Your bio box is the bridge between turning someone from a reader to a visitor. A great bio box can take a large percentage of a website’s readers and bring them to your website. A poorly or carelessly written bio box can result in low click-throughs, even if your article was very good.
How do you write a great bio box? Here are five tips.
1. State the Main Benefit Upfront
To get someone’s interest in reading the bio box the whole way through, have the benefit clearly stated right from the beginning. Don’t wait till the middle or the end.
A lot of people stop reading when they get to the point where they’re expecting to be “sold.” You have just a split second to convince them to keep reading at that point. Use that split second (or first sentence) well by presenting a powerful benefit.
2. Include a Proof Element
If you make a strong promise or benefit statement without backing it up with proof, readers may or may not actually believe you. However, even just one strong proof element like a testimonial, study or endorsement from a well-known industry celebrity can give you a lot of credibilities.
Obviously, the bio box isn’t the right place to walk through all the merits of your product. That said, having just one or two proof elements can make a big difference.
3. Keep It Short
Before someone reads a paragraph, they subconsciously size it up. If the paragraph is more than four lines long on the screen, chances are they won’t even read it. Try to keep your bio box to just three or four powerful and carefully written sentences.
4. Strong Call to Action
What do you want someone to do? One common mistake marketers make is using the bio box as an “About Me” page. Instead, be clear in asking people to do what you want. If the goal is to get them to click a link, tell them to do that, along with a concise explanation of what they’ll get by doing so.
5. Professional-Looking Photo
On many websites, your photo will be shown beside your bio box. While your bio box won’t always be read by visitors, almost everyone will look at your photo. It can make a big difference.
Have a professional-looking photo taken. If possible, use a portrait photograph that’s been Photoshopped for color balance and proper contrast.
If you follow these five tips, you’re bound to have a compelling bio box. Start by stating what benefit they’ll get right upfront. Back it up with a small but impressive proof element. End with a strong call to action, keeping the whole bio box three or four sentences long. Finally, make sure you have a professional-looking photograph besides the bio box to lend you credibility.
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