14 Twitter Bio Ideas to Attract More Followers

There’s no denying that Twitter is one of the most powerful social networks out there. This is true, even though it doesn’t have some of the “cool” factor enjoyed by networks that allow more elaborate content. One of the reasons for this, of course, is that you must keep Twitter messages “short and sweet.” Of course, as marketers we need people to do more than read our Tweets. We need followers. Your Twitter bio is one way to boost your chances, so let’s explore some Twitter bio ideas that can have an impact on your Twitter growth.

Intro to Twitter Bio Ideas: How to Write an Awesome Bio

First, your Twitter bio is important because you want people to find you and follow you after they find you. Tweets themselves are important, because people look for hashtags and topics. However, people also find your Tweets by following other Twitter users: if someone they follow makes a Retweet, they’ll see it.

Once you’ve attracted people to your Twitter bio through a Tweet you wrote, what you choose to write in your bio will directly impact your Twitter follower growth. This is easiest to understand in terms of a quick advertisement or a resume. Your bio, whether it’s a personal or commercial account, is your best chance to make a good impression on people. By reading it, many users will know if your Twitter account is one that they should be following.

Finally, keep in mind that fake Twitter users are a major problem on the network. In fact, one study suggests that 15% of Twitter accounts are fake. These fake accounts are often used to increase follower numbers, spam people with ads, or engage in fraudulent behavior. By using my Twitter bio ideas, you can demonstrate to others that you’re a real person or brand.

Why You Need to Strategize Your Twitter Bio

Of course, like many things on social media your Twitter bio isn’t something you can just blindly fill out. Rather, you need to carefully choose your words. Probably the biggest reason for this is the maximum size of your bio. Similar to the old-fashioned Tweet limit, you only get 160 characters to impress your audience and show who you are.

Don’t think you can just ignore the problem, though. It’s important to craft a great bio because it will appear in Twitter search results when people search for your name. Besides this, people can find you through the keywords included in your profile. With the right keywords, you can increase the probability of your target audience finding your bio.

Twitter bios are also found through organic Twitter usage. In fact, when someone sees your tweets, your Twitter profile is always hyperlinked to it. This makes it very easy for other Twitter users to view your profile and form an opinion about you and your message. You never know when these Twitter bio ideas will help attract a new follower, or better, customer.

The Basics

When it comes to Twitter bio ideas, some are more important than others. Simply put, this is because not every aspect of your bio is equally important. Handles (the @user) aren’t the same as your actual name. In fact, some people change their handle over time. For this reason, the handle may reflect you but it doesn’t say who you are. With this in mind, here are the most important parts of your bio to master.

1) It Starts With a Clear, Smiling Profile Picture

There’s little question that your face is what matches you best. After all, everyone close to you knows what you look like. And for personal profiles, nothing says confidence (and competence) like a sunny smile. Similarly to a job interview clinching the deal, showing a smile on your profile attracts followers.

2) Introduce Yourself

Introducing yourself is more than just giving your name. Rather, this is among the Twitter bio ideas that lets people know what you’re all about. Are you a travel lover? Notre Dame football enthusiast? Social media addict? People should know what sets you apart.

3) Tell Your Target Audience What You Do

For marketers doing their work on Twitter, it’s important that you disclose which company you work for. This way, people know they can “AMA” about your company. Besides this, it sets you apart as a subject matter expert in your field. One example of this is a fashion designer. Not only will this person talk about their personal brand or design house, but they’ll give design tips. So, if someone likes to dress smart they might follow this designer.

4) Add Your Life Achievements

Bragging isn’t always bad, is it? In fact, many job interviewers ask applicants what they are proud to have done. This is an important part of who you are. In addition, mentioning life achievements for Twitter bio ideas gives people another reason to follow you, especially if they would love to imitate those achievements. Building rapport this way can be highly effective.

5) Show Social Proof

Another option is to showcase your coworkers or employees. In this case, you’re showing how awesome you are by providing social proof. For example, a corporate executive can showcase a star employee. Bonus points if they’re also an influencer and therefore have many of their own followers. Either way, you’re showing people that you aren’t the only person who thinks you’re great.

Twitter Bio Ideas to Optimize for Search Engines 

Another use of my Twitter bio ideas is boosting your SEO. While most people don’t think about SEO for Twitter profiles, it’s actually very important. Think about it this way: If you want to learn about someone, wouldn’t you love to find their Twitter account? Whether you are a marketer, and SME, or corporate management, people want to find you. It’s best to give your profile the best chance of helping to tell your story.

Further Reading: Best 25 Instagram Bio Ideas to Help Improve Yours (with Examples)

6) Use the right and relevant keywords

As most people know, keywords run just about everything on the Internet. Search engines use those keywords to index sites and return relevant results to end users. Twitter accounts are no exception: if you want people to find your Twitter bio, then it should contain relevant keywords. One of the best ways to choose them is by using my best SEO tools.

7) Consider using (but not over-using) hashtags, including branded hashtags, to help enhance your discoverability as well as better describe yourself.

Nobody’s suggesting that you make your entire Twitter bio out of hashtags. In fact, that probably isn’t a good idea. Instead, choose a few hashtags that describe you. If you represent your company in any capacity, include your branded hashtags to identify yourself with that brand. Finally, a few major players have branded hashtags all their own.

Make a Memorable Impression

Following my more basic Twitter bio ideas will ensure that your bio reflects who you are, and that it’s easy to find. However, the best way to grow your following is to ensure that people linger on your Twitter feed. One of the easiest ways to make people stick around is to be memorable. A few people are naturally memorable, but most of us need to employ one or more of these tips.

8) Show some personality

If you have a saying or expression you use often, then this is among the best Twitter bio ideas. People that know you IRL will instantly recognize that this really IS your bio. And for everyone else, saying something unique will become an important part of your Twitter brand. As your influence increases, this will become more important.

9) Throw in an emoji

The days of emoji use being completely unprofessional are long gone. In fact, many brands use emojis in marketing emails to catch people’s attention. And as I’ve mentioned before, this does increase open rates. No matter what emoji you use, be sure it reflects who you are and what image you wish to project. Finally, using an emoji is a great way to convey thoughts in as few characters as possible.

10) Use Humor because funny Twitter bios are memorable

If you feel that other Twitter bio ideas fall short, try humor. For many of us, humor is a great way to break the ice and showcase your personality.  When people laugh, they often let their guard down and enjoy a moment with you. Even online, this is a powerful way to make your Twitter bio memorable. Of course, jokes should be audience-appropriate. Want a great example of bio humor? Check out Megan Eichholz.

Get Strategic

Of course, not all Twitter bio ideas are about your self-expression. Rather, some tips will help you on a strategic level. The easier it is for people to find your profile, the better. This means associating yourself with more than just your own ideas and interests. Here are some other ways to increase the impact of your Twitter bio.

11) Link to other Twitter accounts (employers etc.)

As most people know, associations are very important. The best associations for you to have on Twitter are highly individualized, in that the purpose of your being on Twitter will influence which ones you choose. To that end, if you are Tweeting to market products and services, link to your employer. Or for an issues-based Twitter user, consider your favorite nonprofit.

How can you implement this strategy? Simply paste the link into your bio. Twitter will automatically shorten the link, so you don’t need to waste characters. Of course, while you CAN add more than one link, it’s important to not have your profile looking like a link farm. Choose carefully, though, and you can have a great impact.

12) Include a Call-to-Action

If you think that your Twitter bio isn’t the place for a call to action, think again. In fact, one of the most powerful Twitter bio ideas is including one. Why? Because you want people to follow your account, check out your website, or buy your products. Let’s look at this on the Twitter level. It is well-known in the marketing world that engagement with your posts is an important gauge of effectiveness. As people spend time reading your Tweets, they’re more likely to Retweet, like, or comment.

Like other social media efforts, having an active Twitter account is just a means to achieve your marketing goals. Twitter can be leveraged to increase brand awareness, boost sales through promotions, or even just educate the customer. By including a call to action, you’re inviting people to discover your content in a new way.

Finally, keep in mind that including a CTA doesn’t have to be complex. For many accounts, it could be as simple as “follow me for the latest updates.” Or, you might recommend that people check out your website.

13) Don’t forget to add location

Your location may not be as important on Twitter as it is for real estate, but revealing it is still great strategy. Probably the biggest reason to do this is that knowing your location helps people know whether you’re someone they want to follow or not. Another reason is that people might be looking for a subject matter expert within a particular geographic area.

Let’s look at why people find location information valuable. Let’s say you are interested in women’s fashion. In some countries there are dress codes for women when they leave the house. Ladies must cover their heads and often their arms and legs. If a fashion-focused Twitter user lives in one of these countries, then she is most likely to talk about clothes that meet those fashion constraints. And women who live in the West might follow them if those beliefs are shared.

Likewise, some services are location-specific. For instance, Realtors have a limited service area, typically within a given radius of their home or a specific market. If someone’s looking for a Realtor, it is vital that they know where Twitter-based Realtors live. This is in addition to considering specialties, such as commercial properties or luxury housing.

Want to add your location to your Twitter bio? Fortunately, Twitter makes this easy. When filling out your bio, there’s a field where you can enter location. This is then displayed on your profile heading and people can see it easily from your Tweets.

14) Add your Website Link to the Bio

Finally, if you have a personal or corporate website, be sure to add this to your bio. One of the most powerful Twitter bio ideas is making a clear linkage between the “you” on Twitter and your website. Twitter is a great place for people to get to know you and what you’re all about. From this position it’s easy to gain influence and then invite them to interact with your company off of Twitter.

Let’s look at this from a different angle. If you’re a Twitter follower that enjoys someone’s content or finds it informative, you may want to take the next step and check out their website. Most of these people will look at your Twitter bio first to see if you have one. By making them Google your name or look elsewhere, you’re inconveniencing them. These customers might decide not to pursue it further, or they might be annoyed at the fact they’re working harder for that information.

As marketers, we’ve learned from experience that including your website link to your Twitter bio isn’t optional. If you have a website, it’s essential. Luckily, Twitter makes it easy to include that link. You can add it to the text of your bio. Like other links, Twitter shortens it to save characters. Of course, having the link disguised this way encourages people to click on it, if only to get the address for later viewing.

Note that, similar to Instagram, you can also take the same link in bio approach and utilize a service such as Smart.bio from Tailwind.

Building a killer Twitter bio can be intimidating. After all, people will read this bio frequently, and it’s an important part of your personal brand. Lots of other Twitter users will decide to follow you, or not to follow you, based on that bio. Fortunately, by incorporating some of these Twitter bio ideas you can project a message that truly inspires. Then, you can increase your influence, and follower count, by talking about the things which are important to you.

Hero photo by E MORAN on Unsplash