Instagram bio tips: write one that turns visits into follows
Your bio is read by almost everyone who decides whether to follow you, usually in a couple of seconds. A clear one does more for growth than most posts.
The parts of a bio
| Part | Limit or rule | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Username | Letters, numbers, dots, underscores | Something people can say out loud and spell |
| Name field | Searchable; can only be changed twice in 14 days | Your name plus what you do or where |
| Bio text | 150 characters | Who you help, how, and why follow |
| Links | Up to five | Your one most important link first |
| Category and contact | Professional accounts | Shows what you are at a glance |
A formula that works
- What you do, for whom. “Wedding photography for relaxed couples in Yorkshire.”
- Why follow. “Real weddings, honest planning tips.”
- One next step. “2027 dates open ↓”
That’s well under 150 characters and answers the three questions every visitor has.
Use the name field for search
Because the name field is searchable, “Sam Patel | Personal Trainer Leeds” will turn up in more searches than “Sam Patel”. Keep it readable; stuffing it with keywords looks desperate.
Examples for UK accounts
- Café: “Specialty coffee & bakes in Stoke Newington. Open 7–4 daily. Dogs welcome 🐾 Order ahead ↓”
- Trades: “Kitchen fitter, Bristol & Bath. 15 years’ experience. Free quotes by DM or link.”
- Creator: “Budget travel around the UK by train. New route every Friday.”
- Shop: “Handmade ceramics from a Cornish studio. Small batches, shipped UK-wide.”
Line breaks and formatting
Short lines read faster on a phone. Instagram sometimes strips line breaks you paste in; our caption formatter prepares text so the breaks survive. Use emoji as signposts, not decoration, and avoid fancy Unicode fonts for key words because screen readers and search can struggle with them.
Review it every few months
Update for seasons, launches and changes in what you offer. If profile visits are healthy but follows are low (Insights shows both), your bio is the first thing to rewrite.
Need the profile to look established while you build?
See Instagram packages