Twitter basics

30 tips for a better Twitter bio

I raised the ratio of Twitter profile visitors who became followers from 1% to 17% with a better bio. Here's how you can too.

Blake Emal Blake Emal    ·   · 

Listen.

The entire business goal of creating content is to drive traffic somewhere eventually.

If you have a weak bio, you’ll never even get that far…let alone convert those folks into customers.

So let me make it super easy for you:

1. Be straight to the point.

Tell me what you do. Be specific and extremely clear. No one wants to spend an extra 30 seconds guessing what you do.

Who does this well? @aprildunford

2. Brand yourself as the "XYZ" person.

Love writing about eCommerce? Start posting enough content where you would consider yourself the “eComm Person.” Having a keyword in your brand can help you get discovered and be more memorable.

3. Be funny and relatable.

People like levity. They don't want everything to be serious all the time. If your personality is jokey, add some funny to your bio.

4. Tell me what's in it for me.

People don't care about you. They care what you can do for them. So just tell them upfront what they get out of following you.

5. Set clear content expectations.

Tell me the type of content I should expect from you. Maybe I don't like fortune cookie tweets, but I really like threads. Your bio can help clarify if it's a fit for me. Oh, and not EVERYONE should follow you.

Who does this well: @chrishlad

6. Dare to be contrarian.

Express your true thoughts and beliefs. If they're contrarian, you'll likely surprise a lot of people and they'll wanna know more.

7. Double down on social proof.

Don't rely on your own words to persuade. Let your body of work and achievements talk a bit for you. Get the opinions of others involved.

8. Invite new students.

Tell me what you teach. Help me understand the transformation your knowledge could make if I apply your advice.

9. Build in the open, share it in the bio.

Let me know that you build in public. Tell me what parts of your process, work, and results you share.

10. Give me something for free.

Give away a free eBook, course, email drip, or template right in your bio. Send the signal upfront that you give way more than you take.

Who does this well: @ecomchasedimond

11. Show us your most helpful content.

Point me to your best content, whether it's on Twitter, your blog, your YouTube, etc. I want to see the best you've got so I can make an informed "follow" decision.

12. Laser focus on one CTA.

Don't ask me to do a million things at once. Show me one helpful link or ask me to do one thing only.

13. Give away the secrets to things everyone wants.

Everyone wants to build a community. This is a clear example of a person who is telling me: "I'll give you the exact roadmap to do it."

14. Create a personal connection instantly.

Whether it's by telling me how to pronounce your name, what your favorite snack is, etc: Give me a peek into life through your eyes.

15. Stand up for something.

Don't go overly broad with your bio. If you have a very specific niche or core belief, go all-in on that. Become the leader of that movement.

16. Tell me something crazy, and then relate to me.

Shock me with a crazy result (like 0 to 50M ARR), then bring me back to earth with reality (Burned out.) Show what you're capable of and that you're a real human.

Who does this well? @JustinSaaS

17. Give yourself a memorable nickname.

Be known for something! You need all the advantages on social media that you can get, and being memorable is at the top of that wishlist.

18. Don't appeal to everyone.

Talk to your people. Don't expect everyone to fit that group. Seeking out everyone will result in appealing to no one.

19. Use the "Content about..." framework.

Be bold and simple: I post about X, Y, and Z. It works because it's quick to read, sets expectations, and makes the judgment call easy.

20. Surprise me.

Make me gasp, stand up, laugh, jump, cry, etc. Evoke an emotion that I don't expect going into a bio. This ups your follow chances for sure.

21. Don't tell me you know it all.

Tell me what you're learning. Let me dive into the journey alongside you since I'd like to learn the same thing.

Who does this well? @polina_marinova

22. Help people achieve their goals.

Here's an example where I know this account will help me get a dev job. If that aligns with my goal, I am 100% following that account.

23. Tell me how often you'll post.

I wish more people did this. Some people are OK with high-volume posters. Some just want chill accounts to follow. Make that info available so they can make a decision.

24. Go specific and never stray.

When you're known for a topic, convey that you don't deviate from it. Stay true to the words in your bio and you'll retain your followers as well.

25. Tell me a random fact.

Something remarkable happened to you? Tell me an insane fact that applies to your niche? Display it. We don't need any more cookie-cutter bios.

Who does this well? @rosiesherry

26. Sell me on the transformation.

You don't sell people on features. You sell them on what life will be like after they get the features. Tell me how your content will transform me.

27. Go controversial.

50% will agree with your bio and follow instantly. The other 50% may still follow out of pure intrigue.

Who does this well? @ShaanVP

28. Make tough concepts easy for me.

Reassure me that even though you're talking about something I don't understand or may typically be "boring", you'll actually make it easy to learn alongside you.

29. Predict the future.

Create a social proof quote based on what you want Forbes to say about you 10 years from now.

30. Make me think. Then make me laugh.

Get a little deep, and a little silly. Show the contrast of your talents in your bio content. It doesn't all have to be serious. It doesn't all have to be jokey.


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Blake Emal Blake Emal

Blake Emal is a CMO, strategic advisor, and marketing consultant based in Salt Lake City. He has run marketing teams, built side projects, created digital products, and mastered the art of dad jokes.

@heyblake


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