We don’t need to tell you that first impressions MATTER. The saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” holds true in social media as much as anywhere else.
DID YOU KNOW: It takes users less than two-tenths of a second to form a first impression (Science Daily), and your bio is an integral part of this.
We’ve rounded up the most effective ways to create a social media bio that will guarantee a perfect first impression.
KEEP IT BRIEF, PEOPLE.
It’s easy to view the character limit as a target and try to use all available characters, but this can be a mistake. You are simply unable to include every achievement or your whole business story in your bio, and you shouldn’t.
People tend to scan through the first few lines and pick out the relevant points, so make your bio a short and sweet snapshot of who you or your company is. Think of it as a headline that gets straight to the point.
In our The Social Shop bio, we say what we do, show our personality, but keen it short and snappy.
DON’T BE HUMBLE.
Particularly on Linkedin, where you have plenty of space, tell people about your skills and achievements; the ones that set you apart from others, not the swimming championship you came third in when you were 6.
Remember that this is a place to be self-promotional and give a reason for people to follow you.
CRACK A JOKE!
Bios tend to follow a similar format across the board, so while it’s essential to show who you are and what you do, sometimes it’s okay to break the rules and show your fun side.
Social media is a relaxed platform, so don’t be scared to make a creative Facebook profile or funny Twitter bio. Quit the formalities and add a distinctive touch to it — hobbies, fun facts and anecdotes will make it more memorable.
GET HASHTAGGING ON IG
Another way to kick up your Instagram bio is to add hashtags. Your Instagram account won’t show up when a user searches for the hashtag, but they are clickable in your bio and can link all of your related content together.
Here’s an example from the OSM Instagram bio. Adding a branded hashtag to your Instagram profile is also a great way to get more user-generated content. Your Instagram followers will know to add the hashtag in your profile anytime they want to shout you out or share images with you.
INCLUDE A CALL TO ACTION
Your social media bio is a great way to invite people to find out more about you. If you want to get people off the app and to your website, blog or another landing page, add a call to action to your bio.
We use Linktree to create a single link, that creates a landing page that users can navigate to visit our latest content, view job opportunities, or anything else we choose. URL shorteners, such as Bitly.com can also be used to create custom short links to make your links easily shared through social media.
CONSIDER THE PLATFORM
What works on one platform, may not work on another. As with the social content you’re pushing out, tailor your bio to each platform. Generally speaking, a quirky, short, personal bio works well on Twitter and Instagram, while on LinkedIn a longer and more in-depth descriptive professional bio is appropriate.
Check out Mitre 10’s bio across Instagram, Linkedin, and Facebook:
STAY UP TO DATE
Keeping your bio up to date is vital! Check & update it regularly to make sure that it still reflects the right information. Keep followers updated and be brave enough to experiment and change the style of your bio.
That’s it! You’re equipped with all the knowledge you need to create your own kickass bio. If you need help adding some flare to your brand on social, get in touch. We’d love to help!