When is the last time you took a look at your social media bios? If you can’t even remember the last time, well, this post is for you, my friend. No shame, no shame, but you may not realize how important your social media bios really are. You see, your social media bios say a lot about you. It is the first social impression your new acquaintances will receive of you, and you need to control the narrative by putting your best self forward.

A couple of years ago, I was in one of Crystal Washington‘s social media presentations, and I think she said it best: “If your doorbell rang and you went to the door, but could not see anyone through the peephole, would you still answer the door?” I think almost everyone would say no, they would not answer the door. Crystal says this is what it’s like not having a photo or any information about you in your bio. Your bio needs to reflect you, and when it doesn’t, you will lose followers and your potential audience. Here are some tips for your social media bios!

Your career, your passions, YOU

Your bio should be…wait for it…about you! Simple, but detailed, and to the point. It’s important your bio not only says what you do but includes information about who you are. What I mean is that you should include your passions, facts about you, anything fun or quirky, in addition to your professional information. Remember, you get a limited number of characters for your Instagram (150) and Twitter (160) bios, and they are meant to be short and concise social media platforms, so you need to be strategic about your bio. Be fun, be real, but most importantly, be to the point. 

Great photos = great social media presence

Another thing your social media bios need are great photos of you. And when I say great photos of you, I mean you should try to avoid a selfie or filtered photo. You need a photo or headshot of you that is professional and of high quality. If you don’t have a great photo of you on hand, you can find a friend to help you get a great headshot. But trust me, you should consider rocking out a photoshoot! Once you have the photo you want, use the same headshot in all your bios to show consistency with your personal brand. This allows your followers to associate your brand with all platforms. Maybe they follow you on Instagram, but not Twitter. They are scrolling through Twitter one day and see your picture, a familiar face. You just gained another follower on a different platform!

You also need to use a great header photo as well. This is a great place to either showcase your business or showcase one of your passions, but don’t leave it blank! It’s another opportunity to tell people about you. I used to have the skyline of NYC in my header (because I love NYC and hope to move there someday), but now I have a header of my business logo.

Update, update, update

Finally, make sure you keep your bios updated. Leaving your bio in the dust while you move on to do more and more exciting things in your life is a wasted opportunity. You don’t want your social media platforms to feel like ghost towns. No one wants to follow a social media account that is dated. ? For example, I think it’s so strange when I see that someone has a new job, but their LinkedIn profile still says the old job. Your social media bios are your social resume, be sure people know what you do and where they can find you.

So to recap:

1. Resemble who you are and what you do

Fill out your social media bio to resemble what you do and who you are. Be strategic and concise! But also have fun with your bio, don’t make it too buttoned up…even if you are a CFO, you probably still do something for fun!

2. Great photos only!

Use a great headshot for your bio pic, and be sure to add a photo to the header when appropriate, like on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure your bios and photos are consistent on all your platforms!

3. Update consistently

Keep your profiles updated! No ghost town accounts, people!

Still need more help with your bios? This article is great at providing guidance, love that Buffer blog! What tips and tricks do you use for your bios? Share with me!