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Reality: Your Instagram profile creates the first impression about your business. It makes your potential dream customers follow you, or it makes them click away. We don’t want them to leave, right?

That’s why in today’s episode, I’m walking you through the four simple steps you can take to transform your Instagram profile and attract your ideal audience. Before diving in, download your Free Instagram Profile Makeover E-book with examples I prepared for this training. Click here to download it now.

Account name

Did you know that the purpose of your account name is different from the purpose of your username?

The username (your handle – above your profile picture) is what people who already know you will use to search for you on Instagram.

Your account name (the bold name that shows on top of your profile, under your profile picture) can help discover your account by people who don’t know you yet but are looking for your product/service on Instagram.  That is, if you optimize your account name with industry-specific keywords, your ideal customer would likely type in when searching for your product/service on Instagram.

This is an easy tactic you can use to increase your account visibility. Simply include a relevant keyword in your account name that describes what you sell or how you help people.

Example: 

• account name for Small Biz Babes Community is “Michaela I Small Business Tips & Education”
• if you sell handmade wedding gifts, you might want to include your name & “wedding gifts”
• if you are location specific wedding photographer, you might want to include “Vancouver wedding photographer”  

Profile photo

Your profile photo serves two primary purposes:

1. representing your brand and creating a first impression on your potential customer
2. helping your account to be remembered and recognized

If you personally represent your brand or business, I recommend using your own personal photo compared to a logo. It allows your audience to connect with you on a deeper level. People tend to trust and engage more with businesses when they associate a face with the brand.

However, if your business has multiple employees or you don’t personally represent your business on social media, using a logo is a suitable option.

Regardless of your choice, your profile photo should align with your brand’s style and create an impression you’d like your ideal customer to have when they visit your profile.

Your bio

Your bio is the first thing people see when they visit your profile. A good Instagram bio can make a difference between new profile visitors following you or tapping away. Think about your bio as a “short & sweet summary” of what your business is all about written in a compelling way to your ideal customer.

This is your chance to make and attract the right people to follow you. By right people, I mean people who are interested in what you are selling and may become your potential customers. You want your ideal customer to say, “Hell, yes! This is for me,” when they come across your account.

Your bio should include the following:

• What you do and how you do it, written directly to your ideal customer
• What sets your business apart from others in your niche?
• Clear invitation for the next step you want your profile visitors to take
• Link to your website or links page

Highlights

Instagram highlights are a feature on Instagram that allows you to showcase your past stories on your profile page, giving them a longer lifespan and more visibility. Highlights are an excellent marketing method (often underestimated) for your business. 

Using Instagram highlights for marketing your business more efficiently involves:

• Introducing your brand on a deeper level to create a personal connection.
• Organizing your products/services with direct links for easy navigation.
• Addressing frequently asked questions to overcome objections.
• Sharing social proof through testimonials to build trust.
• Showing behind-the-scenes content to showcase the value and create anticipation.

If you need more help optimizing your Instagram profile, download your Free Instagram Profile Makeover E-Book here.

Talk soon,

Michaela