even if you’ve only seen a few posts on instagram or tiktok, chances are you’ve come across the phrase “link in bio”. It appears everywhere, from your favorite brand’s product posts to the latest snapshot. from that #cottagecore account you follow.
but what does “link in bio” really mean? why do people always use it? and should i get in on the action too? Let’s find out!
what does “link in bio” mean?
“link in bio” refers to the url in the bio section of most social media profiles. instagram and tiktok creators use the phrase in posts to tell their audience that they can find more information by clicking the url in their bio.
most creators use their instagram and tiktok bio link to send viewers to one of six things:
- your website
- your other social media profiles
- a blog
- a product page
- an online store
- the home page of your website
- your most recent or most popular content
- information about a sale, promotion or gift
- links to your other social media accounts
- your online storefront or main product page
- your best performing lead magnet
- offer exclusive deals or discounts for people who buy through your landing page
- link to your most read or most useful content
- include a helpful introduction about yourself or your brand
… or all of the above (more on that later).
Anyone can add a link to their bio on instagram, and any business account holder can add one to their tiktok. once there, the creators draw attention to the link by mentioning it in the content they post.
Some rumors claim that saying “link in bio” in your instagram posts reduces reach and engagement, so we ran an experiment to test the theory. spoiler: saying “link in bio” actually increased our engagement and reach, but you can watch this video for the details:
using a link in the bio is one of the easiest ways instagram and tiktok creators can send people off the platform. (links in instagram stories used to be restricted to accounts with more than 10,000 followers, but now they’re available to anyone.)
where is the instagram link in the bio?
on instagram, you’ll find the “link in bio” in the short description at the top of a user’s profile. It sits below other important information, such as the number of posts and the number of followers.
instagram link in bio is also not restricted to business accounts. so even if you only have a personal account, you will still be able to add a link to your instagram profile.
venture north, an organization that promotes tourism in the north of scotland, uses their link in bio to direct their audience to their website.
where is the tiktok link in the bio?
the tiktok bio link is at the top of a creator’s profile page, just like the instagram link in the bio.
how to put a link in your instagram bio
Wondering how to add a link to your instagram bio? it’s a simple process: just three short steps.
1. Click edit profile at the top of your profile page
2. enter your destination url (the link you want to promote) in the website
field
3. click submit at the bottom of the page
and just like that, you’ve added a link to your instagram bio.
Quick tip! If you don’t see the link when you return to your profile, you probably forgot to hit the send button before leaving the page.
how to put a link in your tiktok bio
the process is similar on tiktok. however, currently most users need a business account to add a link to their bio.
If you have a creator account on tiktok and don’t have access to the link in the bio feature, you need to switch to a business account first. check out our tiktok guide for businesses for step-by-step instructions, then come back here!
once you’ve switched to a business account, you’re ready to add a clickable link to your tiktok bio.
1. click edit profile
2. click add your website
3. enter the url you want to include in your profile
4. click save
congratulations, you now have a link in your tiktok bio!
how to add multiple links to your bio link
the problem with the bio link feature on both instagram and tiktok is that you can only have one link. You can’t post links anywhere else on these platforms, so you have to be astute to optimize for your one chance.
For most creators, that means turning one link into multiple links using one landing page.
A landing page can contain all the links you want to display. you just need to link to that landing page in your instagram or tiktok bio.
sounds complicated? it really isn’t! many tools can help you create a multi-link landing page.
link in tools bio
create a link in bio landing page with linktree
linktree is a free tool that allows you to create a simple multi-link landing page from basic templates. it’s pretty easy to set up.
with the free version, you get templates with some customization options and access to a simple statistics interface so you can see how your page is performing.
If you pay $6 per month to go pro, you get access to more powerful customization tools. For example, professional accounts can remove the Linktree logo from their landing page and access better analytics and customization options, like Linktree’s social media retargeting feature.
create a bio in one click with hootsuite
if you use hootsuite to manage your social networks, you can create a link tree from your dashboard using oneclick.bio.
With oneclick.bio, you can create a simple link on bio landing pages with full text buttons like those offered by linktree. but you can also add social media links and an image gallery.
You can use the images feature to recreate posts from your instagram or tiktok account on oneclick.bio. but unlike your posts on the platform, these images may include clickable links.
this simple tool allows anyone who navigates to your landing page from your instagram or tiktok bio to access a clickable version of the post they were interested in.
find out how to create a bio landing page in one click here.
create a landing page with unbounce
If you have a little more time on your hands and prefer a customizable link on your bio landing page, you can create one using a landing page builder like unbounce.
with unbounce, you can create a fully branded landing page that perfectly complements your instagram or tiktok profile. use a simple drag and drop builder or super smart ai to get the job done.
5 link tips in bio to drive more traffic to your website
highlight your most important links
The last thing you want is to distract people from what’s important. so resist the temptation to include every link under the sun on your landing page.
good things to highlight in your bio landing page link include:
match your links to your goals
The links you choose to include in your bio landing page link will depend on what you want that page to accomplish.
If you want to build your email list, you can skip the other social media account links, but put your main magnet and list signup front and center.
but if you’re on instagram or tiktok to drive sales, you’ll want to focus attention on your online storefront and the latest sale or giveaway.
value the offer, not the hard sell
If someone clicked the link in your bio on instagram or tiktok, they’re looking for specific content. make sure your landing page meets their expectations instead of hitting them with a hard sell.
instead, focus on delivering value. for example, you could:
keep your link in bio short
both instagram and tiktok show your full url in your bio. so you want it to be short and powerful.
Some links in the bio tools allow you to customize your url. if you can do it, you should do it!
You can use this space to mention your brand and include a call to action. for example:
www.mybrand.ca/learnmore
www.mimarca.ca/saluda
www.mybrand.ca/shopnow
www.mybrand.ca/welcome
Custom links are impactful, easy to remember, and more likely to generate clicks. plus, you often see much less spam.
and don’t worry if your tool can’t automatically create a short url. You can use a url shortening tool like ow.ly, accessible from the hootsuite dashboard, to create ultra-fast links.
use emojis to highlight your “link in bio” callout
Once you have a super fancy link on your bio landing page, you’ll want to work harder to drive traffic to your profile. one way to do this is to use emojis to draw attention to your link in bio cta.
You don’t have to overdo it though. you can highlight your account with some well-placed emojis.
drive traffic to your website from instagram and tiktok using hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can manage all your social profiles, schedule and publish posts, engage your followers, monitor relevant conversations, analyze results, manage your ads, and much more.
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