“[A bio] is a vehicle for quickly communicating who you are and what you do.”
- Jörgen Sundberg, Founder & CEO at Link Humans
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Whether it’s for the About Me on a company website, public speaking opportunities, or a personal social media account, an interesting bio makes all the difference. Why? Because many of us suffer from information overload and are already quick to ignore repetitive, uninteresting, or too-lengthy content.
To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of five tips for writing a great bio:
Avoid writing in first-person (exception: social media accounts, which are conventionally less formal). For professional bios, refer to yourself in third-person.
Use plain English. It can be easy to forget that the rest of the world doesn’t speak your industry’s language. Numbers are great to use, as it’s important to quantify your accomplishments, but don’t try to get too fancy with your word choice. Keep it simple.
Watch the length. Again, we live in a content-saturated world. Save the entire list of accomplishments for your resume (well, even there, be careful) and only include necessary, relevant information that makes people want to know more, write an article about you - or ask you to speak at their event! (See: "How long should my bio be?")
Know your audience. Important to consider when planning a presentation or speech at an event, knowing your audience is also key to writing a successful bio. For instance, when submitting a proposal to speak at conferences, you should cater your bio to who’s going to be in attendance. Feature the facts that are most relevant.
Keep it professional. Talking about college and graduate school degrees, charitable activities, and passions is okay. Some people even recommend sharing personal aspects of your life in your bio. We say that’s fine—as long as you keep it minimal. And if it’s really personal, make sure to relate it to how your character has been shaped or demonstrate why it is so impressive. For instance, one of our clients grew up below the poverty line and moved more than 22 times before turning 18. In spite of this, she still went on to found not one, but two successful companies. Now THAT’S something worth mentioning.
What do you think is the most important thing to consider when writing a bio?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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