One area that gets routinely ignored in Social Media is the Bio. You quickly fill in the blanks on the profile form with the usual info and give a sigh of relief that the task is done. But your bio is used in every facet of Social Media and this is your chance to connect in a personal way—and yet many don’t take full advantage of it.

There is no one right way to create your bio. If you do any type of research on this subject, you’ll find tons of conflicting advice—enough to keep you confused for days. My suggestion is to look up people who do what you do. If you are a writer, look at other authors. If you have a business, look at other like business owners. Check out what they’ve done on their websites and blogs.
You’ll see bad examples to stay away from, and ones that resonate with you—make you feel as if you know the person. That doesn’t mean you have to emulate the good ones, but let them inspire you to find a unique way to present yourself. Keep in mind that, especially with a business, you must stay true to who you are and what you represent.  But this is also where you want to connect on an emotional level, by showing something of your personality, along with your credentials or skill set.

There are so many different types of bios too – from one line blurbs on business cards to– the “About” page on your website.  Most of you already have a business running and your branding in place. But it never hurts to up-date your info and keep things looking fresh. Make it a practice to add new accomplishments or recent awards to you bio.

Here’s a list of bios you will need to create as you add social media venues to your marketing plan:

•Website “About” page:
  This should be at least one page worth of information, including a photo.

•Blog landing page, or an excerpt used for an introduction at speaking engagements:
    This can range from 50 to 200 words, depending on the application, and can also
    be used for printed materials, such as Brochures or Rack Cards.

•Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter Profile pages:
 You’ll need to keep it under 50 words

•Personal Statement  – which could be used on your Goggle+ and Twitter  
  profiles, plus your business card:
  This should be that one sentence pitch – or “logline” that explains you, or your
   company in a brief sentence.

The easiest way to tackle this project is to start with the longest one-page bio. Keep in mind your personal branding and show that you can support your claims. Make sure you include something that shows your personality. Authors can certainly use more creativity on this project, since their writing style supports their platform (or brand).

Keep in mind, that if it is clear that you are writing about yourself, it sounds more natural to use first-person, instead of third-person.  If the bio will be used by someone else, such as someone introducing you for a speech – then third-person sounds more natural.

Once you’ve written out the long form, from there it is easier to use that material and just trim it down for the various shorter versions – changing from first-person to third-person as needed.

If you don’t already have a one-line statement about your business, you may “discover” it while writing the long bio, and then going through the process to pare it down for the shorter ones.

Take time and thought to make your Bio something special. Allow readers to connect with you and gain them as loyal fans.