Here are seven steps you can put into action immediately to enhance your chances of increasing your followers.

Before we dive in, what exactly is an Instagram Bio?

Instagram bio sits beneath your profile picture and is used to describe what users can expect from you.

A bio includes:

• A display name (aka the name field)
• Page category
• Pronouns
• 150-character description
• Five external links
• Contact information

This is one of the first things your audience will look at, and for those brief seconds of attention, you want them to see WHY they should stay on your page and follow you. Your bio should let them know who you are and what you can offer for them.

1. Revamp your Display Name

Your profile or display name is like a “headline” for your bio, so ensure that it is correct and that you are leveraging it - as in use keywords in here.

Instead of putting your whole name here, you can add your first name or business name, and include a title or a phrase on how you want people to find you. Instagram allows you 64 characters for your display name. 

For our examples, we will use a bakery called “Cupcake Mania”. Currently, the bio looks like this: 

First step, let’s improve this name by adding a mini description.

Cupcake Mania | Baker & Pastry Chef

This way, when people search for a baker or a pastry chef, the page has an increased chance of showing up in their results. 

2. Choose a Page Category

In this example, we should have "Bakery" especially if there is a physical shop. Otherwise, you can add "Entrepreneur" here.

Expert tip: Choosing "Entrepreneur" as your page category allows you to access the full music library on Instagram Reels and Stories.

The page category and pronouns are optional and do not count towards the 150-character limit. 

Simply tap on "Edit Profile" and type in that new display name. 

With these simple first steps, it now looks like this:

3. Refresh those 150 characters

This limit may not seem a lot, but you’ll later see that you can use other tools to add more details in your bio. Right now, you have to input some crucial information about you or your business that will grab your audiences’ attention. 

- Add a Value Statement

Now that you already have your name/business name and some keywords on how people can find your page, you don’t have to include these on your bio.

You have to decide on a value statement. In other words, what you can offer to your audience. Keep it straightforward.

Value statement example for Cupcake Mania: 

We make personalised cupcakes & pastries for any occasion - large or small

With 74 characters, you were able to let your audience know something new about your business that may be exactly what they are looking for. 

- Build your Credibility

At this point, your audience may think that they’re on the right page if your value statement resonates with them. But how can they trust you? 

Your audience will most likely look at your posts and the number of followers you have to identify whether your page seems trustworthy or not. 

In your bio, you can add information on why your business is credible. 

For our example, you can add something like:

• Whisking Since 2012 - which shows your experience
• 100% Vegan Delights - if your target market are mainly vegans
• Featured in NZ’s Top Bakeries for 2024 - highlight any awards or relevant accreditations

Adding a credibility statement will definitely set you apart from your competitors.

The bio is looking much better already:

4. Where they can find you

For brick-and-mortar businesses, you can include a location link that shows on your bio. 

You can do this on an Instagram business account by selecting "Business Address" still within the "Edit Profile" function and filling out the relevant information about your location. Once you’ve saved the changes, the address will be visible to anyone on Instagram. 

It will appear as a linked address that opens up real-time directions to your store. 

For example, Cupcake Mania adds its business location:

5. Maximise the use of Links

Instagram 2024 bios allows you to add 5 clickable links. Although these do not count toward your character limit, only the first link is automatically visible to your audience. The next 2-5 links are then shown once the "see more" option is clicked. 

Most will select their website to be first - could be the homepage or a specific page within the site. After web pages, you may want to include your other social media pages.

- Linktree

A solution to this “only one link immediately visible” challenge is Linktree, also known as the "link in bio tool". 

With this free tool, you can create and customise your own single link that serves as a landing page for an unlimited number of links to various web pages, social media channels, and other online content you’d like to share. 

If you cannot decide on which link you would like to spotlight, you can add all your relevant links to your Linktree and direct your audience to different destinations from a centralised location.

Cupcake Mania adds a customised Linktree to their bio:

6. Add an Action Button

When you open an Instagram page, you will usually see the "Follow" and  "Message" buttons. Another thing you may see in that bio space for business pages is an Action button. 

To add an action button, open your Instagram business profile, select "Edit Profile", under "Public business information", you can find action button options:

• "Contact" - to be contacted via phone or email
• "Call" - to be contacted via phone only
• "Learn More" - to add lead forms
• "Book Now" - to book an appointment
• "Reserve" - for reservations
• "Order Food" - to get food deliveries or takeaway from your business

To add a "Contact" button, check that you have contact options such as your phone number and email. Ensure that the "Display contact info" toggle is switched on, which will then create a "Contact" button beside the first two buttons on your bio.

Other action buttons require you to have an existing account with a third-party app, website, or partner to use these.

Cupcake Mania's bio now looks like this to their followers:

7. Final Edits & Review

You have now included the key items you want your Instagram bio should have - a value and credibility statement, your location, relevant links that redirect your audience to your preferred landing page, and a contact button that makes it easy to reach you. 

Use a few relevant emojis to add colour to your bio or use them as a way to bullet your information.

Finally, you can always edit your bio by identifying and applying your brand’s voice and writing catchy phrases to further get your audience’s attention. Here’s the final crafted Instagram bio for our example: 

With only 135 characters used here and by knowing how to maximise different Instagram tools, your Instagram bio has been boosted and you will have improved the searchability of your Instagram account.

Decoding Instagram's algorithm is crucial for gaining visibility and engagement. In this article, we'll delve into a series of tips and hacks tailored to enhance your Instagram strategy.

1. Value Proposition

This refers to a statement that summarises why a customer should choose your product or service instead of your competitors. 

On Instagram, you’re not just promoting your company. You’re encouraging people to choose YOU and your content over others. 

Make sure that your Instagram bio is optimised to let your audience know what you offer and why they should follow you. Here are some examples:

Lulelemon tells its audience that they provide inspiration and includes a hashtag which allows people to easily view related content. 

Claire Turnbull’s bio states her qualifications alongside what users can expect to see.

By doing so, you set the expectations for your audience, and will gain followers who enjoy your content and will engage with them.

2. Story Highlights

Another Instagram feature you need to take advantage of is its Story Highlights. 

Highlights are collections of your stories that are pinned at the top of your page, just below your bio. To add your highlights, you can click on the "New" circle and choose stories from your archives. Name your collection and add a cover either from a thumbnail on the story or a custom image from your device’s album. 

Here’s an example of a property developer’s story highlights with customised thumbnails:

Your highlights allow you to show who you are and your most relevant or appealing content. This enhances viewer navigation and extends the visibility of your Instagram stories beyond their 24-hour lifespan, offering a lasting impression of your curated collection.

Highlights contribute to a well-organised, engaging, and visually appealing page that can, in turn, positively influence Instagram’s algorithm.

3. Posting Reels

Instagram’s algorithm will show your short-form video to non-followers, making it an ideal way to grow your IG followers.

In May 2024, Instagram updated its algorithm to benefit smaller creators. When using trending music for your Reels, your content will be intentionally shown to a small group of non-followers instead of immediately competing with large pages’ content. If your reel performs well in this subset of viewers, it will be recommended to more people as long as it still has a good performance. Take advantage of this opportunity and get creating high-quality reels. 

Expert tip: When posting Reels on Instagram, make sure that there are no watermarks from third party apps you may have used to edit the video. Otherwise, create your Reels directly on the app. Instagram’s algorithm appears to favour original and high-resolution content. 

4. Avoid Engagement-baiting

Instagram has become strict about what people post; usually prompting warnings to those who use language that urges people to engage with their posts. 

Try to avoid "engagement-baiting". You may have seen posts which say "comment ‘yes’ to claim…", "tag a friend for a free…", or other captions and content which urges their audience to share and/or react to the posts. 

If Instagram’s algorithm detects this on your post, your content may be removed or is ranked lower in the feed.

If you have dedicated followers who look forward to your high-quality content, their active engagement should come naturally.

5. Encourage Engagement

Use these tips to increase the engagement of your posts without violating Instagram’s guidelines: 

• Ask for your audience’s opinions "Let me know in the comments what you think about…"
• Be genuine about your intent "If you found this advice helpful, share it with your friends…"
• Use Instagram’s engagement-driving stickers such as Questions, Polls, and Emoji Sliders. Interactions are a huge factor for the algorithm.

Expert tip: Comment on your own posts or reply to your own story stickers to encourage others to do the same. Add questions of further context through comments to start conversations and make sure to react and/or reply to all replies.

6. Use of Hashtags

Many people ask - "are hashtags dead on Instagram?". 

Let’s settle this - no, they’re not dead, and hashtags are still recommended. You can add up to 30 hashtags on your post, however, we suggest to only use 3-10 relevant ones.  

Where should you put your hashtags?

You can put them either in the caption or in the comments. Instagram’s algorithms will read those hashtags regardless of the position.

Hashtags enhance searchability and visibility. Use popular and niche-specific ones to reach broader audiences. Also create and use a branded hashtag for brand recognition and simplified content search by your audience.

Taplink conducted research and saw that for accounts with less than 5k followers, posts with visible hashtags in the captions perform better in terms of engagement. So, if you have 5k followers and less, add those hashtags on your caption.

7. Link in Bio

We usually see content that includes "See the link in my bio for…" when we need to refer our followers to external links.

There are ongoing debates whether Instagram is intentionally restricting content that uses these phrases, as this action leads users outside of the platform. 

But is this true? Does telling my audience "click the link in my bio" decrease my engagement?

Well, yes and no.

Instagram has recently updated that users can now add up to 5 links in their bio, but only the first link is visible on your page. 

Leading people to the link in your bio is an effective way to get them to your desired location. However, casual scrollers probably won't stop scrolling to go to a link in the bio. Chances are, they would just keep scrolling. 

For your brand on Instagram, try to limit the use of these phrases. Instead of always using the link in your bio, you can also use the comment section which then enhances engagement. 

8. Engage with Larger Pages

Network or engage with larger pages within your niche boosts your own page. Find similar content and target audiences, likely among pages you already follow. Add thoughtful comments on their content and this may lead to collaborations or shout-outs. Avoid generic messages to maintain authenticity.

9. Repurpose Content

Reposting old content may be tricky when your audience realises that they have seen the posts before and are confused as to why you’re reposting them. The worst that could happen is that they call you out for recycling content if you repeat this often and potentially unfollow your page. 

We think if you select popular content from a reasonable time period before, like more than 4 to 6 months ago, you will be fairly safe to repost and maybe just freshen up the caption. 

Don’t forget to check if there’s any content you can update. For instance, your "2023 Autumn Fashion Tips" that performed well could be updated for this year.

Another tip is to repost or share your content on other platforms.

Always link back to your original Instagram post or page. This way, when people see your content on other platforms, they can go to your main Instagram page and see what other content you share which may appeal to them. 

10. Consistent Posting

Instagram’s algorithm favours pages and accounts that are consistently active and this increases the possibility of your content being shown to your followers and target audiences. 

Consistency in posting schedules not only aligns with Instagram's algorithm but also signals reliability to your audience, reinforcing your brand's commitment and reputation.

Consider scheduling prepared content for automatic posting, available for posts and reels with a Business or Creator account. 

On the Instagram app, in the prepared post, go to Advanced Settings and toggle the Schedule switch on. Choose the date and time you want your content to be published and click Share. You can also edit or delete these posts by going to Scheduled Content within your menu.

You can also schedule up to two weeks in advance using Meta Business Suite. 

11. Quality not Quantity

While staying active and maintaining a consistent posting schedule is advised, prioritise content quality over quantity. Avoid posting solely for the sake of it, as this can overwhelm your audience and diminish engagement. Unsatisfactory content may lead to decreased post performance and be tagged as low-quality by the algorithm.

12. "Am I Shadow Banned"?

"Shadow ban" is usually experienced on X (formerly Twitter) resulting in decreased post reach and engagement. Instagram also encounters this restriction, limiting content visibility to your audience.

Instagram does not technically use the term “shadow banned” but they do provide guidelines on page activities that may cause restrictions on your account. 

To check your page’s status, go to Instagram - Settings -  scroll down to "Account Status" where you will see this:

This lets you know if there are any restrictions on your page and what actions you need to do to fix this.