How to write a social media bio that attracts buyers

Key takeaways

A social media bio for business has one job: to tell a visiting buyer in a few seconds that they are in the right place and what to do next. Four lines do it: what you do and for whom, where, one piece of proof, and one contact route.

• 4 lines: what and who, where, proof, and how to contact.
• Use the words buyers search for, not a slogan.
• 1 link, going to the most useful page for a new visitor.
• Review the bio every quarter and after any service change.

Why does the bio matter so much?

The bio matters because it is where interested people go next. Someone who liked a post taps through to check who you are. If the bio answers their questions, they follow, message or click. If it does not, the post's work is lost.

• How to create social media content that attracts the right customers
• Profile visits but no enquiries? Fix the path to contact

What are the four lines?

Line one says what you do and for whom. Line two says where you work. Line three gives one piece of proof, such as years trading, a rating or an accreditation. Line four gives one way to get in touch. Everything else is optional.

• 'Kitchen and bathroom fitting for homeowners.'
• 'Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell.'
• 'Rated 4.9 from 210 Google reviews.'
• 'Message us a photo for a quote.'

• How to explain what you do on social media in one post

How does the bio differ by platform?

The four lines stay the same and the space changes. Instagram and TikTok give a short bio and one link. Facebook has separate fields for services, hours and area. LinkedIn company pages have a tagline and a longer description, which should open with the same plain sentence.

• Instagram and TikTok: four short lines and one link.
• Facebook: fill in category, services, area and hours.
• LinkedIn: plain tagline, then two paragraphs.
• All: the same name, logo and contact details.

• Consistent visual branding on social media

Which words should the bio include?

Include the words a buyer would type into a search box: the service and the place. Platforms use profile text to decide which accounts to show in search results. 'Emergency plumber in Leeds' can be found. 'Making homes happy since 2009' cannot.

• Social media SEO: get found by people ready to buy
• Use your customers' own words in social media content

What should you remove?

Remove slogans, lists of adjectives, strings of emoji used as bullet points, several competing links and anything out of date. Remove hashtags unless one is a real branded tag. Each of these takes space from information a buyer needs.

• Slogans and mission statements.
• 'Passionate', 'bespoke', 'solutions'.
• Old offers and expired dates.
• A link tree with ten options.

Are there details you are required to show?

A social profile is not a website, but if you sell through it, UK rules on business information still apply. Companies should make their registered name and details available, and traders selling to consumers online must identify themselves. Link to a page that carries the full details.

• Legal requirements for a UK business website

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see with UK small businesses: the bio was written the day the account was opened and never revisited. Services have changed, the area has grown and the link goes to a page that no longer exists. Ten minutes fixes it.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Bio checklist

Check every profile you run.

• States the service and the customer.
• States the area.
• Includes one piece of proof.
• Gives one contact route.
• The link works and goes somewhere useful.
• Name, logo and details match on every platform.

Next step

Open your main profile on a phone and read the bio as a stranger. Rewrite it in four lines before you publish another post.