Your First Steps on Instagram

So, you’ve realised your business must be on Instagram. What’s next???

It’s time to build a winning profile – one that grabs attention, attracts followers, and turns them into loyal customers.

Where do you start? With the bio – a short, clear explanation about who you are, what your business does, your areas of expertise or interest, and most importantly – what value your profile offers to your followers.

Yes, value – you heard right. Gone are the days when a beautiful Instagram feed alone was enough to gain hundreds of thousands of followers without much effort. Today, it's no longer about being a pretty shop window. A business profile that constantly pushes products without offering real connection or relevance just doesn’t work anymore. There’s too much noise out there – too many ads, too many salesy accounts.

People are looking for value, personal benefit, free resources, and above all – authenticity. They want to follow profiles they can relate to.

Take a look at Nike’s Instagram profile, for example. Yes, it's a global retail giant – but look at their posts. We all know they’re advertising, yet it never feels pushy. Their content speaks to our emotions – achievement, empowerment, equality – and that’s why people buy. Not because they’re being sold to, but because they connect with the brand.

That’s how you build trust with your audience today. Show your expertise, share real value, and naturally turn followers into paying clients – and even brand ambassadors.

Now, back to the bio.

Instagram offers three types of profiles – I’ve discussed this in detail elsewhere, but if your goal is to grow and promote your business, you should definitely choose a business profile.

A business profile lets you add your physical address (if relevant), contact details, and call-to-action buttons like “Book Now” or “Order”. (To enable these, you might need to connect additional apps – but it’s quick and user-friendly.)

Keep in mind: the bio section is limited to just 150 characters, so you’ve got to make every word count. It needs to clearly explain who you are and what your business is about – and convince visitors to hit that “Follow” button.

So… what should you actually write in your bio?
Let’s break it down.

 First things first – the "Name" field (Category)

This is extremely important. Why? Because it’s the only part of your Instagram profile that gets picked up in search results. That means it doesn’t have to be your actual name. You have two options here: 

If your brand name is well-known, and there’s a high chance people will search for you by name – go ahead and use your brand name in the Name field. 

If you’re just starting out, it’s smarter to use a keyword that reflects your profession – possibly with a location for extra visibility. For example:

Michal | Interior Design

Custom Cakes London

Natalie Wolf | Website Design

 In my case, it looks like this:

[Linda Eller-Shine | Social Media Marketing] This way, when someone searches for a service you offer, your profile has a much better chance of being found.

Remember: this little tweak can make a big difference to your discoverability.

Second line – the Username

This one’s simple: it’s your Instagram handle – your unique username on the platform.

It appears after the “@” symbol and is how people tag or mention you. For example: @yourusername.

Try to keep it clear, easy to remember, and ideally connected to your business name or niche. If your ideal handle is already taken, consider adding a word like “official”, “coaching”, “studio”, or your location – whatever fits best with your brand.

But avoid using too many numbers, dots or underscores – they make it harder for people to find or remember you.

Next line – Pronouns

This field is optional. You don’t have to fill it in unless you want to.

Some people prefer to let others know how they identify and how they’d like to be addressed (for example: she/her, he/him, they/them).

If that’s important to you – this is the place to do it.
If not, you can simply leave it blank.

Website field 

Use this space wisely!
Why, you ask? Simple – this is one of the only places on Instagram (aside from links in Stories for some accounts) where you can add a clickable link that takes users outside of Instagram.

Most people immediately think to add a link to their website – but that alone isn’t very effective.

Instead, I recommend using tools like Linktree, Canva (link-in-bio feature), Milkshake, Taplink, or similar services. These let you create a mini landing page that holds multiple links in one place.

So, when someone clicks your bio link, they’re taken to a custom page where you can guide them to:

• your website

• your Facebook page

• your blog

• other platforms where your brand is active

• a freebie or downloadable gift

• a webinar registration

• an intro video on YouTube
  ...or anything else you want to promote.

Here’s how I’ve set mine up [insert your example if you'd like] – but of course, the idea is to tailor it to what makes sense for you.

Just make sure you’re making the most of this powerful little spot in your profile!

The Bio Field

In this field, you have just 150 characters to tell people about yourself, your business, and the services you offer – and you need to do it in a way that makes someone reading it for the first time want to follow you.

What’s important to include? And how can you do it right?

1. Make it easy to read – keep your bio clean and simple.

2. Use paragraph breaks – this makes it more digestible and less overwhelming.

3. Use emojis – they help create separation and highlight key points you want to draw attention to.

4. Be clear and specific – define who you are, what you do, and why someone should follow you.

Last but not least – Highlights

For those who aren’t familiar, Stories are images or videos that you post to your profile, and they disappear after 24 hours. But, you can pin a Story to your profile as a Highlight, which keeps it visible at all times.

What kind of Stories should you pin?

Pin anything that adds valuable and useful information about your business. This could be:

• Testimonials from happy customers

• Behind-the-scenes content

• FAQs about your products or services

• Special promotions or offers

• Tutorials or helpful tips

• Introductions to you or your team

By doing this, you ensure that your followers (and potential followers) can access key information anytime they visit your profile.

 

Today, we also have Pinned Posts

In addition to Highlights, Instagram now lets you pin up to three posts to the top of your profile. These posts stay at the top of your feed, making them instantly visible to anyone visiting your profile.

How should you use Pinned Posts?

Pin posts that highlight key content, such as:

• Your most popular or engaging posts

• Important announcements or offers

• Testimonials or case studies

• Posts that showcase your expertise

This feature allows you to keep your best content front and centre, so new visitors can quickly see what you’re all about.

Things that prove your experience, knowledge, and relevant qualifications in your field:
Client testimonials, your menu (if you’re in a restaurant business), a list of services, prices, quick tips, your portfolio, and more.

And the cherry on top – your Profile Picture.
Make sure it’s a clear, professional photo where your face is visible, ideally with a solid background and a colour that really pops. If you’re unsure how to get a professional-looking profile picture easily and quickly, I’ve shared tips on that here.

Recently, Instagram introduced a feature where you can pin three of your best or most important posts to the top of your profile. This feature has been available on TikTok for quite a while.

What should you pin?

• A welcome post

• A post explaining your flagship service or product

• A post about your company or team

• A success story or customer testimonial

• A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) post

Basically, anything that promotes you, helps your audience learn more about you, fall in love with your brand, and hopefully become loyal customers.

That’s it! I think I’ve spilled all the secrets here. I know I’ve shared a lot of information, and it’s hard to remember and implement it all. 

Now that your profile is ready for growth, what about monetization?

Are you tired of posting every day, chasing trends, and seeing little to no growth on Instagram? The problem isn’t you—it’s the lack of a structured system.

This free guide reveals a step-by-step approach to turning your Instagram into a powerful sales machine, without the endless hustle.

What’s Inside?
✅ Quick Profile Optimization: Learn how to refine your Instagram profile so it attracts and converts the right audience.
✅ Highlights That Sell: Discover how to use Instagram Highlights as a 24/7 salesperson for your products and services.
✅ Automation Strategies: Set up systems that work for you, reducing manual effort while maximizing conversions.
✅ Content That Leads to Sales: Craft posts that naturally guide followers toward your paid offers.
✅ Lead Magnets That Convert: Create freebies that actually attract and nurture potential buyers—no more wasted efforts on generic checklists.
✅ Sales Funnels for Instagram: Master the process of turning followers into customers through simple, effective funnels.

Who Is This Guide For?
📌 Entrepreneurs, coaches, and service providers who want to monetize their Instagram.
📌 Small business owners looking to create a seamless customer journey.
📌 Digital creators tired of the content grind and ready for a strategic approach.

Why You Need This Guide
🚀 If you’re tired of guessing what works on Instagram and want a repeatable system for growth and monetization, this guide will save you time, effort, and frustration.

💡 It’s time to stop hustling and start growing with a system that turns content into profit.

📥 Get your free copy now and start building an Instagram that works for you!