How to Edit and Optimise Your Instagram Bio

Your Instagram bio is one of the first things people see when they visit your profile; in a few seconds, it can convince them to follow you, click your link, or leave. It’s also one of the most underused tools for brand growth.

If you want to attract the right audience and convert profile views into clicks or leads, you need to edit and optimise your Instagram bio with purpose. Here’s how to do it step-by-step.

1. Switch to a Professional Account

If you’re running a business, you should be using either a Business or Creator account. This unlocks analytics, category labels, and contact buttons.

Go to the three lines in the top right, Settings and Activity → For Professionals - Account type and tools → Switch to Professional Account. Select the category that matches your brand (e.g. “Marketing Agency”, “Clothing Brand”, “Restaurant”).

2. Choose the Right Profile Picture

Your profile image should be instantly recognisable. For brands, this usually means your logo. For personal brands, use a clear, professional headshot.

Make sure the image is high-quality and centred; remember, it appears in a small circle.

3. Write a Clear and Searchable Name Field

The Name field is searchable; you can include keywords people might use to find you. For example, instead of just “First Touch Marketing”, you could use “First Touch Marketing | Marketing Agency”.

This helps you appear in more searches.

4. Make Your Bio Short, Clear, and Benefit-Driven

Use your bio to quickly tell people:

• Who you are

• What you do

• Who you help

Add a bit of personality or social proof if it fits your brand. Break it into lines for easy reading.

Example:

🤝 Your brand deserves better. (TAGLINE)

🚀 We build marketing that gets results. (WHAT WE DO)

🌍 Trusted by ambitious brands globally. (SOCIAL PROOF / WHO WE HELP)

👇 See what better looks like. (CTA - WEBSITE LINK IS BELOW THIS)

5. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA)

Tell visitors what to do next; “Book a call”, “Read our latest blog”, “Shop now” — whatever your main goal is.

Keep it simple and make sure it matches the link in your bio.

6. Use Your Link Wisely

Your bio only gives you one clickable link, so make it count. You can:

• Send people to a key landing page.

• Avoid sites like Linktree (sorry), as people are lazy, and do not want to click on more than one link. Plus, this gives Linktree more clicks, rather than your site or landing page.

• Update the link regularly to match campaigns or promotions, through custom URL’s.

7. Add Story Highlights for Extra Context

Highlights let you showcase your best Stories permanently. Use them for:

• Services or products

• Client testimonials

• Behind the scenes

• FAQs

Choose clean, branded icons for each highlight cover to keep things consistent.

8. Review and Refresh Regularly

Your Instagram bio shouldn’t stay the same forever. Review it every few months to:

• Update your CTA

• Add new keywords

• Reflect any brand changes

This is especially important if you run seasonal campaigns or change your offers regularly.

9. Check How It Looks on Mobile

Most people will see your bio on their phone, so make sure it reads well on a small screen. Test it on multiple devices if possible.

10. Look at Competitors for Inspiration

Don’t copy — but check how others in your space are using their bio. See what’s working, what stands out, and how you could adapt ideas for your brand.

You can read more about brand positioning and standing out from competitors in this blog on marketing strategy.

Editing and optimising your Instagram bio is quick to do but makes a big difference to how people perceive your brand. It’s often the difference between a profile view and a new customer.

If you want me to review your Instagram bio or help you create one that works harder for you, email me at jacklomax@firsttouchmarketing.co.uk.

🫡 Your Brand Deserves Better

First Touch Marketing

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