Business social media profile mistakes that lose enquiries

Key takeaways

The social media profile mistakes that lose the most enquiries are a bio that does not say what you do, no area or location, a link that goes nowhere useful and no visible way to message or book. A visitor should know what you sell, where and how to get in touch within five seconds on a phone.

• 5 seconds: what you do, where, and how to contact you.
• Plain words beat slogans in a bio.
• Pinned posts should show proof, not your launch announcement.
• Test every button and link on a phone each month.

Why does the profile matter so much?

The profile matters because it is where interested people go before they act. A good post earns a profile visit; the profile decides whether that visit becomes an enquiry. A weak profile wastes the effort of every post that sent someone there.

• The most common social media marketing mistakes small businesses make
• How to write a social media bio that attracts buyers

What are the most common profile mistakes?

The most common profile mistakes are easy to spot once you look at the profile as a stranger would.

• Slogans instead of what you do.
• No area, town or service region.
• Link in bio to the home page or a dead page.
• No message, call or booking button.
• Pinned posts that are years old.
• A logo too small to read as a profile picture.

• Link in bio mistakes that waste profile visits
• Instagram bio mistakes that stop people enquiring

How do you fix a profile in an afternoon?

Rewrite the bio in plain words: what you do, for whom, where, and one offer. Point the link at a page about that offer. Turn on message, call or booking buttons. Pin three posts that show proof. Check the profile picture reads clearly at thumbnail size.

Is a clever bio ever better?

A clever bio can work for a well-known brand that people already understand. For a small business most visitors have never heard of, clarity wins. You can add personality after the facts, as long as the facts come first.

How do you test your profile in five seconds?

Test it by showing the profile to someone outside the business on a phone for five seconds, then asking three questions: what do we do, where, and how would you get in touch? Any question they cannot answer marks the part of the profile to rewrite first.

• Can they say what you do?
• Can they say where you work?
• Can they find how to contact you?
• Did they notice any proof?

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a profile that reads 'Making dreams come true since 2012' above a link to the home page. Rewritten as the service, the area and one offer, with a booking button, the same profile visits start turning into messages more often.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Profile checklist

• Say what you do in plain words.
• Name your area or service region.
• Link to a page about one offer.
• Turn on message, call or booking buttons.
• Pin three proof posts.

• Local business social media mistakes that lose nearby buyers
• Running your business from a personal profile

Next step

Show your profile to someone outside the business for five seconds, then ask what you do and where. Their answer is your test result.