PipeflowFirst impressions count
When someone lands on your profile through a post, a recommendation or a search, they unconsciously ask themselves a few questions: who is this? What do they offer? Is it near me? How do I get an appointment or place an order? If they can't find the answers at a glance, they keep scrolling.
So your profile is something like your business's shop window on Instagram. It doesn't have to be perfectly designed, but it should be clear. You can sort out the most important settings in an afternoon. After that, it is enough to check now and then that everything is still correct.
Profile picture, username and name
The profile picture appears tiny: in the feed, in comments, in stories. A logo works if it is still recognisable when small. Where the person is in the foreground, for example a physiotherapist with her own practice, a friendly portrait often works better. The picture is cropped into a circle, so nothing important should sit at the edge.
Your username is your address on Instagram. It should be easy to remember and type, ideally without lots of dots, underscores or numbers. If the name of your business is already taken, an addition such as the town or the industry often helps.
The name field is separate and is taken into account in searches. Here, next to your business name, you can include a keyword people search for, for example "joiner" or "hairdresser". Instagram limits how often you can change the name, so take your time choosing.
The bio: say briefly what you do
You only have a little space in the bio. Use it for what a new visitor needs to know, not for slogans. A simple structure has proven itself: what you offer, for whom or where, and what the next step is.
A bakery could write, for example: "Craft bakery in its third generation. Sourdough bread, cakes and gateaux to order. Mon to Sat from 6 am. Pre-order via the link." An electrician might write: "Electrical installation, solar power and charging stations for homes and businesses in the region. Enquiries by message or phone."
Avoid empty words like "quality" or "passion" if you can't back them up. Concrete details are more convincing. An emoji as a bullet point can make the bio clearer, but there shouldn't be more than a few.
The link in your profile
The link in your bio is the most important bridge from Instagram to your business, because links in normal posts can't be clicked. Think about where visitors most often want to go: to book an appointment, to the menu, to the contact form or to your home page.
Instagram now allows several links in your profile. How many there are and how they are displayed can change. Less is often more here: one clear link to the most important page is more likely to be clicked than a long list. If you have several destinations, a dedicated page on your website that bundles everything is a good solution. Then you stay in control of the content yourself.
Check the link regularly on your phone. Nothing is more annoying than a link that leads nowhere or to a page that is barely usable on a phone.
Highlights: your shop window for evergreens
Stories disappear after a day unless you save them as a highlight. Highlights appear as small circles below the bio and stay there until you remove them. That makes them suitable for everything visitors look for again and again.
Matching cover images in your colours make the row look calmer. Keep the number manageable and tidy up now and then so that expired offers don't linger. Proven topics for highlights include:
- Offer: an overview of your most important services or products
- Work: finished projects, such as a new bathroom, a fitted kitchen or wedding cakes
- Team: who works in the business, of course only with the consent of the people shown
- Directions and opening hours: where you are and when people can come
- FAQ: answers to what everyone asks anyway
Required information and a final check
In Austria and Germany, business profiles are usually subject to information requirements, for example about the provider's name, address and contact details. Many businesses handle this with an easy-to-find link to the legal notice on their own website. What exactly applies to you is best clarified with the Wirtschaftskammer, the IHK or Chamber of Crafts, or a legal adviser. Practices and law firms should also keep their professional rules in mind, including when wording the bio.
Finally, a quick check from a visitor's point of view:
- Can people see at a glance what you offer?
- Is it clear where you are or which region you work in?
- Does the link lead to a page that works well on a phone?
- Are the contact options listed ones that someone actually looks after?
- Do the profile picture, highlights and latest posts fit together visually?