇”
- Link: [yourwebsite.com]
- Fitness Gear
- “Premium workout gear 💪 | Elevate your performance | Free returns 🚚 | Shop our bestsellers 👇”
- Link: [yourwebsite.com/bestsellers]
- Home Decor
- “Minimalist home decor 🖤 | Transform your space | Tag us with #MyHomeStory 📸 | Shop now 👇”
- Link: [yourwebsite.com/shop]
7 common Instagram bio mistakes to avoid
As a new business owner, writing a social media bio may seem daunting, here are common mistake to avoid:
1. Being too vague
A bio that is too vague or generic fails to communicate your business’s purpose, leading to a loss of potential followers and customers.
Be specific about what you offer and what makes your business unique. Clearly state your niche, products, or services. For example, instead of “We sell great products,” use “Eco-friendly skincare products 🌿 | Natural ingredients | Shop now!”
2. Overloading with keywords
Trying to stuff too many keywords into your bio can make it look cluttered and hard to read, which can turn off potential followers.
Focus on a few relevant keywords that naturally fit into your bio. Maintain clarity and readability. For example, instead of “Fashion, clothes, trendy, style, shopping,” use “Trendy fashion for women | New styles weekly 👗 | Shop now!”
3. Using too many emojis
Overusing emojis can make your bio look unprofessional and distracting. Use emojis sparingly if doing so aligns with your brand personality and ensure they enhance rather than clutter your message. For example, use 2-3 relevant emojis to break up text and add personality: “Handmade jewelry ✨ | Unique designs | Free shipping 🌍”
4. Not updating regularly
Outdated information in your bio can confuse followers and miss opportunities to promote current offers or news.
Regularly update your bio to reflect your brand, including new promotions, products, seasons, or changes in your business. For example, a good Instagram bio idea during the summer is “Summer Sale On Now! ☀️ | Up to 50% off 🌟” when the sale ends or the seasons change.
5. Neglecting contact information
If users can’t find a way to contact you, you might lose potential customers who have questions or need support.
Include essential contact details like your email address in your bio or direct users on how to reach you.
6. Ignoring analytics and insights
If you don’t use analytics to measure the effectiveness of your bio, you could miss opportunities for optimization. Regularly check Instagram Insights to see how changes to your bio affect profile visits and link clicks. Then, adjust accordingly.
7. Using complicated language
Complex language or industry jargon can confuse your audience and turn them away. Use simple, clear language that everyone can understand to keep your message straightforward and accessible.
For example, instead of “Our products utilize sustainable manufacturing processes,” use “Sustainably made products 🌍 | Good for you and the planet.”
Final thoughts
Creating an effective Instagram bio for your business involves being clear, concise, and engaging.
Now that you know what it takes to write a good bio, take the time to brainstorm some ideas for your business. Consider what works for your business based on your brand personality and marketing goals. And don’t be afraid to try new things or change it up.
