Audit and rewrite an Instagram profile end-to-end for 2026

Instagram Profile Optimizer

Audit the nine parts of an Instagram profile (photo, NAME field, @handle, bio, link, category label, highlights, the first-9 grid, pinned posts) against what actually converts a profile-visitor into a follower in 2026, then rewrite each part that needs it. On Instagram the whole follow decision happens on the profile header plus the first two or three grid rows: photo, NAME, bio, link, then the grid at a glance. That is what this fixes.

When to use

• User pastes their Instagram profile or @handle and asks for an audit
• "Fix my bio", "rewrite my Instagram bio", "what should my highlights be"
• User is starting to post seriously and wants the profile to match the content
• Any of: "review my Instagram profile", "optimize highlights", "profile audit"

Not for writing captions (use ig-caption-writer) or planning a carousel (use ig-carousel-planner).

Input

• Profile URL / @handle (or a screenshot of the profile header + first grid rows)
• Goal: grow a following / sell a product / land clients / build authority. The bio CTA, the link target, and the pinned posts change by goal
• Optional: their best-performing posts, to pick the pins and the grid order

Output

1. Scorecard (9 parts, pass / needs-work / fail)
2. Priority fixes ranked by impact (NAME field, bio, and pins first)
3. Before -> After rewrites for each failing part
4. Highlights plan (covers, order, naming) and grid + pin picks with reasons

Steps

1. Intake. Collect the profile state + goal. Note the account type (personal / creator / business), since business and creator unlock the category label and the professional dashboard.
2. Score the 9 parts against the scorecard below.
3. Weight the NAME field with a keyword. The NAME field (not the @handle) is what Instagram search indexes. Set it to Real Name + the topic people type (e.g. "Sam Rivera | Instagram Growth"), inside 30 chars. This is the single highest-leverage SEO fix on the profile.
4. Rewrite the bio (150 chars). Formula: `who you help + what you post about
   • one proof or specific`. Lead with the value, not the job title. No "I help X do Y" cliche opener unless the rest is specific. Line breaks and one anchor emoji are fine; an emoji storm is not. Fit inside 150.
5. Set the link. One link matched to the goal (offer / newsletter / booking). If they need several, a single link-hub, not a bare homepage. Business and creator accounts can now add multiple links, but the top one still carries the click.
6. Set the category label (business / creator accounts). One clear label that matches the niche, shown under the NAME. It reinforces the bio; it does not repeat it.
7. Plan the highlights. 4-6 highlights, ordered left to right by the visitor's next question: Start Here / Proof / Offer / FAQ / About. Custom covers in one consistent style, short one-word names that fit without truncating. The first 3-4 are what a new visitor sees before scrolling.
8. Fix the first-9 grid. The top nine tiles are the shop window. Aim for readable at a glance, a consistent look (color, framing, or text style), and a mix that shows range without chaos. Reorder or replace weak top tiles; the grid is judged as a set, not tile by tile.
9. Pick the pinned posts (up to 3). The three best proofs of what a new follower will get, matched to the goal: a top performer, a clear offer, and an intro/who-this-is-for post. Pins override the grid order, so use them.
10. Photo check. Clear face, fills the frame, recent, high contrast against a plain background. It renders small, so detail is wasted; contrast is not.
11. Deliver the before/after diff + the header test: read only photo, NAME, bio, link, and the first grid row, and ask "would a stranger follow from this alone?"

Nine-part scorecard

#	Part	Pass criteria (2026)
1	Profile photo	Clear face filling the frame, recent, high contrast, plain background, reads at small size
2	NAME field	Real name + a searchable keyword people type, inside 30 chars (this is the indexed field, not the @handle)
3	@handle	Short, memorable, matches the brand, no numbers/underscores if avoidable
4	Bio	Value + topic + proof inside 150 chars; no cliche opener; leads with what a follower gets; no emoji storm
5	Link	One, goal-matched; a link-hub if several are needed; top link carries the click
6	Category label	Set (business/creator), one clear niche label that reinforces the bio
7	Highlights	4-6, ordered by the visitor's next question, consistent custom covers, short names that do not truncate
8	First-9 grid	Consistent look, readable at a glance, shows range; weak top tiles reordered or replaced
9	Pinned posts	Up to 3 present, each a best proof matched to the goal (not random recent posts)

Hard rules

Global voice rules: see root SKILL.md Voice rules. Additional skill-specific rules:

• The header must pass the header test: a stranger reading only photo + NAME + bio + link + first grid row should know who this is for and want to follow.
• Lead the bio with the reader's benefit, not the user's job title.
• The NAME field always carries a searchable keyword; never leave it as bare name.
• Keep every rewrite inside the platform limits (bio 150, NAME 30). Never ship a truncated bio or a highlight name that cuts off.
• Highlights and grid are judged as sets; fix order and consistency, not just single items.
• At most one em dash in the bio (a 150-char bio rarely needs one). No "leverage", "fundamentally", "game-changer", "elevate".

Related skills

• ig-caption-writer - write the captions the optimized profile and grid will host
• ig-hook-extractor - find a pin-worthy hook in a post that already worked
• ig-content-planner - plan the cadence that fills the grid and highlights
• ig-humanizer --mode audit - audit the bio and pinned captions before shipping