Your Twitter bio: How to write it and why it matters

Let’s just skip the drill about giving an elevator pitch.

Because if you’re on Twitter, you don’t get the luxury of introducing yourself in a 30-second ride (or being stuck listening to someone drone on and on about their career).

Instead, with your Twitter bio, you’ve got 160 characters to tell the world about yourself. Write about your job, where you live and what you do. But feel free to tantalize us with details about how much you like walks on the beach, hazelnut gelato and WWF wrestling.

So, how do you know what information to put out there? And how will others judge you for it? If you’re thinking about writing or overhauling your Twitter bio, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Know your goals

Ask yourself what you want to get out of your bio, says Holly Matson, of Risdall Online Marketing Group.

“Think about your goals for the account. What followers are wanted? What type of engagement is desired? What will be discussed and shared? Use the bio area to showcase this.” Here’s Holly’s bio (@Hiomats): DMNews 30 under 30, Online Marketer, Blogger, SEO/SEM, Social Media & Lover of fashion, football, Pandas, Music, Friends (Online and Off), Movies, & Puppies.