Social media moves fast so it’s important to make the right impression quickly. Biographies are very important. They are often the first thing people look at when they go to your media. The wrong tone, the wrong words, or a lack of information can work against you.
Some of the usual biography issues are:
- They are too long
- They contain too much information
- They contain the wrong information
- There is no humor or personality
- The information is not specific enough
Remember those three-page essays you had to write when you were younger? Remember how hard you thought that was? Having a small set limit that needs to wow your audience is even harder. Setting the right promotional tone is a lot to unpack for the small spaces we share information in. It’s hard to sum up everything you need to put out there.
Social media pushes the limits of traditional writing. Think of it as micro writing. You need to cram in the right information in a small space that works. Micro writing works when you focus on the specific keywords. It’s casual but still needs guidelines that will help you succeed in your self-promotional quest. Try these tips!
- Sum it up. You don’t have to fill the whole space. To fill that 160 character space is a challenge so start small. Pinpoint relevant points and expand from there. Remember it’s a snapshot of who you are and what you do so it’s important to get straight to the point.
- It’s a small promotion. Focus on your skills and achievements. What do you do that sets you apart? Your bio should include unique skills, interests, and achievements that make you stand out. Give them a reason for people to follow you. Avoid the social media overbrag and keep it on a real level.
- Humour works. When it comes to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter there is no need to be formal. Branch out and add something witty and fun. It’s the screwball bios and odd tidbits that are often the most memorable.
- Don’t forget visuals. Always use a professional-looking profile pic even if it’s a selfie you take yourself. Play with natural light, angles, and colour. Your banner can spotlight all sorts of things from visuals that promote what you do, your logo, or anything related to the tone you want to promote.
- Add something extra. You can add links in your bio section. It doesn’t always have to be a webpage. It could also be the latest article, sale, newsletter, or promotion you have. You can get very creative with that and change it daily, weekly, or as often as you want.
- Keywords are important. You want to catch the all mighty algorithms that grace the internet. Dangle those keywords like your bio depends on it because it does.
- Avoid buzzwords. Certain online words have a short shelf life. If we get sick of them on TV and even in conversations we will grow tired of them online. Examples are visionary, guru, ninja, expert, and trailblazer.
Now that we have great guidelines to follow it helps to know what the character limit is on your favourite social media hot spots:
- Facebook- 255 character limit
- Twitter- 160 character limit
- Linkedin- 120 character headline and a 2,000 character limit for the summary
- Instagram- 150 character limit
If you are looking for great examples of bios online look no further than a Google search. Need help with yours? The GDC Group can help!