Here’ a number for you: 2.3 Billion.
That’s how many active users there are on social media according to a comprehensive report by We Are Social.
Social media is a powerful way to share news, grow your business, stay in touch, form new connections, and build a personal brand. But, how do you stand out among so many? Today, we are covering just one of the ways….an epic social media bio.
When I first started on social media, I had no idea what I was doing. Are you there, just getting started? Or, have you been on social media for a while, but just don’t know how to optimize your profiles across networks?
Either way, today’s post is here for you. I’m here for you.
To Each His Own Network
Every social media platform has its own set of rules and bio limits. Different word counts different reach, and sometimes different purposes.
What prompted me to share this post, is my own Twitter bio. —->
I get compliments on it often. I realized that it took me awhile to get it, even though I am an online writer and have a bit of an advantage.
The Social Media Bio Art Form
Writing bios is like an art form all its own.
The Twitter bio is a postmodern art form, an opportunity in 160 characters or fewer to cleverly synopsize one’s professional and personal accomplishments, along with a carefully edited non sequitur or two. The New York Times
The good news is, writer or not, you can come up with an epic bio. You just need to follow some steps…a formula if you will. No one formula will work for everyone. You have to put your own spin on it. But, I’m rounding up posts to help you build a formula that works for you and will have people saying, “Hey, love the bio!”
Sound good? Let’s go…
Answer Some Questions
When you start thinking about your bio, one of the easiest ways to begin the creation is by answering some questions.
- Who
- What
- Where
- How
Who are you? What do you do? Where do you do it? How do you do it differently from anyone else? And, How can you help your followers?
6 Questions Your Social Media Bio Should Help Answer, Hootsuite
Each bio description is unique to the user, so instead of telling you how to fill out your ‘About Me’ section, we’ve come up with six questions your social media bio should answer in order to accurately represent your brand. Hootsuite
This combo of questions allows you to get to the point of what you have to offer while also sharing a splash of who you are as a person. This is a winning social media bio combo!
Who you are + what you have to offer = Bio Bliss
Aaron Lee’s Twitter bio tells us he is running a business, but also that he is an introvert. Immediately his fellow introverts out there, like me, are interested.
Professionalism is great, but that human element is what connects people to you and your brand.
Aaron wrote an awesome post on Twitter bios for Post Planner, so be sure to check that out.
7 Twitter Bio Ideas that Entice Followers (and Make You Unforgettable)
Objective & Mission
What is the purpose of your bio? Do you want to drum up business, gain followers, have people complete a call-to-action. Or, just find you interesting?
Your objective and purpose for your social media bio could be as unique as you are. Know your why. If you have a mission and branding statement, now is the time to revisit it. What do you think Boss Babe wants you to do after visiting their Instagram? Join them on Periscope perhaps:
Great use of a Call-To-Action to support your other social media networks.
How can you share your mission in your bio? How can you reach your objective?
Remember to take your mission and make it about your followers, not yourself. What will you do for them? Notice Amy Porterfield’s bio. “I’ll show you….”
Keywords Over Buzzwords
You want to create a bio that sounds fresh and interesting while adding the keywords about what you do. Keywords help people find you and your profile for the right reasons. Buzzwords, on the other hand, tend to bore. They can be useful in every industry to keep each other on the same page, but it is best to avoid them in your bios if possible.
In my field of content marketing, some buzzwords are- data-driven content, influencer marketing, and storytelling. These words are not bad. Just overused.
More examples plus tips via Buffer here: How to Write a Professional Social Media Bio
Don’t Over Do It
We all wear many hats. That does not mean we need to declare every single one of those hats in our social media bios. People love bios with a bit of humor and the human element, especially on Twitter. But, you have limited space and do not want to overwhelm people.
Think about what you want to communicate about yourself and about your business. Pick your favorite element of each and combine them into your bio.
Remember, your bio is just one way to share who you are and what you do. If you capture interest, you will gain more opportunities to share. You don’t have to put it all out there at once, as this Vine humorously suggests.
People’s Social Media Bios be like…
Splash of Honesty & Humor
This goes back to that human element that we talked about in the beginning. Adding a bit of humor can help you stand out.
Caution this may not be for everyone. If you or your business is super professional and not the least conversational, you may want to skip this one. Remember to stay true to your tone and voice. But, if humor fits…Go For It!
Social Media Bio Tips
My favorite Twitter Bio to date is Ryan Reynolds:
It makes me laugh every time. So honest and funny.
Keep It Current
Social media is an ever-changing and expanding world. As you continue to grow and develop, take your bios along for the ride. Update them across networks as needed. This is especially important on LinkedIn where you want to keep your professional development up to date.
The good news about these networks is that your personal information can be fluid. So as soon as you get a promotion or a new gig, update your bios as well as your LinkedIn information. Sprout Social Insights
Start looking for bios that draw you in. What is so great about them? What “formula” do they use? Allow your favorites to inspire your own bios.
I know we spent more time focusing on Twitter bios here, but if you can master a short bio, you can use the same method to stretch the info into your longer bios.
Sometimes condensing can be the hardest task. As the famous quote goes,
If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.
To Generate Or Not To Generate
There are online bio generators you can use. These are ok to get you started, but be sure to add your own personal touch. Remember, no matter how saturated a market seems, no one is you.
If you are still struggling with writing your bios, you may want to outsource them to a professional online writer. Sometimes it can be hardest to write about ourselves.
- Who you are
- What makes you unique
- What you have to offer
- Explain how you help the world, why it matters
- Summarize what they can expect
- Hook
- Open-loop
- Benefits – Transformation
Happy Bio Creation.
Bonus posts on Social Bios by Network:
LinkedIn: Three Steps To Writing The Perfect LinkedIn Summary
Facebook: How to Write an Awesome and Succinct Facebook Bio
Pinterst: HOW TO WRITE YOUR PINTEREST BIO LIKE A BOSS
Lizzie Davey says
Love this! I’m always amazed at the number of social media bios I come across that tell me nothing about the person using them. Profiles are a key place to show people who you are and why they should follow you!
lorihil says
Agree completely Lizzie! Profile bios are optimal real estate areas to capture followers.
Naya the Creative says
This is an amaaaaaazzzinnggg post. People completely overlook how useful a social media bio can be in helping people find you and getting people interested in you. You should totally turn this into a downloadable guide if you haven’t already.
Great stuff!
lorihil says
So glad you liked the post Naya. Yes it is upfront real estate for us to share online. Cheers!