Writing about yourself is a bit cringe, isn’t it? We’ve all been there – tasked with the horribly daunting job of summarising all of what makes you the coolest, greatest, wittiest, most amazing person there was this side of town. In just a few sentences.
Striking the right balance between personality, professionalism, individuality and comedic effect is something of an art form. One, however, that anyone, anywhere, can master….
Short and Sweet
Your social media bio isn’t a rambling chapter of your autobiography. It’s a brief introduction, or snapshot, into you as a person. At the risk of sounding existential — Who are you? What do you do? What do you love?
Concise and to the point is KEY on social media. Your bio should represent the most important info that someone should know about you, straight away. Just as Ellen wants you to know that she’s an ice road trucker (amongst other things).
To help, try approaching your bio as you would a snappy headline; think your very own sensationalized news article. In other words (pun intended), get straight to the story.
Flatter Yourself
This is usually frowned upon, but not in the case of a social media bio, oh no. Now is the time to drop in that award you won, mention your most extraordinary skills, the projects that you’ve been a part – generally butter yourself up.
Set yourself apart from all the other professionals in your field and highlight your proudest accomplishments. There’s absolutely no harm in a little bit of self-promotion. Social media is one of the best platforms to expand your network, after all.
Be Uniquely You
Whether you’re writing your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn bio, remember: there is only one *insert your first and last name* in this world.
In the age of social media, your bio has become as, if not more, important as your business card. It’s your golden opportunity to convince people to ‘Friend’ you or Follow you, and one of the best ways to do that is to be completely, unapologetically you.
With 400 million plus active users on just Twitter alone, many bios are hopelessly predictable. Yours needs to be a breath of fresh air.
Know Your Target Audience
Did you know you can attract folk to your social media page with hashtags, handles and links? Yes, it’s completely possible.
On Twitter, specifically, you can @ the company work for or own (if you’re writing a bio on your personal profile), your university and other relevant networks. Throw in some searchable, trending hashtags that display your passions – #heforshe #foodie, if you’re a gender equality advocate and burger enthusiast.
Use words that help to specify your niche: blogger, vlogger, designer, politician, artist, author.
Targeting is simple yet very, very effective.
Have a Bit of Fun
There’s a comedian in all of us, waiting to be unleashed. Got a clever punchline you think would stop people in their tracks, wishing they came up with it themselves? Or a pun that’s so bad it’s almost great? Throw it in.Your bio is there to be professional but never be afraid to show off your personality.
Need a helping hand in summing up all those superlatives in one neat bio? Just pop your email in the form below and we’ll have you up and out there in no time.
