While establishing an online presence for your business is certainly an effective way to drive sales and increase influence, internet users usually aren’t willing to read a novel about you—which is why many platforms limit the number of words or characters you can use in your bio.
But when there’s so much you want people to know and such little space, how do you figure out what’s worth telling?
In this blog post, you’ll learn five must-haves for your mini bio and how many characters you can use.
How Many Words or Characters Can You Use in a Bio?
The number of words or characters you can have in your bio depends entirely on the social media platform or website. Most, but not all, online publications, directories and social media sites limit the amount of space you have to write about your company.
For example, the social media platform Instagram gives users a maximum of 150 characters in their bio, whereas LinkedIn allows 2,000.
Apart from social media, the website Medium.com—which allows writers to self-publish articles and get paid for the views they get—provides up to 160 characters in a bio.
With so little room, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when deciding what to include. However, the great thing about the internet is that there are thousands of examples of people doing it effectively.
Take for example entrepreneur Paul Esterhuizen’ Medium.com bio: In just 135 characters, we learn a lot about Paul, his business and expertise.
So how can you do the same?
5 Things You Must Have in Your Mini Bio
Who You Are
First and foremost, readers need to know who you are. They likely already know your name, as most platforms put it in larger text than your bio. Now, tell them who you are as a person.
In the example of Paul Esterhuizen, we know that he’s not just a man named Paul, but also the founder and CEO of School-Days.
What You Do
Next, tell readers what you do. Do you sell women’s clothing? Produce music? Own a digital marketing agency?
From Paul’s bio, we can tell that he works to improve South African schools through his company, School-Days.
Why You Do It
The third essential piece of information you need in your bio is why you do what you do. If you sell cruelty-free vegan makeup, is it because when you became vegan you struggled to find some?
Do you help coaches launch successful courses so they don’t have to spend years figuring out how?
We learn from Paul’s bio that the initiative of School-Days is to improve local schools so that more parents can afford tuition.
Where to Find You
If you still have more characters available, include details so people can check out your work. Are you a contributor to a publication? Have a website? Run a YouTube channel?
Social Proof
Finally, display social proof to build credibility. If you’ve been featured in a well-known magazine, publication, or TV show, for instance, say so in your bio.
Other examples are awards and accomplishments you’ve received, such as being a best-selling author or claiming a spot in the “Top 30 Under 30.”
