3 Tips to Help You Write a Better Instagram Bio (To Help You Sell)
If you rolled your eyes reading this blog title – I get it. As brands and business owners, it feels like we have to be completely on our messaging A+ game at all times.
That’s stressful enough. Throw in that you’ve got a strict character count for an Instagram bio and exactly a half second to get someone’s attention and suddenly your words become a lot more important.
How does anyone write a bio that nudges someone to say, “hmmm, you know what? I’m interested. I’m following. I’m here to become a big fan.”
It can be tricky – but I do have a few tips and prompts to make your Instagram bio writing session a whole lot easier.
You might be wondering…
Why do I – a copywriter who’s worked with 400+ over the last decade – care about your Instagram bio as? Because it’s the perfect exercise in your brand’s messaging strategy.
LIL KEY TAKEAWAYS: THIS BLOG AT A GLANCE
Your Instagram bio is a micro sales page — in 150 characters, it should cover what you do, who you serve, and why it matters.
Strip your message down to the basics first (the “boring version”), then layer in your personality to make it memorable.
Lead with your POV — the bold, standout thing that sets you apart and makes people say hell yes.
Always include a crystal-clear CTA so people know exactly what to do next (click, DM, book, etc.).
A strong bio = a quick brand messaging test. If you struggle to write it, you might need a messaging guide to keep things consistent and compelling.
POV Power Hour can help you find your brand or offer’s POV – the thing that makes you compelling, different, and a must-invest
At the end of the day, it’s really all about having a killer brand messaging guide. Don’t have one? I can help – inquire with me to book your messaging strategy session!
Why Does Your Instagram Bio Even Matter?
An Instagram bio is rarely the only thing standing between you and your ideal customers buying from you – but it is a digital touchpoint, and that can make or break whether or not someone interacts with you.
Your IG bio is a first impression. The vibe setter. A quick way to immediately tell someone, “this is who I am, this is what I do, this is what I’m all about.”
And honestly? Sometimes it’s the only chance someone has to figure out if they actually want to follow or buy from you.
Here’s why I genuinely believe your Instagram bio matters so much:
It’s a micro sales page: In 150 characters or less, you need to say what you do, who you serve, and why it matters. That’s a quick way to turn scrollers into actual leads. And that’s what a sales page does, right?
Gives a lil peek at your brand voice: Your bio is the first taste of your brand’s personality. Boring or generic? People swipe past. Memorable, bold, or human? You stick in their brain.
It primes people to act: A clear CTA isn’t optional – it’s your invite to engage. Whether that’s clicking a link, DM’ing you, or booking a consult, your bio is where the journey begins. (Pssst, I’ve got a lot to say about priming in this blog, btw).
It’s discoverable: Keywords, hashtags, and even the way you phrase your services help Instagram actually show you to the right audience. It’s like SEO but for the social media world!
Here’s the TLDR bottom line for you: If your bio is vague, confusing, or just sort of…meh, you’re losing opportunities without even knowing it. But if you nail it, you open the door to possible conversion.
Write an Instagram Bio That Helps You Sell: 3 Prompts to Try
PROMPT 1: What’s the Most Boring Way to Describe What I Do?
I want you to be boring as hell. The most boring you’ve ever been. Captain of the Boring Train. How would you describe what you do in literally the most snooze-fest worthy, blunt way ever?
Strip everything down to the basics. Pretend you’re describing your work to someone completely new, without any flair. Don’t overcomplicate it. Stop worrying about how you sound. Just say what you mean and sap the fun right out of it.
Something like: “I help small business owners write copy” or “I sell handmade candles.”
Dead simple. Easy. Boring. Check.
That’s just step one. Step two is shaking it all up with your personality.
Instagram bios are tricky because, yes, you need to have searchability (to serve the almighty algorithm), but you also need to infuse your personality in just 150 characters. How on earth do you do that?
This is where a brand voice dictionary helps immensely. It’s your lil you-coded cheat sheet for words, tones, and vibes that are all yours – the stuff people recognize about you immediately. Some of those words and phrases definitely belong in your IG bio.
→ Here’s a blog on exactly how to create your Brand Voice Dictionary!
→ And here’s a reel that does the same (if you’re more of a visual learner)
Why This Prompt Works
This helps you get clear on your messaging first – what I like to call the WHAT STUFF.
Messaging is just what you’ll say about your brand or your offer – it’s a map of facts that lays all the important information out practically. Then, you can come in later and zhuzh it up with how you say something (that’s sticky brand voice!).
(If messaging is the what, brand voice is the how).
The reason we get caught up in our IG bios is because we want to communicate the what – but we get tangled up in making everything sound a certain way first.
The reality is, if we’re just throwing personality at the wall and not actually saying anything, that’s abundantly clear to the people reading our bios.
We might sound kinda spunky, but we’re not saying anything.
PROMPT 2: If I Had 20 Seconds – What Would I Shout About My Brand?
Imagine someone sets a timer down on the table for 20 seconds. They ask you what’s so special about your brand, anyway?
What do you say, huh? Tick-tock.
Your people are always looking for your point of view (your POV) – the thing that makes you different, compelling, and a must-invest.
So…what’s yours?
If you only had 20 seconds to tell someone what makes your brand special, what would you say? If you could scream just one thing from the top of a building to convince your audience you’re different, what would you scream?
Our brand’s POVs are the things we say with our whole chest – the stuff that makes us bow up and shout about. And this kind of thing is a must-include in your bio when you only have a few seconds to get someone’s attention.
Why This Prompt Works
We all work in saturated industries where it’s easy to confuse us with other service providers who are kind of like us. POVs help us set ourselves apart – they make an impact and an imprint in someone’s brain.
Your POV is the thing that makes you stand out, hit hard, and feel like a hell yeah. But if you bury that POV, you’re making your people work overtime to find it – and most of the time, they won’t do that.
This prompt makes sure you’re not burying the lead. Get to that POV right away!
→ I have a workshop on this exact exercise, btw. POV Power Hour helps you find your offer’s POV so you can clearly tell ‘em why your thing is different, compelling, and a must-invest.
PROMPT 3: Where Am I Sending Them ASAP?
Remember how I said your IG bio is a mini sales page? I meant it! And like any good sales page, it needs to give your people a very clear, actionable next step.
You should never make someone guess what to do next. Your bio gets attention and starts the convo – your CTA is the bridge to get scrollers where you want them to be.
Why This Prompt Works
Without a clear next step, all your clever POVs, fun personality, and crisp messaging could go to waste. Your audience might love what they see – but if they don’t know where to go or what to do, they’ll just scroll on.
This prompt forces you to get specific about your conversion path. It ensures your bio isn’t just a “nice-to-read” profile—it becomes a functional part of your sales funnel.
A strong CTA primes people to act immediately. It tells your audience: “Here’s what’s next, and it’s simple, fast, and totally worth it.”
That nudge is the difference between someone passively liking your page and someone actually engaging with your offer.
(Pssst. I’ve got a special blog on how to write killer CTAs right here).
(Double psssst I’ve got a free resource for writing your best CTAs yet right here)
Your Brand’s Messaging: Did It Pass the Instagram Bio Test?
Do I genuinely feel that your Instagram bio is going to make or break your brand? No way. That said, I do think it’s a fun little way to test just how refined your brand messaging guide is. If you’ve got a messaging guide that lays out lil snippets and elevator pitches to help you express who you are, what you do, and why you do it, this process probably wasn’t terribly hard.
If you find yourself reaching for new explanations every time you need to write something about your brand (like an IG bio), this was probably hella challenging. Right?
Every business needs a brand messaging guide – it’s the what stuff that you can reach for time and again to talk about your brand with consistency and clarity (and in a way that clicks with your people).
Struggling to create your own messaging guide? That’s what I’m here for. I offer messaging and brand voice strategy sessions to map out your unique messaging and brand voice guides. So you have a go-to tool you can reach for every time you’re wondering what to say and how to say it.
Wanna get your hands on your go-to guide? Click the button below to schedule an inquiry call with yours truly.
