How to Write an Instagram Bio that Sells

Jan 12

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If you've ever wondered to yourself, "How do I make my Instagram bio attractive to potential clients?" this is the episode for you. Join us as Instagram strategist Akua Konadu shares how to optimize your Instagram bio to build relationships, connect with clients, and sell on social media.

Akua Konadu is an Instagram Strategist who works with creative entrepreneurs and small businesses who want to enhance their Instagram presence with strategic storytelling.

Website // Instagram

The episode:

Katrina Widener: [00:00:00] Hello everybody. This is Katrina with another episode of the podcast. Today we have Akua Konadu on. She is one of our former guests experts as well as someone who has been a part of the group coaching experience. So I'm so excited to have you here today Akua.

Akua Konadu: [00:00:19] Oh, thank you so much for having me. I sounded very Minnesotan. Oh, thanks.

Katrina Widener: [00:00:25] Oh yeah.

Akua Konadu: [00:00:26] Oh yeah. But thank you so much for having me. I am excited to be here.

Katrina Widener: [00:00:31] Thank you so much Akua for coming. For those of you who do not know her, she is an Instagram strategist and she works with creative entrepreneurs and small businesses who want to enhance their Instagram presence. And she does this primarily by talking about strategic storytelling. So Akua the first question that I wanted to have for you today is really just how did you know that you wanted to get started doing Instagram in particular where there's so many different social media platforms out there?

Akua Konadu: [00:00:56] Oh, that's such a good question. I think for me Just because how easy it was to build relationships on the platform. A little bit about my story is I used to compete in pageants. When I became miss Minnesota international, I really got to see just overall the power of social media and how many people were very impacted by my story. I was getting ready to give up my title to the next person, and I was sitting in a coffee shop researching. And when I realized this was exactly what I wanted to do, I just loved Instagram, because it's so visual, it's so visual and you can share your story in so many different aspects. You have IGTV, you have the grid, you have actual Instagram stories now reels, right? There are so many unique and innovative ways that you can share your story on Instagram. And that's just why I love the platform so much. And one thing it is social media in general has always evolved. But the one thing that has never changed is connection, building relationships, and how we do that is by sharing our stories. And so I kind of like to think of it as like I'm breaking bread, right? Like digital bread with somebody like sitting over a table, thinking like this as my friend that becomes family. And that's why I love Instagram so much. I don't know if that makes sense, I kind of went on a weird ramble there, but I love the platform because you can do so many cool things and it is amazing to be able to build real organic relationships with people.

Katrina Widener: [00:02:22] I totally agree. And that's actually also why Instagram is my favorite social media platform because I get to meet new people. And it's interesting because I feel like I have friends on Instagram now that I've actually never met in person and connections that I've made that way, that I'm like, "Oh my gosh, one day we'll meet. One day I'll get to like actually see you as a human being." But it's a great way to kind of have those conversations and react and respond to each other in a way that feels really organic and natural.

Akua Konadu: [00:02:51] But can we talk about though, when you do finally meet the person behind the profile? It's like you, it's the most magical feeling in the world. I absolutely love it. When you have been connecting with somebody via Instagram, for like ever, you're just consistently chatting all the time and you finally meet in person. It's like you've known each other for years. I love that feeling when you meet people in person that you've connected with throughout time on Instagram, it is the best feeling.

Katrina Widener: [00:03:18] Also , I have friends in real life that I, especially during COVID, but even outside of COVID I feel like I get to build my relationship and strengthen it through Instagram because whether it's sharing like funny memes with one another, or "Hey, this reminded me of you", or I'm responding to their Instagram stories... We're having these conversations. Like I know people that I maybe wouldn't have thought I would be that close to who I'm having really deep conversations with on the app. So I love so much everything that you're talking about.

Akua Konadu: [00:03:49] Yeah. Instagram is life. Definitely. And you and I are for sure guilty of sending each other so many funny memes and things that are just very relevant to our lives and whatnot. And I do love, especially in the DMS, how you can send all types of gifs because I am the gif queen. I'll be honest. I'm really good with my gif comebacks. So yeah, Instagram is, it's the real deal. I love it.

Katrina Widener: [00:04:14] So on that note I know that we've kind of talked about all of the different capabilities that Instagram has and all of the different types of posts that you can do. But one thing I wanted to really ask is what advice would you give to someone who wants to tackle Instagram for the first time or who maybe isn't as familiar with the app? What would be some of the resources or tips that you would give them to grow their Instagram game a little bit?

Akua Konadu: [00:04:41] Yeah. I think the very first thing that you really need to figure out, especially if you're wanting to use the platform or you're just getting started with it is that you just need to know the purpose. What's the purpose of you using Instagram? Is it to build your email list? Is it to increase website traffic? Is it to sell your product right off the platform or your services, right? Get more clients? Whatever your purpose is, you want to be intentional about why you're using it because that literally shapes everything afterward . Especially if you're going to create a strategy plan, like your goals that you want to accomplish, like how many times a week do you plan on posting and what you plan on posting about? So I think the very first thing is really just determine your purpose for using the platform. And also too, what I like to remind people is that Instagram takes work. If you're in it, like, I really want to quickly do X, Y, Z. Let go of that expectation right now, because it truly is a platform that is all about building relationships first before you sell. And that takes time, right? Just think about when you are dating somebody, for instance. Like when you first meet somebody, you're not going to sit there and say, "Hey, let's get married and move in together." You're getting to know somebody and that's. Same thing on Instagram. People are getting to know you, so focus on visibility, showing up as you are, and letting people know who you are and what is it that you stand for and what you can provide. But just again, really think about your purpose for using the platform.

Katrina Widener: [00:06:09] That's something that I think is so important for people to think about because too often we kind of show up and we just take action without really being thoughtful and proactive about it. And we're just like, I'm just going to post this picture that's semi-related to my brand and hopefully people like it! When there isn't a lot of thought put into what is the purpose here? What is the story I want to be sharing? Who am I trying to connect to? And those are all like questions that I think are so important. On that note too, like I wanted to talk a little bit today about your Instagram bio in particular, because I think it's one of those places that people see when they first come to your page and maybe they don't know who you are or maybe they do know who you are. But I wanted to ask you a little bit of what advice you have for how to optimize the Instagram bio and make it something that's really compelling for a new follower or a prospective follower.

Akua Konadu: [00:07:02] Yeah. With the Instagram bio, I personally -- this is just me -- I think that area is the most overlooked area on Instagram, because there's so many things that we have to focus on within the platform, right? So I always am going and checking out my bio because things change consistently. So you should be always auditing your bio. No matter how long you've been on the platform, no matter how many followers you have, you should always be auditing your Instagram bio. And so one of the first things I like to remind people is: What is the purpose of your Instagram bio? And it's really to set the stage and create a strong first impression. So you want to convince people to hit that follow button. And I just recently found out that research has shown that it takes less than two tenths of a second for an online visitor to form an impression about you on your profile. That's really fast.

Katrina Widener: [00:07:53] DANG.

Akua Konadu: [00:07:53] Yeah. So you really want to make sure that your Instagram bio is very clear. It's concise and people don't have to question who you are and what it is that you do. And so really think about some of these tips that I share as you're going through and auditing your Instagram bio.

So tip number one is your name. I think this is just such a simple one, but so many of us forget that, right? Make sure your name is actually on your Instagram bio on your profile. And the name field in your profile, not your username. So let's talk about the difference between that really quick.

Your username is what contains the at symbol. So @akuakonadu_, @katrina.widener. That is your username. I'm talking about in the name field. So there's your profile picture in your bio. And so the name under that, that is the name field. Make sure that actually includes your name. I think so many people forget that cause a lot of us now we've been using keywords in that area, which you still should do. You have your name along with keywords that your target audience would be using to search. So for example, mine is Akua and then I have right next to my name, Instagram coach. That's what I have in the name field. But make sure though it has your name, especially for some people where if they have a very common name, such as for example, Heather Hanson, that's a really common name. You're not going to be able to have a username @heatherhanson. So if that username is different from the name, if your username is not your actual name, then really make sure that you have your name in the main field of your Instagram bio. And again, a pro tip would be to include some keywords that your audience would be using. Again, for example, mine is Akua Instagram coach. And so just know that your name and your username are the only fields that Instagram considers in search queries. So that's the number one tip that I always like to remind people.

Katrina Widener: [00:09:47] And I'm just casually updating mine as we speak, because you've told me this beforehand and I always forget, and I need to put Katrina in. My handle's @katrina.widener, but I need to put my name in the name field. So even I'm learning new things.

Akua Konadu: [00:10:03] Yes. Yep. And make sure to include that also too, because now I don't know when Instagram made the change, but if you're sending a DM to somebody it's showing the name field, some people, like I remember when I messaged somebody and I didn't have my name in there as "Akua Instagram coach", I just had "Instagram coach" and somebody thought I was spamming them until they click the DM and then they were like, "Oh, it's Akua". And then that's when I put Akua back in there in the name field and then along with those key words. So just a quick tip there.

And so tip number two that I think is really important: your bio clearly needs to explain what you do and who you serve. So you really want to think about what sets you apart from your competitors. What unique experiences do you bring to the table? And add also too, just a pro tip, add some really fun elements of your personality. Your favorite hobby or, for me, like I love sushi so I have that in my bio or I'm a huge candy fanatic, too so I'm probably going to update my bio and include that in there. Cause I love candy, which is not good, but yeah I do. So include those really fun pieces of your personality, because also do you want to be able to create connection that goes deeper and beyond what you sell.

Katrina Widener: [00:11:13] That's one of the things that like, I have "The Ted Nugget" as a highlight on mine, because I get people all the time who love my cat more than they even like following me. So that's one of the ways that I've kind of done that. Or I used to have in my profile that I could normally be found wearing black and overusing the okay emoji, because those are both things that are also classic Katrina moves.

Akua Konadu: [00:11:36] I miss Mutombo, by the way, just so you know.

Katrina Widener: [00:11:41] Everybody knows Teddy. His full name is Theodore Oliver Mutombo Widener and Akua calls him Mutombo.

Akua Konadu: [00:11:48] I don't call him Teddy. I'm like Mutombo!

Katrina Widener: [00:11:50] He's just snoozing in the corner of the room over there, so.

Akua Konadu: [00:11:55] Oh Teddy, we love you Teddy. So tip number three for optimizing your Instagram bio is that you want to use keywords that your target audience would be using. So ask yourself how well do you know your target audience? Intimately, like intimately do you know who you're talking to? So you can use the right keywords and attract the right people. I know this is something that we hear all the time, but it is so important because if you're using the right language that your target audience would be using it will even trigger like physiological responses in your brain and your body. So that is really, really crazy. So science proves it y'all, that you need to know who your target audience is. So that's something that's really important. And so when you're trying to think of what keywords your audience would be using think of your own core values and like their core values, right? Who this person is and what it is that they truly believe in. And I think that'll really help you figure out again, like who your target audience is.

And another thing that I think is super important for your Instagram bio is to have a really clear call to action. So think again, going back to what is your purpose for using Instagram? Is it to build an email list? Right? Is it to gain some clients for your services or for people to buy your products? Really think about what it is that your purpose is and then have a clear call to action that's going to help you accomplish your goal for that. So for me, my goal right now for using Instagram is to build my email list. So my call to action is for people to take my storytelling quiz. That is my purpose. So I have a clear, simple step that I want people to take. So I think that's really important.

Katrina Widener: [00:13:37] Yeah, it definitely is. And for me, like mine is just to let people know that they can join group coaching right now. So mine even says like group coaching open now with the little emoji finger pointing down at the link, and then it takes you to the website because I'm using it to get awareness about our experts and everyone that's coming in and get people excited about it because it is exciting. And...

Akua Konadu: [00:13:58] It really is.

Katrina Widener: [00:13:58] It's something that I love doing.

Akua Konadu: [00:14:01] Yes. And another thing that I think is really important, and I think people, sometimes forget this too, but have a clickable link. I think that's really obvious, but sometimes people forget that and that's okay, but just, I'm here to remind you: have a clickable link. And a lot of us will use these links such as like Linktree. So it is a way for you to host multiple links in one link because obviously in your bio, you can only have one link available. So if you use an app like Linktree , you can have multiple links in there that would be important for your audience to know about you. I would actually suggest that you make an unlinked page on your website and put in all the most important links that you want people to know about you. That is because Linktree, there has been times where it's just stopped working. It's just shut down. So nobody was able to access specific types of links. And especially maybe if you're launching something that would be concerning. If you're in the middle of launching something really important, that's the last thing that you want to worry about. So what I do on mine, if you go to my Instagram bio it is an unlinked page on my Squarespace website. So it's really great too, because I'll get really great analytics as well regarding traffic and whatnot, and what people are clicking when they go to that page. So what I like about that is that you can have a small introduction about who you are like, "Hey, welcome. Thanks so much for stopping by. Here's some resources for you to find helpful", and then you can have in there too, "schedule a free consult call" or "here's a freebie." And so having that all in one place and everything that your audience will need is super beneficial. Like I said, you can use Linktree, I personally like to use a website page and I just have the URL www.akuakonadu.com/instagramlinks. That's how I have it.

Katrina Widener: [00:15:45] I do something very similar too. And it is exactly that it's a n unlinked page on my Squarespace website. And from there, I can link to my blogs. I can link to the newsletter sign up. I can link to group coaching. I can link to a consult scheduler. So it's one of those things that's super, super beneficial.

Akua Konadu: [00:16:04] Yeah. I definitely agree for sure. And yeah, that's all I got with that one. And my final tip is strategically use Instagram highlights. Instagram story highlights are permanent collections of your best Instagram stories that you can pin into your Instagram profile. So be strategic with what you want to showcase in your highlights, whether that be your services, whether that be your testimonials or case studies, and also add some really fun elements as well for your personality. I love to travel or, my cat Teddy, like I think you have some of Teddy on your Instagram profile, so yeah. Strategically use Instagram highlights because again, as soon as somebody comes up onto your profile, they'll be able to get a really good handle of who you are and what it is that you offer within your bio .

Katrina Widener: [00:16:52] Instagram highlights too are great way like for me, I can showcase some of the group coaching experts on there, or I can show like some of my personal business values or even just who I am and what I'm doing. And it's something that I've seen people be like, "Oh my gosh, I like watched your highlight on group coaching experts, I'm so excited to join." And it can really be super beneficial to go that extra step to save your stories in a way that people can return to and look at to get to know you even better.

Akua Konadu: [00:17:24] Yes.

Katrina Widener: [00:17:25] Anyway, thank you again Akua so much for coming on here. I think that all of these tips are so very important. And I think that the Instagram bio is one of the things that especially gets really overlooked for some reason. And I like overlook it myself, but I don't really know why.

Akua Konadu: [00:17:42] Yeah, no, all of us do like I'm literally about to go and re-edit my bio after this. So I'll be honest.

Katrina Widener: [00:17:51] It's really good. It's a really good indicator when even the experts are like "I just said so much great stuff, I'm going to go edit."

Akua Konadu: [00:17:59] I'm going to go back and reedit. Yeah, I did it a while ago, but it's been a, it's been a little bit, so again, like I said, your Instagram bio is something that you should be auditing often. So this is just a great reminder to just go back at it. Yeah.

Katrina Widener: [00:18:13] Thank you so much. Akua real quick, before we sign off, how can everyone find you after this episode?

Akua Konadu: [00:18:19] Yes. So you can connect with me on Instagram. It is @akuakonadu_. And if you were interested in learning more about Instagram and how to use strategic storytelling to grow your business and make an impact, definitely take my storytelling quiz because it will show what type of storyteller you are and I provide you tips on how to really find your voice and share a story that you feel really good and confident about. Yeah. Thank you so much Katrina for having me.