Generating Instagram bio ideas that Build trust and Gain Followers

You’ve probably started and deleted multiple attempts at creating an Instagram bio. You don’t know what to write. Or where to start.

I’ve been exactly where you are multiple times. It seems when we have to write about ourselves, we somehow get stuck.

Bios are notorious for being difficult. I think that is because we have limited characters to express ourselves. Writing bios need not be hard anymore.

In this post, I share some Instagram bio ideas to get your brain flowing with multiple bio examples that work and attract followers.

Instagram Bio Ideas: The Basics

Before going into how to craft Instagram bios and provide some examples, let first deal with the basics.

What is Instagram Bio?

In 150 characters or less, an Instagram bio summarizes what the business, brand, person, or professional is all about.

Instagram bio is like a signpost telling people whatever you want them to associate with your account.

You may leave your Instagram bio empty, as it’s not compulsory. However, it’s great when potential new users encounter your account, perhaps through an ad, and can immediately identify what your page entails.

Why’s Instagram Bio Important?

I like to think of an Insta bio as a chance at first impressions. All accounts on social media are jostling for followers and engagements in one way or the other. It’s also part of using Instagram.  

Your bio provides a chance to introduce yourself or your brand to users and gain some market share of followers.

It’s also an opportunity to nudge a follower to perform certain actions like visiting a website or following your other pages.

Instagram Bio Ideas: Deep Dive

Tips for Getting The Best Instagram Bio Ideas

These tips will help you create bios that build trust and gain loyal followers.

• Keep it natural: Instagram bios are about you or your brand. So keep it natural and be true to your identity. Let your personality shine through. There’s no need to copy others, although you can use them to generate your ideas.
• Short and sweet works: Instagram bios don’t have to be long and tedious to work. Short and sweet also works. There’s no need for excessive emojis or long phrases.
• Don’t force the humor: If you have to explain the humor, maybe it’s not funny. Forcing humor may turn off potential followers because it’s cringy.
• Use Keywords: Keywords include locations and what your business is about. For example, a restaurant can use keywords such as takeout and reservations in their bio.
• Use Links and call to Action: Use clickable links to nudge people to the action you want them to take. Maybe to register for your program or to follow you on other social media channels.
• Update Your Bio Regularly: Update your bio as needed. If you’ve changed location, ensure your bio reflects that reality. If you no longer offer a service or product, make it clear in your bio. It’s not a good look to mislead a user. They may assume you aren’t legit.
• Display your Location for a Business Account: Adding location is good for search engines and Instagram SEO. Locals can easily search for your services on Instagram.

Categories of  Instagram Users and How Their Bios Might be Different

All accounts on Instagram fall under four main categories, including:

1. Business/brand
2. Personal
3. Professional
4. Content creator/influencer

While this categorization is in the strictest sense, note that many accounts may belong to more than one group.

Business/Brand Accounts

Businesses and brands have it more straightforward when writing bios on Instagram.

Some people may ask you to display your brand personality, but we are talking about 150 characters here.

My recommendation is to express your business’s personality using regular posts and Instagram stories (generating story ideas for Instagram is not as difficult as you think).

Keep your bio focused on what your business is about and other details pertinent to your operations, such as “ships worldwide.” This advice is especially true for small business owners.

Bigger brands can get away with being overly clever or playing with words, but it may be harder for a small business.

Below, I’ll share three Instagram bio ideas from three different businesses. 

1. Free Label

This bio does a good job of telling you the type of fashion brand the business is. Then further highlights the range of sizes they offer.

Anyone wearing a different size avoids making inquiries.

I also how they used the bio to announce their current collection and how there’s an icon pointing you to a link to shop the same.

2. Avetclothing.co

Right off the bat, you can tell this is an African brand with products for only children.

The brand reiterates some of the standout features of its product with a link driving users to its website. The bio also makes it clear the brand ships worldwide.

3. Pour House

There are times when stating your location is important, and Pour House exemplifies this.

Anyone searching for a bar or restaurant in Gastown will likely come across this account. The bio also provides its operating hours and a link to make reservations. Superb!

What are the key features of a good Instagram bio for a business

The key features of Instagram bio for businesses include:

• Location: Businesses like restaurants, stores, and barber shops must add their location to their Instagram bios.
• Call to action: Urge an Instagram user to complete an action, either to make a booking or to make inquiries.
• Target audience: If you serve a limited group or niche, make it clear in your bio. For example, if your products or services are for special needs children, add them to your bio.
• Social proof: If you’ve won any awards, say it. “The best restaurant in LA awards for 2019.”
• Opening hours: As applicable, state when your business is open and closed.
• Contact details: Mostly optional, especially since people can reach you via Instagram DM. 

Professional Accounts

Instagram bios for professionals are more about tooting your own horn.

Even though Instagram is more fun and engaging than platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, many professionals still use Instagram as part of their professional brand.

If you’re an architect, author, engineer, speaker, digital marketer, blogger, or work in any other vertical, your Instagram bio is an opportunity to sell your achievements or list your areas of interest.

A Ph.D. candidate can list their area of research, while a doctor can list their specialization area. Below, I’ve provided two examples of such bios.

1. Christine Feehan

Christine Feehan uses her bio to tell and remind anyone who peeps her account that she’s made the New York Times bestsellers list 16 times.

There is also a link to her Linktree to visit a few of her recent books and Goodreads profile.

2. Coach Trebla

This fitness coach makes it clear that he’s an International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) certified trainer. The bio then goes on to list his specialist areas. Lastly, there’s a link to visit his website to learn more.

Personal Accounts

Personal accounts have the most flexibility and creativity when it comes to writing Instagram bios. You can be generous with emojis. You can play with Instagram fonts.

You can try to be funny without being cringy. You can use a famous quote that speaks of your personality and values. The list is endless.

Here are some examples:

Instagram Bio Quotes

This user added a quote by Wayne Gretzky. She then supplements this quote with some extra spicy quotes. 10/10

Emojis

Content Creator/influencer Accounts

The content creator or influencer accounts are not that different from professional accounts, to be honest. I think the perfect description is that it’s a blend of all the other categories.

You can find some Instagram bio ideas for this category below.

Stephanie Be

This influencer included social proof that she’s traveled full-time for over four years and a link to her travel recommendations. She’s made it known that she’s qualified to make the recommendations she made. Smart!

Louise Green

Here’s another influencer stating her pedigree (“17 years in the fitness industry”), followed by a call to action guiding users to register for her spring training camp.

How Do You Change the Font in Your Instagram Bio?

To change the font in your Instagram bio, you must use a font generator. The five most popular options include:

1. LingoJam
2. IGFonts.io
3. InstaFonts.io
4. Meta Tags Font Generator
5. Fonts.Social

Copy your Instagram bio and paste it into any of the font generators. Then copy the font output you like. You can preview what it’ll look like too.

For example, the screenshot below shows what this process resembles on Meta Tags Font Generator.

How Do You Put a Link in Your Instagram Bio?

To add a link to your Instagram bio, follow the steps below.

• STEP 1: Tap the profile tab at the bottom right of the screen.
• STEP 2: Click “Edit Profile” beneath your profile picture and name.
• STEP 3: Enter the website link or any link into the Website text box.
• STEP 4: Click “Done” on the top right-hand corner of the screen to complete the update. 

How Do You Add a Location to Your Instagram Bio?

You can only add a location to your Instagram bio if you have a business account. There are concerns about privacy and safety issues and why personal accounts cannot include their address on their bio.

To add a location to your business account, follow the steps below.

• STEP 1: On your business account, tap the Instagram profile icon at the bottom right corner of the screen.
• STEP 2: Click “Edit Profile.”
• STEP 3: Select “Business Address.”
• STEP 4: Enter the requested details, including your Zip Code and street address.
• STEP 5: Tap the check mark in the top right corner to save your address.
• STEP 5: Repeat what you did in step 5 to complete the profile edit.

Quick Thoughts on Using Instagram Bio Generators

If you’re stuck on how to write a great bio, you can take bio generators for a spin. They can be a good starting point, at least the descriptive part of the bio. The bio is AI-generated.

The thing about AI content is that it’s typically boring and lacks personality. If you want to express your personality with your bio, an Instagram bio generator may not be the best option.

As a business owner, you can save time by generating a no-frills bio using such tools. Most typically ask for your name, preferred tone, and a few prompts for you to describe yourself or your brand.

Examples of such tools include Picsart Bio Generator, Jasper, and Writecream. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to some of your burning questions about Instagram bio ideas.

Wrapping Up

Instagram bios can be tricky, but you mustn’t overcomplicate things.

For a business account, stick to what you want users and potential customers to know about your business. For a professional or influencer account, stick to what makes you an expert and the areas you specialize in.

For personal accounts, the sky’s the limit. You can be fun and quirky.

Ultimately, the goal is to make the best first impressions, build trust and gain loyal followers, whichever category your Instagram account belongs to.  

Do you have any great tips on writing bios? Let’s hear it in the comments section.