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Professional Bios: One Size Does Not Fit All

August 8, 2016 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

AmyPeople love to know who they’re doing business with. Most small-business websites include an ‘About Me’ or ‘Biography’ page. It’s not because the business owners are self-centered and waiting to talk about themselves. It’s because potential clients and customers want to know more about the business owners.

In fact, many business owners don’t like to talk about themselves, and their bios are evidence of that. Whether the bios are long and rambling or short and uninformative, the result is the same – people go away unsatisfied.

Don’t disappoint your website and social media readers. Give them a well-written, easy-to-read bio that will help them get to know you.

  • Consider the Site. On your website, you can devote an entire page to your story. On social media sites, however, people scroll through quickly. Give them a quick glimpse that will inspire them to find out more.
  • Know Your Audience. LinkedIn is a professional, business-oriented site; your bio should reflect that side of you. On Twitter, however, your space is limited. Sentences don’t matter. You want to give as much information as possible as quickly as possible. But when people come to your website, they’re either looking specifically for you or your services. Let them know who you are.
  • Tell a Story. This isn’t a resume. Avoid saying, “In 2000, I did this. In 2005, I did this. In 2007…” Yawn. You want people to know about your certifications, education, and accomplishments, but also let them know why you picked your career and what you love about it. If you’re in a profession where relationships are important – say a counselor, clergy, or even a portrait photographer – it’s okay to add even more personal details.
  • Scout the Competition. There’s nothing wrong with visiting your competitors’ websites to find out what you like and don’t like about their biographies. That will help you decide what kind of information you want to include in yours.
  • Skip the Humility. Remember, you’re telling a story, so this isn’t just a list of all of the great things you’ve done in your career; however, you want people to know that you’re an accomplished professional who knows the business. If you’ve spent twenty years in the industry, go ahead and talk about the classes you’ve taken and the awards you’ve won. Show your reader that you know what you’re talking about.
  • Get a Beta Reader. Have someone review your bio. It may seem complete to you, but your reader might have questions (or she might be bored). Have someone read through it to make sure it’s coherent and well-written.

By keeping these things in mind, you’re on your way to creating captivating biographies for any online outlet.

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Filed Under: copywriting Tagged With: websites

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