Instagram bio ideas for businesses, with examples to adapt.

What the bio is for

When someone opens your Instagram profile for the first time, they decide very quickly whether to stay. Your bio is the most important text you have. It sits right below your name and should answer three questions in a few lines: What do you do? For whom or where? And what should I do now?

You do not have much room. Instagram currently allows around 150 characters in the bio, and the exact limit can change. That is enough for two or three short sentences, so it is worth checking every word. How to set up the whole profile with picture, name and highlights is covered in the guide Optimising your Instagram profile. This one is only about the bio itself, with lots of examples to adapt.

What belongs in a business bio

A good bio for a business usually consists of these building blocks. Not every one has to be there, but the first three almost always should:

• What you offer: as specifically as possible. “Bathroom renovation and boiler replacement” says more than “Your partner for everything around the house”.
• Where you work: town, district or region. For local customers this is often the most important information.
• The next step: book an appointment, reserve a table, request a quote, drop by. Feel free to say directly what you would like people to do.
• Something special: something that sets you apart and is true. Second generation family business, own bakehouse, appointments on Saturdays too.
• How to reach you: opening hours or “Usually replying the same day”, if you really manage that.

A simple structure in three lines

If you do not know where to start, take this structure and fill it with your own details. Each line has a job:

• Line 1, what and where: “Joinery in Freistadt. Kitchens, staircases and furniture made to measure.”
• Line 2, why you: “Planning, making and fitting from a single source.”
• Line 3, next step: “Book a consultation via the link.”

Think about the name and category too

Above the bio is the name you enter in your profile. It does not have to be just your company name. Many businesses add what they do, for example “Huber Painters | Painter in Graz”. Instagram has explained that name and username play a role in search. So what people would search for fits well in the name, leaving the bio free for the rest.

With a business account you can also display a category such as “Bakery” or “Physiotherapist” and show contact buttons. That saves room in the bio, because you no longer need to write out your phone number and address. The guide Setting up an Instagram business account explains how to switch.

Bio examples for the trades

In the trades, what matters is what you do, where you travel to and how people reach you. Your photos show the work, the bio does not need to describe it. Ideas for the posts themselves are in the guide What to post as a tradesperson.

• Joinery: “Joinery in the Mühlviertel. Kitchens, wardrobes and staircases made to measure. From planning to fitting. Enquiries via the link.”
• Electrician: “Electrical installation, solar power and wall boxes in the Wels district. For homes and businesses. Callback usually within one working day.”
• Plumber: “Bathrooms, heating and heat pumps in and around Graz. Emergency service on the number in the profile.”
• Painters: “Painting and facades in Salzburg city and the Flachgau. Tidy site, fixed date. Request a quote via the link.”
• Roofer: “Roofing and sheet metal work in Tyrol. New builds, renovation, roof windows. We will take a look at your roof on site.”

Bio examples for hospitality

In hospitality, guests want to know what is on offer, when you are open and how they get a table. More on how venues present themselves is in the guide Instagram for restaurants and cafés.

• Inn: “Traditional inn on the village square in Leonding. Regional cooking, lunch menu Monday to Friday. Reserve a table via the link.”
• Café: “Coffee house and breakfast in Linz. Cakes from our own bakehouse. Tuesday to Sunday from 8 am.”
• Bakery: “Bakery in Krems. Bread with long fermentation, cakes to order. Pre-order via the link.”
• Pizzeria: “Wood-fired pizza in Villach. Takeaway and delivery within the city. Order via the link or by phone.”
• Wine tavern: “Wine tavern in Perchtoldsdorf. Our own wines, cold and hot snacks. Opening days are in the calendar in the link.”

Bio examples for health and beauty

For practices and studios it is about trust and an easy way to book. In the health professions, the professional chambers often have their own advertising rules. So stay factual and do not promise any cures.

• Physiotherapy: “Physiotherapy in Vienna Favoriten. Focus on backs and sports injuries. Private practice, book online via the link.”
• Dental practice: “Dental practice in Dornbirn. All health insurers and private patients. New patients welcome. Book via the link or by phone.”
• Hair salon: “Hair salon in Wels. Cuts, colour, updos. Appointments on Saturdays too, book online via the link.”
• Beauty studio: “Beauty treatments and foot care in Steyr. Calm treatments in a small studio. Gift vouchers available, book by message.”

Bio examples for consulting and retail

In consulting, what counts is what you know about and who you work for. In retail, what counts is what you sell and why the trip to the shop is worth it. Ideas for a boutique's posts are under Instagram for fashion boutiques.

• Tax advice: “Tax advice for founders and small businesses in Linz. Bookkeeping, payroll, annual accounts. Initial meeting via the link.”
• Business consulting: “I help trade businesses simplify their processes and offers. In Upper Austria and online. Get to know me via the link.”
• Insurance broker: “Insurance broker in Klagenfurt. Independent advice for families and businesses. Appointments at your home too.”
• Boutique: “Fashion and accessories in Innsbruck city centre. Small labels, personal advice. New stock every week in the feed.”
• Florist: “Flowers and plants in Eisenstadt. Bouquets to order and wedding flowers. Order by message or in the shop.”
• Bike shop: “Bikes, e-bikes and our own workshop in Bregenz. Test rides any time, servicing by appointment via the link.”

The link in your bio

Links in normal posts are not clickable on Instagram. That makes the link in your profile the most important route from Instagram to you. Send visitors where they most often want to go: to booking, the menu, reservations or the enquiry form.

Instagram now allows several links. Even so, one clear link gets clicked more often than a long list. If you have several destinations, a short page on your website can bring everything together, including your legal notice. Why the legal notice matters for business profiles is explained in the guide Legal notice on social media.

If your bio says “Book via the link”, the link has to lead exactly there. Check it on your phone before you add it, and every now and then afterwards.

Common bio mistakes

These mistakes show up on business profiles particularly often:

• Empty words: everyone claims “quality, passion, service”. Specific details have more impact.
• No location: if people do not know where you are, they cannot drop by.
• Outdated details: summer opening hours in winter, or an offer that no longer exists.
• Too many symbols: a bio full of special characters is hard to read, especially for people using a screen reader.
• No next step: without a prompt, many people simply scroll on.
• Slogans instead of content: a motto is fine, as long as it is still clear afterwards what you offer.