If they say a picture is worth a thousand words
Then I say how in the heck
Do you encapsulate your entire Instagram account
In 150 characters or less.
This 147-character conundrum plagues people and businesses everywhere trying to perfect their Instagram bios.
If only such an account existed…
But the struggle is over. Read on for over 180 Instagram bio ideas so you can come up with something you love and move on with your life—including tips, templates, quotes, real examples, and even ready-made copy/paste bios.
Table of contents
If you’ve looked around at other Instagram bio ideas posts, you’ve probably seen the “Be a warrior in a world of worriers.” Yawn. Brand Coach & Stylist @Pinkpompombyjen gives us a creative alternative:
🙋🏻♀️ Helping your brand become a flamingo in a flock of seagulls
Here are some more creative Instagram bio ideas to help you flamingofy your account.
Have fun with prepositions
List your ingredients
Declare what your account or business is not…
Variations on a theme
More creative Instagram bio ideas
📗 Need some word inspo? Free Guide >> The 120 Best Words & Phrases for Marketing With Emotion
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms for fashion, lifestyle, and mom bloggers, but cute bios aren’t only for them. There are plenty of ways to add a touch of charm and delight to yours. Take goldieblox, for example.
Alliteration
Rhyme
Parentheses
[Doing something], one post at a time
More cute copy/paste Instagram bio ideas
💡 Want Instagram ideas for every month of the year? Free guide >> The Mega Must-Have Marketing Calendar
You know what they say, less is more. Sometimes a few words can say a lot more about a person, business, or brand than a full bio with emojis, offers, links, and more. PPC Influencer Joe Martinez’s Instagram bio is a great example:
#Family, #StarWars, @paidmediapros, #Vinyl in that order
Here are some more simple Instagram bio ideas to consider, if it matches your brand voice.
Short lists
X solves everything
More simple copy & paste Instagram bio ideas
With over one billion monthly active users and only 150 characters, if you can manage to be clever in an Instagram bio, then power to ya. Or if you aren’t looking to get more Instagram followers, take Megan Brame’s approach and just tell people to go to your website.
Here are some more clever Instagram bio ideas.
Share mind-blowing questions or statements.
Make references in your bio that only people in your niche would appreciate…see who DMs you
End a common statement with something
Get clever with your name or business name
More clever copy/paste Instagram bio ideas
The funny thing about funny Instagram bios is that it’s all in the details. Had Moosejaw put an exclamation point after “Just ask our moms” or even ended the bio with that statement, I’d have just dismissed it. Instead, it makes me chortle.
Here are some more funny Instagram bio ideas:
One statement that says it all
Flip a cliche phrase
Making history…or maybe just [something here]
Go for self-deprecation
More funny copy/paste Instagram bio ideas
Cool is versatile. There are cool ways to impress people, express yourself, raise awareness about something, and inspire your followers. Maybe it’s because I’m an athlete myself, but I find adidas’ Instagram bio cool.
Through sport, we have the power to change lives.
Confidently stated with no hype, embellished words, or emojis. This is copy that sells.
Three short sentences
Make a statement with a stat
Actually use the word cool
Speaking of cool, have you seen these cool Instagram Story ideas?
Few social media marketing plans are complete without an Instagram account, and because social media gives your business a chance to express its human side, you can use any of the ideas in this post. But here are some that are best suited for Instagram marketing.
Share your mission statement
Use your value proposition or tagline
Drop social proof/trust signals
Share your best attributes
Tell followers what to expect
Encourage user-generated content
Brag about yourself
Use local keywords
Turn it into a basic ad
Reflect inclusivity
Promote your other accounts
More
📗 Free Guide >> The 30 Best Ways to Promote Your Business
Here’s a story. Back in 2020 (lightyears ago in social media), before the SERP for “Instagram bios” became invaded by hundreds-long lists of cliche copy/paste Instagram bios, Conor Bond curated a list of inspiring, funny, and cool Instagram bios and talked about why they work. This is that post.
Nothing flashy or catchy here. Just really solid copy. Uniquely delicious beers crafted with pride & purpose. Plain and simple, this first sentence works because it’s a strong, succinct value proposition. Brewer owned & operated tells us this is a company you can feel good about doing business with. Founded in a small red barn in 2011 paints a picture of a company that started as nothing and turned into something.
There’s nothing wrong with aspiring towards profitability. That is, after all, how you keep the lights on. But if you want your Instagram bio to truly make an impact on the people who see it, marketing yourself as a mission-driven organization goes a long way. In the case of Shopify, that means highlighting their support for small, independent businesses.
Sure, Instagram could be ultra-literal and change their bio to something like this: For free entertainment during Bachelor in Paradise commercials. As much as people appreciate self-awareness, I think Instagram made the right call with this bio. It’s short, it’s sweet, and it aligns the brand with a more meaningful purpose.
Nothing complicated to dissect here—just an awesome, memorable value proposition that makes you feel silly for not subscribing to Apple Music. I know I’ve emphasized using your Instagram bio to market yourself as an organization on a mission, but by no means is that a hard-and-fast rule. If you can do what Apple Music does here—i.e., write a no-nonsense value prop that jolts your prospects into action—you’ll be in fantastic shape.
This Instagram bio manages to both communicate value and make the visitor laugh (or, y’know, vaguely smile). The value, of course, is that Friskies is an inexpensive alternative to other brands of cat food. “An inexpensive alternative to other brands of cat food,” however, is a pretty lousy tagline; it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. If you can package your value in a clever one-liner, do it.
If you can’t come up with a clever one-liner, you can always take the MoonPie approach—i.e., say something ridiculous. Consumers appreciate a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Evidently, social media companies are good at social media marketing. Twitter’s Instagram bio is funny because it’s so brazenly unfunny. Fortunately, this anti-joke strategy is one that plenty of businesses can use. Friskies, for example, could switch their bio to this: Pictures of cats and the food products they enjoy. Elsewhere, a music school could score some laughs with something like this: We’ll teach you how to play music if you agree to give us money.
Some brands can successfully market themselves as agents of positive change (and, indeed, be agents of positive change!). But let’s be frank: If Pop-Tarts shifted to a socially conscious brand image, consumers would probably see right through it. Self-awareness is key. Pop-Tarts understands the role it plays in the world at large, doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Even with something as seemingly harmless as an Instagram bio, it’s important to know thyself.
Sometimes, you have to flex. Call me crazy, but I’ve never met someone who’s comfortable doing business with a company they don’t trust. And if there’s one thing that inspires trust in a prospective customer, it’s authority. If you want to model your Instagram bio after Ford’s, I suggest brainstorming the accomplishments and innovations that separate your business from the rest. And who knows, you may also find yourself ready for some Instagram advertising.
In case you needed another example of a braggadocious Instagram bio, we’ve got this winner from UConn. This bio isn’t simply saying, “We’re awesome” but rather “We’re awesome in a wide variety of ways.” Tons of academic disciplines? Nice. Extraordinary athletic achievements? Thats cool. A husky named Jonathan? Sounds fun. Your Instagram bio is the perfect place to succinctly outline a handful of characteristics that make your business unique. Industry awards, office amenities, forward-thinking employee initiatives—if you’re proud of it, put it in your Instagram bio for all to behold.
One way to craft a cool Instagram bio is to write a super brief, super impactful tagline that’s guaranteed to stick in your visitors’ minds. Of course, your tagline shouldn’t just be memorable; it should faithfully communicate the mission, purpose, or impact of your brand. In its bio, The Intercept highlights the hard-nosed manner in which they conduct their journalism.
Here’s a few ideas for different businesses we’ve discussed so far:
Clearly, whoever manages Sleep Number’s social media presence went to The Intercept School of Instagram Bios. Brief? Yup. Memorable? Absolutely. Faithful representation of the value delivered to customers? You better believe it.
I should be clear: A cool Instagram bio isn’t going to result in immediate conversions. Instead, it’s going to capture mindshare. A truly killer tagline will improve the likelihood that a prospect remembers your brand name when they’re ready to begin their customer journey.
Well-written copy can inspire a sense of curiosity in your prospects, encouraging them to proactively learn more about your business. Once they take the first step to learn more—by clicking the link in your Instagram bio, for instance—they’re officially inside your marketing funnel. This example from the beloved Montague Bookmill is a fantastic example of such a curiosity gap. It’s not only memorable—it’s legitimately mysterious. If that’s not a surefire way to drive website traffic, I’m not sure what is.
“Be soft, be strong” is a nice tagline—a short, sweet, and memorable encapsulation of what you’re looking for in bathroom products. But what makes this a truly creative Instagram bio is the way Angel Soft connects its tagline to a broader message about humanity: People are both soft and strong, which is why our products are too. This added layer of sentimentality that helps Angel Soft humanize its brand as a business that sincerely cares about people.
The underlying message of this bio a powerful one: Our platform will connect you to tickets for literally any event you can think of. In an industry with several major players—Ticketmaster, StubHub, Gametime—establishing a high degree of authority is important. Furthermore, this is yet another example of a tagline that you can’t help but remember. When you decide to look for tickets to your next show, they’ll probably be the company at that comes to mind.
Establishing your authority isn’t the only way to build trust. Planet Fitness takes a relatability approach by expressing its affinity for memes, pizza, and long (presumably casual) walks on the treadmill. This effectively undermines the stereotype of the self-serious gym and lets prospects feel good about its silly and laid-back side—a nice way to stand out in your industry.
Maybe this example strikes some of you as low-hanging fruit, but if the goal of your Instagram bio is to show off your brand’s personality and make a positive first impression, a pun can do the trick. And while you may be tempted to assume that this approach fails to communicate authority, I’d argue that it takes confidence to do what Skippy’s doing here. Only a brand that’s sure of itself (and the value it delivers to consumers) would commit to a silly, punny Instagram bio.
This Instagram bio communicates both that Alaska Airlines has high standards of customer service and that it likes to have fun. Everyone has a nightmare travel story, but the Alaska Airlines Instagram bio reassures you that you’re in the right hands. And the Fly smart. Land happy tagline? You’re not going to find too many taglines more catchy or effective than that.
OK, Google! I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t have expected Google to bring the heat with its Instagram bio. Alas, here we are. In addition to this easy, lighthearted (and photography!) pun, there’s also a curiosity gap here. “What does ‘Google unfiltered’ even mean?” You can’t help but scroll through its feed to find out.
This bio from LEGO conveys a real sense of escapism. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve got going on in your life, you’re welcome to use LEGO’s Instagram profile as a source of joy—or even inspiration. Many people use Instagram purely to escape from the anxieties of everyday life. So, for example, if you’re marketing a cafe, it’s totally fair game to make your Instagram bio something like this: Life is stressful. Take a break and look at pictures of lattes.
Unfortunately, a lot of folks find themselves with jobs that don’t quite excite them. What makes WeWork’s an effective Instagram bio is its play on a common phrase make a living. Can you think of any figures of speech that closely relate to the product or service you provide? For a travel agency, “find yourself” could work. Sometimes, finding yourself means going somewhere you’ve never been. Inspirational, no?
An inspirational Instagram bio is easy when your company is aligned with a very specific mission, like Patagonia. Consumers appreciate a company that’s sure of itself and its place in the world. But even if your business isn’t directly affiliated with a specific mission, you can still learn from Patagonia. For example, a textbook company’s bio could be Enabling the brilliant minds of students everywhere since 1978. The key is to emphasize the impact of your product or service has—regardless of whether that impact is your top priority. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
Does each and every Starbucks employee wake up in the morning and think, “I’m going to inspire and nurture the human spirit today?” Not likely. It’s probably more like “I hope we don’t run out of the nitro cold brew again.”
But Starbucks’ Instagram bio works. As corny as it may sound, it’s true. People rely on coffee to function. And friendships are built and maintained over coffee. To many, Starbucks is both a provider of energy and a conduit to social life. When writing your Instagram bio, think big. Your bookshop is more than a bookshop; it’s a doorway to thrilling adventures, hilarious stories, and sobering histories.
In the women’s apparel industry, which is criticized for subjecting consumers to unattainable beauty standards, Aerie has found success by promoting body positivity. If your product or service subverts the stereotype associated with your industry, I strongly encourage you to make that the focal point of your Instagram bio! Not only is that subversion a key part of your value proposition; it’s also a way to demonstrate self-awareness and earn your prospects’ trust.
How else can you make clear who you are? By giving more information about the faces behind your brand. World of Vegan includes its photographer’s Instagram handle in its bio as well as a link to its YouTube account where users can further familiarize with the brand.
To add personality to your bio, you can change your fonts, add line breaks, and use emojis. Yet, you can also show personality in the words themselves, as Puma Women does.
Make it clear for whom your account is best suited. By using keywords such as animal cruelty and pet adoption, the ASPCA attracts followers who care about those things. Including key phrases relevant to what you do won’t improve rankings as on a search engine. But, it does help to vet and hook the people who visit your profile.
Instead of linking to another one of your social media profiles in your Instagram bio, consider linking to a piece of content, as Zach King does below. Note also that he describes what the link is and asks people to take action. People are often hesitant to click on links when they don’t know where they’ll lead. A description alone can be powerful, but the addition of a call to action can prompt people who don’t pay attention to these links.
This is the only permanent clickable link you can have on Instagram. That said, you’ll want to do all you can to increase its appeal.
How else can you move people to action via your Instagram bio? With a branded hashtag, as Mercedes AMG F1 does. #DrivenByEachOther has at least two benefits. One, various official posts use that hashtag, so Mercedes sees increased engagement on its posts. Two, Formula One fans create their own posts using the hashtag. This also boosts the company’s exposure.
Are you looking for ways to increase engagement on your posts? What about ways to encourage the submission of user-generated content? A branded hashtag could be the way to go.
Share them in the comments and we’ll add them to the list! There are so many approaches to take with your Instagram bio, and the best part is, it’s not permanent. Make it inspiring this month, funny next month, or adjust it with the seasons. When you think outside the box, the possibilities with these 150 characters are endless.
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