Want to grab the attention of those who land on your Instagram page? Well then, you better have a captivating bio.

With over one billion monthly active users on Instagram, it’s imperative that you make sure you craft a profile that stops people in their tracks. And whatever you do, make sure it quickly tells people who you are and what you do (or more accurately, how you can help them). Instagram only gives you 150 characters in which to do that, so you better do it with intention.

Why Worry About My Instagram Bio?

Here’s the thing, not everyone who stops to read your profile is going to become a follower. In fact, a carefully put together bio will do a great job of not only attracting the right audience but also repelling those who really aren’t a good fit and that’s exactly what you want! I know, you might be thinking that the last thing you can afford to do is run people off, but remember you’re not here to cater to the whole world but rather a very specific audience with very specific needs.

Let’s Look At Some Examples

I currently have two Instagram accounts and I’m going to share them with you here for comparison purposes and to point a few things out.

Tamara & Company
I started this business almost two years ago but recently launched a new account for it. Long story short, I’m developing The Savvy Browpreneur brand and wanted to use the established Instagram account for that, so I created a new account for Tamara & Company.

The Savvy Browpreneur
Education and resources for PMU artists. After training to become certified in microblading two years ago, opening three studios since, and hiring four additional artists I decided it was time to start educating others. By the way, teaching is one of my loves!! This Instagram account is now the one that was originally the Tamara & Company account.

So…here’s the dealio, friends! These are the MUSTS for a great Instagram bio.

1. USE AN APPROPRIATE PHOTO FOR YOUR PROFILE. 

If you are the face behind your brand then this photo should absolutely be a photo of YOU! On my Tamara & Company account, it’s appropriate for me to use a team photo (even a logo would be fine), but on The Savvy Browpreneur account, it needs to be my face that people see.

PRO TIP: Use the same photo across all platforms for consistency, and make sure your personal photo reflects your brand identity. In other words, if you are projecting a classy, elegant vibe you probably shouldn’t post a photo of you hanging out on a farm. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love farms! In fact, I live on one, but my audience also knows I’m a small-town girl living in the country. You get my drift!

2. DO NOT USE YOUR NAME ON THE NEXT LINE.

But why you ask? Don’t I want people to know who I am? Well, yes, you do, but a much better use of this space would be to choose two to three words that describe what you are or what you do (so it operates kinda’ like a search engine for your business).

For my Tamara & Company page, I list the state along with the words ‘microblading + PMU’. People who land on this page can very quickly see where we are and what we’re offering. They don’t NEED to know my name.

In contrast, on The Savvy Browpreneur page, I didn’t include a location because it’s irrelevant. I work with people virtually as well as on location and I don’t want to limit myself by having people see a location-based business. And rather than list my name, I chose a couple of words that describe who I am. Get it?!

3. CATEGORY FIELD. 

Below this field will be the category that you chose when you set up your Instagram bio.

4. TELL THEM WHAT YOU DO.

The next line down should be a very basic statement about what you do. Keep it simple and easily understandable. This is where you have the opportunity to position yourself as a solution to their problem if you touch on a pain point. I do this on both pages.

My Tamara & Company page speaks to those who are looking to gain more confidence and free up time in the morning. And what busy woman do you know that doesn’t want a more peaceful morning?!

The Savvy Browpreneur page speaks to those who feel they are stuck and need help building their brand and profitable permanent makeup business.

5. PERSONAL INFORMATION. 

You should also include some additional information about you personally. Remember, there are many microblading artists out there, just like there are probably many folks doing what you do, but there is only one YOU! Help people connect with you in this space. You should ALWAYS represent the authentic you, that’s what people want and it’s ultimately what they buy as well. This Instagram bio isn’t about acquiring followers people, it’s about making real connections!! I use emojis in my profile, but anyone who follows me knows I’m an emoji girl 😉

6. CONTACT INFORMATION. 

Finally, you should tell people how they can reach you. This can be by directing them to your website, providing a phone number, email address, or even just asking them to DM you. Whatever your preferred method of contact is, list it.

PRO TIP: If you need to provide multiple links, look at a service like Linktr.ee or Tap Bio. These will allow you to set up one link in your bio that opens to a location where multiple links become available. Just don’t use too many additional links.

Remember, you want to lead people where you want them to go, not give them a million choices and leave them feeling lost. I have used both Linktree and Tap Bio in the past but now have a more branded ‘connect’ page for both of my Instagram bio.

For my Tamara & Company account and I include links for booking an appointment, subscribing to our newsletter, our website, blog and home shops as well. The Savvy Browpreneur has links for ways for people to learn from and connect with me!

Take a look at both of these Instagram bios. And here’s a quick summary of what you will find:

WHO I AM:
Tamara & Company: A service-based business offering microblading + PMU in Maryland
The Savvy Browpreneur: PMU Artist | Trainer | Blogger 

WHAT I DO:
Tamara & Company: Beauty services
The Savvy Browpreneur: Help PMU artists go from confused to confident by teaching them which steps to take to make their business dreams come true!

THINGS I LOVE:
Tamara & Company: Giving confidence and extra time for morning coffee to busy moms + boss babes!
The Savvy Browpreneur: Jesus, ice cream, sunshine + lake life!!!

The information in my profile should help you decide whether or not you might want to stick around (AKA follow me). You should also get a feel for whether or not you think we are relatable and if you’ll find value on my feed. That’s exactly what a profile should do!!

One last thing…

While putting together the perfect ‘stop them dead in their tracks’ profile remember to put yourself in the shoes of your ideal client. Not sure who your ideal client is, grab my free ‘Define Your Ideal Client Worksheet Freebie’ to help you get started! Remember you’ve only got 150 characters to put to good use, but make sure your profile is on brand and in your brand voice. Need a little help with that too. I’ve got the perfect checklist to help you get started.

That all folks!!

Now, time to take some action. If you know your profile needs some work, get busy. And don’t fret if it’s not perfect. Imperfectly done is better than undone. And, I promise, action brings clarity. Wanna’ know something else? I change mine up from time to time anyway. Testing out what works is also a great idea so go to it!

I’d love to hear if you found this useful, and what other types of information would benefit you in business. So, as always, don’t forget to drop a comment. I’m here to serve you but I want to serve you well!