Your Instagram Profile Optimization Cheat Sheet

Looking to optimize your profile for Instagram growth? We got you covered. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to get you the best profile possible on Instagram.

Typically, it’s a good idea to observe the profile standards within your niche and then modify your profile accordingly; however, this cheat sheet will help give you more structure so you can create the best profile possible.

Profile picture:

  • Must be instantly recognizable (Who are you?)
  • Crisp, clear & free from clutter (Remove things in your background, if possible)
  • Generally a good idea to use similar profile pictures across all platforms (Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube, etc)

Will Smith’s profile picture is pretty recognizable. It also stands out!

Bio structure (for personal brands):

  • Tell people clearly how you can help them (How do you bring value?)
  • Leverage a confidence-inspiring experience (Why should they trust your word?)
  • Having a CTA (call to action) helps. Preferably to a list building/trip-wire funnel. You can also have something simple like “Follow me for more!” (What should they do to get involved?)

Bio structure (for businesses):

  • Tell people clearly how you can help them (How do you bring value?)
  • Leverage a confidence inspiring experience (Why should they trust your word?)
  • Create anticipation – mention an offer or your service. Line 3 & 4 in your bio should be treated like a billboard. (What can they do to support you?)

Bio guidelines:

  • Use emojis to make your bio pop
  • Try to limit each section to just 1 line
  • Use keywords that will stand out to your audience
  • Your CTA should be one single choice (don’t have multiple CTAs)
  • Clear > Clever

Your name:

Always include important keywords that relate to your niche. (Makes it easier to find you) For example:

  • For businesses: Add location (if applicable) + main keyword(s)
  • Personal brand: Add 1-2 main keywords

URL link:

  • Use a 3rd party app like linktr.eelinkin.bio, etc. if you want to have more than 1 link
  • CTA buttons can be used in certain situations, for example restaurants can use the “Call” button.

Story highlights:

You don’t need 5000 story highlights. Just cover the most important 3-5 topics and you’re golden! Here are some ideas:

  • Who are you? – Name, experience, what you do, how you help, why they should follow you
  • What do you sell? – Product/service, how to get them, how they help, etc
  • Testimonials – reviews, video testimonials, screenshots

General guidelines to keep in mind:

  • People follow you, for themselves
  • Give value, build & cultivate relationships
  • Instagram will always keep bringing out new updates. Always test to see what works better for you
  • Typically, all new updates/content formats will have increased reach. For example, reels. This also is true for ad formats. For example, reel ads
  • Be intentional. Answer the questions: Why are you on Instagram? Why should people be interested in you? Everything on your profile should directly convey this intention
  • Mythbusting: Some people claim “SEO” on your profile matters in order to get more traffic on Instagram. In reality, it doesn’t make a huge difference. It’s important to have important keywords in your bio to identify your account, but it’s not going to make a substantial difference for 99.9% of people in the search results

To sell on Instagram, you must build trust with your audience. To build trust, you need:

  • Subject matter/expertise (Do you know what you’re talking about?)
  • Credibility (Can you deliver the results or experience you’re promising?)
  • Rapport (Will people like working with you?)

Emphasize on these 3 points when optimizing your profile. Your goal is to make these as clear and noticeable as possible.

We hope this helps!