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Instagram for authors: tips for a meaningful profile

Opinion & Analysis
Instagram is a social media platform that focuses on sharing images. Both private individuals and more and more companies use the network. Instagram is also becoming more and more important for authors. Many creative people try to advertise their works here; It is now even possible to sell these directly via Instagram Shopping. You too […]

Instagram is a social media platform that focuses on sharing images. Both private individuals and more and more companies use the network. Instagram is also becoming more and more important for authors. Many creative people try to advertise their works here; It is now even possible to sell these directly via Instagram Shopping.

You too can build your own brand with the help of Instagram and then, for example, advertise your books on the platform. Your profile offers insights into your personality and shows what you are doing. The main goal is to attract attention. A well-maintained, meaningful profile is essential, you can either buy IG followers or work your way up (which will take a lot of time). Other users decide within a few seconds whether to follow you – or unfollow you again. The first impression counts. So what can you do?

 Create a structured Instagram bio

The biography is the main part of your profile, users first see your profile picture and your information in the bio. Therefore, it should be properly structured and show directly who you are and what you do.

  • Close-ups or logo as a profile picture
  • clear structure of the bio
  • own style
  • Integrate a link to the new book and a call to action

You should use a close-up or your own logo for your profile picture. Images that show a larger section are often no longer easily recognizable – after all, most use Instagram on their mobile phones.

Enter your full name in the top line of your description. 150 characters are available below this. So choose your wording here cleverly in order to describe your personality and activities with the few characters.

You can insert a link at the end of the bio. Again, think about which link is particularly important. e.g. to your new book or to the website. With calls like “Read on now” you encourage other users to click on the link even more.

Use Instagram Stories

Stories are short pictures and videos that are only visible for 24 hours. They can provide insights into your private life or the writing process. With such personal insights you can build closeness to your followers, keep them up to date and of course advertise your book. You should / could in stories:

  • Add hashtags and places
  • Ask questions to followers
  • Answer questions about the book in a live video
  • Include a quiz with the book
  • do small polls

Stories are a good tool to constantly deliver new content to your followers without flooding your profile with posts. Even spontaneous snapshots without a lot of post-processing are ideal for Instagram Stories, as they are only visible for a short time.

Add story highlights

One way to make your stories visible in the long term are story highlights. If you mark a contribution in your story as a highlight, it will appear permanently in your bio.

You can e.g. add the writing process, a trade fair visit or excerpts from your work as highlights. In this way, you offer first insights into your writing and appear authentic. You can:

  • create a story highlight for a character
  • Document the process of generating ideas
  • show the writing process