8 Smart Instagram Bio Hacks You Probably Didn’t Know

So, you think you can just toss up an Instagram bio and call it a day? Wrong. Your Instagram bio is the first impression visitors get of your brand. If it’s lacking pizzazz, you might as well be shouting into a void. 

The problem with this social media platform is that many business owners forget that their Instagram bio helps first-time visitors form their very first impression of your business. If your profile on social media accounts doesn’t explain what you do or why someone should follow you, you’re going to have a hard time attracting new followers — even if your content strategy for an Instagram account is excellent.

Ready to revamp your Instagram bio? This guide will help you build out the perfect Instagram bio to attract Instagram followers.

How to Edit Your Instagram Bio

First, let’s get the technical stuff out of the way. To revamp that bio:

1. Open the Instagram app on your smartphone.
2. Select your profile photo icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Press “Edit Profile.”
4. Change your bio under the Bio section.
5. Tap “Done” to publish the changes.

While you’re here, it’s worth checking that your account has already been converted into a business profile. Having a business profile gives you access to more features that help grow your following, including Instagram Insights and link Story stickers.

8 Instagram Bio Hacks to Try

Whether you want to pump up your follower count or send traffic to your website, these eight hacks are your new best friends.

1. Optimize your bio with keywords.
2. Add line breaks.
3. Change bio fonts.
4. Add special characters.
5. Add multiple links.
6. Include branded hashtags.
7. Write a call to action.
8. Add a custom image to Story highlights.

1. Optimize your bio with keywords

Remember, Instagram’s basically a search engine in disguise. Use your bio to include keywords that your audience is searching for. Think about what they’d type into the search bar. For example, if you’re all about freelance tips, don’t just write “Freelance Bold” — make it “Tips for Freelance Writers.” Bam! You’re now more discoverable.

Your account name and bio are what the algorithm pulls when providing users with suggested accounts, so sprinkle in the keywords your target audience is searching for.

2. Add line breaks

Want to keep your bio from looking like a wall of text? Line breaks are your saviors. They help highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) and make it easier to read. Just hit the return key when writing, but if that doesn’t work, draft it in a note app and copy-paste it to avoid formatting headaches.

There are several methods you can use to add line breaks to your Instagram bio. The first is the simplest: Hit “Edit Profile,” scroll down to your bio, and hit the return button on your keyboard to add a line break.

The bad news is that this doesn’t always work. Some Instagram users work around this by adding periods between the line spaces. While that does make each sentence start on a new line, it can look ugly and off-putting.

Instead, the easiest way to add line breaks to an Instagram bio is:

1. Write your new bio in your Notes app or in a Microsoft Word document.
2. Copy the bio over to Instagram.
3. Press “Done.”
4. Double-check the bio has the correct line spaces.

3. Change Instagram bio fonts

Tired of the default Instagram font? Switch it up! Use a font generator or type it out in Word. Just remember to copy and paste your new text back into Instagram. Watch your bio transform into a typographical delight.

1. Choose the special font you want to write your bio in.
2. Install it in Microsoft Word (or find an online font generator like LingoJam).
3. Type your new bio text in that font.
4. Open your Instagram bio settings.
5. Copy and paste the new font into your bio.

4. Add special characters

Spice up your bio with emojis or unique characters. Instagram lets you throw in emojis directly, and if you want fancy text-based symbols, use Cool Symbol to grab them. They’ll add some flair and make your bio pop. Just don’t go overboard — less is more.

Sometimes you’ll need to add the special characters to a Note or Word document before pasting them over into your bio. This prevents the characters from playing around with your line spacing or formatting.

5. Include branded hashtags

Chances are, hashtags are a key part of your Instagram marketing strategy. Not only do they help people find you (this applies to other social media platforms, such as Twitter, as well), but if you’re creating branded hashtags, you’re encouraging existing customers to share your products or services with a friend using the hashtag.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re asking influencers or customers to share your branded hashtag or not, so long as it’s easy for them to find. This makes your Instagram bio the perfect place for any branded hashtags you want people to see. That way, anyone visiting your profile knows which word or phrase to use, especially if you add hashtags.

6. Write a call to action

Your bio is prime real estate for directing traffic. Don’t waste it! Use a compelling call to action (CTA) like “Shop Now” or “Read Our Blog.” This tells visitors exactly what to do next. 

You should also use your Instagram bio to direct followers to direct message (DM) you. Take the Manychat Instagram bio, for example. The call to action is to DM the profile with the keyword “DEMO.”

You can also configure a similar automation to automatically respond to people who DM your account. Give real-time answers to FAQs, collect email addresses, and direct people toward specific landing pages — all without human intervention.

7. Add multiple links

Speaking of links, you’re only able to add one clickable link from your Instagram bio. An Instagram hack for a good Instagram bio is to use a bio tool like Later or Campsite. These third-party apps allow you to create a mini navigation landing page that provides Instagram followers multiple links to click, each one taking them to a different page.

8. Add a custom image to your Story highlight

One thing many people forget about when optimizing their bio is Instagram Story highlights. You can save Stories — which usually expire after 24 hours — to your profile page, and anyone landing on your profile can see the saved Stories.

While you’re already making tweaks to your profiles on social media platforms, it’s worth taking some time to optimize your Story covers. It makes a big difference to the overall appearance of your Instagram profile.

To edit highlight covers and names, follow these steps:

1. Create the cover image using a tool like Canva, Photoshop, or the Instagram Story editor.
2. Publish it to your Instagram Stories.
3. Hit the “Highlight” button.
4. Choose the highlight you want to add the cover to.
5. Go back to your profile page and open the highlight.
6. Press “More.”
7. Choose “Edit highlight.”
8. Select “Edit Cover.”
9. Choose the recently-added Story to use as your highlight cover.

Try These Instagram Bio Hacks Today

These Instagram bio hacks might seem like small tweaks, but trust us — they’re like tiny jetpacks for your profile. When done right, your bio won’t just sit there; it’ll scream “Follow me!” and guide followers straight to your content.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget the power of Instagram DM Automation. Keep the convo alive and let your followers know you’re there for them — no sweat required.

Need a hand? Manychat’s Instagram Automation has got your back. Let’s transform your Insta strategy today!