More Instagram bio examples
Here’s a story. Back in 2020 (lightyears ago in social media), before the SERP for “Instagram bios” became invaded by hundreds-long lists of cliche copy/paste Instagram bios, Conor Bond curated a list of inspiring, funny, and cool Instagram bios and talked about why they work. This is that post.
Good Instagram bios
1. Tree House Brewing Co.
Nothing flashy or catchy here. Just really solid copy. Uniquely delicious beers crafted with pride & purpose. Plain and simple, this first sentence works because it’s a strong, succinct value proposition. Brewer owned & operated tells us this is a company you can feel good about doing business with. Founded in a small red barn in 2011 paints a picture of a company that started as nothing and turned into something.
2. Shopify
There’s nothing wrong with aspiring towards profitability. That is, after all, how you keep the lights on. But if you want your Instagram bio to truly make an impact on the people who see it, marketing yourself as a mission-driven organization goes a long way. In the case of Shopify, that means highlighting their support for small, independent businesses.
3. Instagram
Sure, Instagram could be ultra-literal and change their bio to something like this: For free entertainment during Bachelor in Paradise commercials. As much as people appreciate self-awareness, I think Instagram made the right call with this bio. It’s short, it’s sweet, and it aligns the brand with a more meaningful purpose.
4. Apple Music
Nothing complicated to dissect here—just an awesome, memorable value proposition that makes you feel silly for not subscribing to Apple Music. I know I’ve emphasized using your Instagram bio to market yourself as an organization on a mission, but by no means is that a hard-and-fast rule. If you can do what Apple Music does here—i.e., write a no-nonsense value prop that jolts your prospects into action—you’ll be in fantastic shape.
Funny Instagram bios
5. Friskies
This Instagram bio manages to both communicate value and make the visitor laugh (or, y’know, vaguely smile). The value, of course, is that Friskies is an inexpensive alternative to other brands of cat food. “An inexpensive alternative to other brands of cat food,” however, is a pretty lousy tagline; it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. If you can package your value in a clever one-liner, do it.
6. MoonPie
If you can’t come up with a clever one-liner, you can always take the MoonPie approach—i.e., say something ridiculous. Consumers appreciate a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
7. Twitter
Evidently, social media companies are good at social media marketing. Twitter’s Instagram bio is funny because it’s so brazenly unfunny. Fortunately, this anti-joke strategy is one that plenty of businesses can use. Friskies, for example, could switch their bio to this: Pictures of cats and the food products they enjoy. Elsewhere, a music school could score some laughs with something like this: We’ll teach you how to play music if you agree to give us money.
8. Pop-Tarts
Some brands can successfully market themselves as agents of positive change (and, indeed, be agents of positive change!). But let’s be frank: If Pop-Tarts shifted to a socially conscious brand image, consumers would probably see right through it. Self-awareness is key. Pop-Tarts understands the role it plays in the world at large, doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. Even with something as seemingly harmless as an Instagram bio, it’s important to know thyself.
Cool Instagram bios
9. Ford Motor Company
Sometimes, you have to flex. Call me crazy, but I’ve never met someone who’s comfortable doing business with a company they don’t trust. And if there’s one thing that inspires trust in a prospective customer, it’s authority. If you want to model your Instagram bio after Ford’s, I suggest brainstorming the accomplishments and innovations that separate your business from the rest. And who knows, you may also find yourself ready for some Instagram advertising.
10. The University of Connecticut
In case you needed another example of a braggadocious Instagram bio, we’ve got this winner from UConn. This bio isn’t simply saying, “We’re awesome” but rather “We’re awesome in a wide variety of ways.” Tons of academic disciplines? Nice. Extraordinary athletic achievements? Thats cool. A husky named Jonathan? Sounds fun. Your Instagram bio is the perfect place to succinctly outline a handful of characteristics that make your business unique. Industry awards, office amenities, forward-thinking employee initiatives—if you’re proud of it, put it in your Instagram bio for all to behold.
11. The Intercept
One way to craft a cool Instagram bio is to write a super brief, super impactful tagline that’s guaranteed to stick in your visitors’ minds. Of course, your tagline shouldn’t just be memorable; it should faithfully communicate the mission, purpose, or impact of your brand. In its bio, The Intercept highlights the hard-nosed manner in which they conduct their journalism.
Here’s a few ideas for different businesses we’ve discussed so far:
- Twitter: Essential content made accessible.
- Tree House: Great beer, better people.
- Apple Music: All the music, none of the noise.
12. Sleep Number
Clearly, whoever manages Sleep Number’s social media presence went to The Intercept School of Instagram Bios. Brief? Yup. Memorable? Absolutely. Faithful representation of the value delivered to customers? You better believe it.
I should be clear: A cool Instagram bio isn’t going to result in immediate conversions. Instead, it’s going to capture mindshare. A truly killer tagline will improve the likelihood that a prospect remembers your brand name when they’re ready to begin their customer journey.
Creative Instagram bios
13. The Montague Bookmill
Well-written copy can inspire a sense of curiosity in your prospects, encouraging them to proactively learn more about your business. Once they take the first step to learn more—by clicking the link in your Instagram bio, for instance—they’re officially inside your marketing funnel. This example from the beloved Montague Bookmill is a fantastic example of such a curiosity gap. It’s not only memorable—it’s legitimately mysterious. If that’s not a surefire way to drive website traffic, I’m not sure what is.
14. Angel Soft
“Be soft, be strong” is a nice tagline—a short, sweet, and memorable encapsulation of what you’re looking for in bathroom products. But what makes this a truly creative Instagram bio is the way Angel Soft connects its tagline to a broader message about humanity: People are both soft and strong, which is why our products are too. This added layer of sentimentality that helps Angel Soft humanize its brand as a business that sincerely cares about people.
15. SeatGeek
The underlying message of this bio a powerful one: Our platform will connect you to tickets for literally any event you can think of. In an industry with several major players—Ticketmaster, StubHub, Gametime—establishing a high degree of authority is important. Furthermore, this is yet another example of a tagline that you can’t help but remember. When you decide to look for tickets to your next show, they’ll probably be the company at that comes to mind.
16. Planet Fitness
Establishing your authority isn’t the only way to build trust. Planet Fitness takes a relatability approach by expressing its affinity for memes, pizza, and long (presumably casual) walks on the treadmill. This effectively undermines the stereotype of the self-serious gym and lets prospects feel good about its silly and laid-back side—a nice way to stand out in your industry.
Cute Instagram bios
17. Skippy
Maybe this example strikes some of you as low-hanging fruit, but if the goal of your Instagram bio is to show off your brand’s personality and make a positive first impression, a pun can do the trick. And while you may be tempted to assume that this approach fails to communicate authority, I’d argue that it takes confidence to do what Skippy’s doing here. Only a brand that’s sure of itself (and the value it delivers to consumers) would commit to a silly, punny Instagram bio.
18. Alaska Airlines
This Instagram bio communicates both that Alaska Airlines has high standards of customer service and that it likes to have fun. Everyone has a nightmare travel story, but the Alaska Airlines Instagram bio reassures you that you’re in the right hands. And the Fly smart. Land happy tagline? You’re not going to find too many taglines more catchy or effective than that.
19. Google
OK, Google! I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t have expected Google to bring the heat with its Instagram bio. Alas, here we are. In addition to this easy, lighthearted (and photography!) pun, there’s also a curiosity gap here. “What does ‘Google unfiltered’ even mean?” You can’t help but scroll through its feed to find out.
20. LEGO
This bio from LEGO conveys a real sense of escapism. No matter who you are, no matter what you’ve got going on in your life, you’re welcome to use LEGO’s Instagram profile as a source of joy—or even inspiration. Many people use Instagram purely to escape from the anxieties of everyday life. So, for example, if you’re marketing a cafe, it’s totally fair game to make your Instagram bio something like this: Life is stressful. Take a break and look at pictures of lattes.
Inspirational Instagram bios
21. WeWork
Unfortunately, a lot of folks find themselves with jobs that don’t quite excite them. What makes WeWork’s an effective Instagram bio is its play on a common phrase make a living. Can you think of any figures of speech that closely relate to the product or service you provide? For a travel agency, “find yourself” could work. Sometimes, finding yourself means going somewhere you’ve never been. Inspirational, no?
22. Patagonia
An inspirational Instagram bio is easy when your company is aligned with a very specific mission, like Patagonia. Consumers appreciate a company that’s sure of itself and its place in the world. But even if your business isn’t directly affiliated with a specific mission, you can still learn from Patagonia. For example, a textbook company’s bio could be Enabling the brilliant minds of students everywhere since 1978. The key is to emphasize the impact of your product or service has—regardless of whether that impact is your top priority. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
23. Starbucks
Does each and every Starbucks employee wake up in the morning and think, “I’m going to inspire and nurture the human spirit today?” Not likely. It’s probably more like “I hope we don’t run out of the nitro cold brew again.”
But Starbucks’ Instagram bio works. As corny as it may sound, it’s true. People rely on coffee to function. And friendships are built and maintained over coffee. To many, Starbucks is both a provider of energy and a conduit to social life. When writing your Instagram bio, think big. Your bookshop is more than a bookshop; it’s a doorway to thrilling adventures, hilarious stories, and sobering histories.
24. Aerie
In the women’s apparel industry, which is criticized for subjecting consumers to unattainable beauty standards, Aerie has found success by promoting body positivity. If your product or service subverts the stereotype associated with your industry, I strongly encourage you to make that the focal point of your Instagram bio! Not only is that subversion a key part of your value proposition; it’s also a way to demonstrate self-awareness and earn your prospects’ trust.
More Instagram bios we love (and why)
25. World of Vegan
How else can you make clear who you are? By giving more information about the faces behind your brand. World of Vegan includes its photographer’s Instagram handle in its bio as well as a link to its YouTube account where users can further familiarize with the brand.
26. Puma
To add personality to your bio, you can change your fonts, add line breaks, and use emojis. Yet, you can also show personality in the words themselves, as Puma Women does.
27. ASPCA
Make it clear for whom your account is best suited. By using keywords such as animal cruelty and pet adoption, the ASPCA attracts followers who care about those things. Including key phrases relevant to what you do won’t improve rankings as on a search engine. But, it does help to vet and hook the people who visit your profile.
28. Zach King
Instead of linking to another one of your social media profiles in your Instagram bio, consider linking to a piece of content, as Zach King does below. Note also that he describes what the link is and asks people to take action. People are often hesitant to click on links when they don’t know where they’ll lead. A description alone can be powerful, but the addition of a call to action can prompt people who don’t pay attention to these links.
This is the only permanent clickable link you can have on Instagram. That said, you’ll want to do all you can to increase its appeal.
29. Mercedes
How else can you move people to action via your Instagram bio? With a branded hashtag, as Mercedes AMG F1 does. #DrivenByEachOther has at least two benefits. One, various official posts use that hashtag, so Mercedes sees increased engagement on its posts. Two, Formula One fans create their own posts using the hashtag. This also boosts the company’s exposure.
Are you looking for ways to increase engagement on your posts? What about ways to encourage the submission of user-generated content? A branded hashtag could be the way to go.
Got any cool Instagram bio ideas?
Share them in the comments and we’ll add them to the list! There are so many approaches to take with your Instagram bio, and the best part is, it’s not permanent. Make it inspiring this month, funny next month, or adjust it with the seasons. When you think outside the box, the possibilities with these 150 characters are endless.
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