A professional bio is essential to make the “right” first impression online. A bio is a fundamental marketing tool that tells your followers about you and allows them to feel connected to you.
It’s the first thing anyone reads when they visit your profile and may determine how they perceive you going forward.
Writing a bio can be a little tedious since you are telling others about yourself. You may find yourself doing a lot of thinking and analyzing on every subject.
Here are the best Strategies for writing an outstanding professional biography.
List Your Credentials
The starting point for writing a great bio is to gather background information. Since you are writing about yourself, you simply need to list out your professional history. Start by stating your current job and position.
Begin with your previous roles and specializations up until your present position. Include any training and certification you have that amplifies your expertise.
Try as much to stay professional. Here is some essential information you should include.
- Your current position – job title.
- Your professional experiences – right from the beginning of your career.
- Your certifications and accomplishments in the sectors you have worked in.
- Any recognition or award you have.
- Your social network links and contact details
First or Second Person?
Generally, it is best to write in the third person when writing for someone else. However, since you are writing about yourself, you will have to decide between the first or third person tones.
In the first person, you refer to yourself as “I.” So you can begin your bio with; “I’m Jessica, a life coach, and Tutor.
In the third person, however, you write as if you are not talking of yourself. So instead of using “I,” you can use your name; “Jessica is a life coach and Tutor.”
When writing a professional biography to use on your website, you can write either in the first or third person. However, if it is for your social media profile, then it is generally ideal for writing in the first person.
You should consider how you want your audience to see you when choosing the best tone for your bio,
If you want a more personal tone, then write in the first person.
Writing in the third person, however, makes your writing more objective and stylish, and is recommended by experts.
Editing
No content is ever perfect from the first input. You need to review what you have written and made necessary corrections and additions.
A bio is an online snapshot of your life, so it is essential to ensure the details are accurately and adequately presented.
Proofreading and editing your bio will help you identify grammatical and spelling errors. You may even realize certain information that you forgot to include, as well as those that were incorrectly stated.
Upon completing your bio, have a third party go through it to help you know if your message is appropriately coming across.
This could be a friend or a professional editor.
Format
After listing your credentials and deciding on the appropriate tone, it’s time to start writing.
But first you need to have a structure to follow, so to keep your bio clean and coherent.
Generally, priority is given to more critical information. Hence they come first.
- Your name and functions
- Skills and expertise
- Work history
- Achievements and awards
- Personal interest
- Contact details
You can start with your name and what you do.
For instance, if writing in a third person, you can say; “Jessica Muller is the founder of Inert Studios in San Diego, California.”
Next, you have to walk through your skills and area of expertise. What are your contribution and those things that make you exceptional?
Never make this too technical. A little bit of creativity will be great.
It could be something like this; “She’s an expert human resource with a notch for aiding employees to attain effective mental health and wellness.”
Next, you have to tell the story of how you made your way to your current position.
The list could be quiet long if you have a career spanning into decades. Just a summary of your work history would do.
Continuing from the previous example. “Before founding inert Studios, Jessica worked as a [travel Agent at Aqua Consult], New York in 2006. She left in 2008 to join [Credit Point] where she developed as a resource specialist.”
You then have to mention significant achievement like major career milestones, industry awards, featured appearances, etc.
You can also share your interest, such as topics that fascinate you or hobbies.
Lastly, you have to add ways you can be contacted. This can include your email or links to either your social media accounts or your website.
Length
There is no one-size-fits-all length for a professional biography. But it essential to ensure the length is moderate.
You should aim for between 250 words to 500 words. It is up to you to include as much information as possible. But make it short enough, so the reader doesn’t get waned out.
You, however, face character restrictions when writing bios for social media accounts. For instance, LinkedIn allows up to 2,000 characters.
Twitter allows up to 160 Characters, while Facebook gives you 101 characters for your bio and story, respectively.
You need a bit of creativity to make the most of the few words.
Who Will Be Reading?
You need to take out time to understand your audience before you start writing.
Determine those who will be reading your bio, so you can figure out the best way to present yourself.
- What does your audience need to know about you?
- What do you want them to know?
You also need to consider your goal for writing. Are you writing to market yourself and your skill or your brand?
It would be an excellent idea to look up your competitor’s website to get ideas on how to structure your bio.
Getting Started
There are different ways you can write your bio; however, it should be tailored to suit your audience. Always have in mind that you are writing for others to read.
Don’t overdo things, keep them simple, and request feedback from those around you before publishing.
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