Features
Why Sked?
Sked Social is a third party app and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any social network platforms.
See our Terms & Privacy Policy.
See our Terms & Privacy Policy.
Download
follow us
© 2024 Sked Social. All rights reserved.
Are you wondering how to put links in your Instagram bio? Wondering how to make the most of the links in your Instagram bio? If Instagram users had just one issue, it would likely be this: you can only use clickable links
Are you wondering how to put links in your Instagram bio?
Wondering how to make the most of the links in your Instagram bio? If Instagram users had just one issue, it would likely be this: you can only use clickable links in your Instagram bio. Unlike other social media platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, individual posts within your Instagram feed don’t allow for links. Sure, you can enter the link within your caption, but it won’t be a clickable link, which makes adding links there virtually pointless.
Why? Well, once your photo or video is posted, the link will only appear as text. That means users will still need to manually enter that address themselves in order to get to that desired page, as opposed to being able to get there with a single clickable link. When we’re all obsessed with convenience and speed, it’s enough to make your Instagram followers give up and keep scrolling.
With all of that in mind, there’s no denying the fact that the one clickable link you get to include in your Instagram bio is precious real estate. It’s the one place where you can get Instagram followers to head directly to a website or landing page without any additional work. So, here’s the question: what should that one clickable link be? For many brands, the answer is simple: their Instagram bio should be their website homepage.
While that answer might be the most obvious, that doesn’t mean it’s the only thing you can (or should) do. There are plenty of other options you can use to optimize your Instagram bio and truly leverage this link to your advantage.
Read on and we’ll cover everything you need to know about Instagram bio links. We’ll show you how to put links in your Instagram bio, including some clever tricks that will allow you to use your Instagram bio link for multiple purposes.
But, Wait… Do I Really Only Get One Link?
Technically, yes. We know – it’s a shame! Other social networks have the functionality to easily link out to articles, websites, your online store, and product pages. But currently, Instagram only allows you to add one link to your Instagram profile. Instagram Stories do give some users the opportunity to add links – but only if their Instagram profile has over 10,000 Instagram followers!
The good news? There are some super-simple ways that all brands – from marketers to small businesses to large companies – can utilize the Instagram link in bio efficiently to help them achieve their marketing goals. However, for brands who have converted their Instagram account to an Instagram business profile, there are a few other links that are included within their Instagram profile (but they aren’t all that customizable).When you opt for a business Instagram account, you can also include links for “Call,” “Email,” and “Directions.” With those contact options, users can call you, send you an email, or receive directions to your location – all with just one click. Yes, they’re technically links. But your Instagram bio link is the only one that is truly customizable.
This might all sound very limiting, but if you’re a Sked Social user there’s good news! We recently launched a completely free tool called Sked Link. This Instagram bio tool lets you use just one custom URL on your Instagram profile. This one clickable link can drive traffic to different web pages every time you publish a post.
So, How Do You Choose the Right Instagram Bio Link?
These days, it’s not enough just to stand out on Instagram and have a killer profile picture and post compelling content every day – although that certainly helps! Like other social networks, your Instagram marketing strategy should be about using content strategically, allowing you to work towards specific social media marketing objectives. But it’s also about ensuring users have clear CTAs so they can flow down your path to conversion seamlessly. All this means that your Instagram bio link is crucial. After all, when you only get the one clickable link to use, it starts to carry a lot of importance! You need to use links strategically to ensure your Instagram followers actually click on them.
But having one Instagram bio link is problematic, especially when you’re posting frequently and you have several different pages, posts, and campaigns that you want to send users to. So, if you’re wondering how to put links in your Instagram bio without having to change it every five minutes, keep reading to discover the best solution to this problem.Ultimately, this issue doesn’t need to be complicated for marketers. It all comes back to your original Instagram goals.
Ask yourself this: when you started using Instagram, what was your main goal?
For instance, perhaps you wanted to educate and engage your Instagram followers about your products or services? Maybe you wanted to drive sales for a specific new product? Or perhaps you just wanted to increase involvement in a particular campaign? Remember, your Instagram marketing strategy is just part of the puzzle – a singular element in your brand’s overall social media marketing strategy.
Think back on what you were aiming to accomplish with Instagram in the first place, and that will help you better discern which of the following link options could be the best choice for your brand’s unique objectives.
And feel free to test and measure with Sked Link!
7 Clever Ways to Use Links in Your Instagram Bio
You already know that you can include a link to your brand’s homepage in your Instagram bio – and, in many cases, that’s a logical choice. But what if you’re looking to achieve something different? There are plenty of other places you can send your Instagram followers. For instance, you may want to send them to a competition landing page or drive traffic to a specific product page. Either way, here are a few different ideas for how you can use your Instagram bio link.
1. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to any webpage with Sked Link
The first and easiest way to use links in your Instagram bio is via Sked Link. Sked Link gives you a custom URL that you can use as the link in bio on your Instagram account. This clickable link opens a menu with a few commonly used links, such as a link to your website, a link to your blog, or a link to a product page for a specific item you may have been promoting lately.What that means is, by using Sked Link, you can share more than one link in your Insta bio and redirect your followers to any website, landing page, or blog post you like, according to the topic of your recent posts.The best part? With Sked Link, we automatically add UTM tags for Google Analytics tracking, and you can add your Facebook Pixel for remarketing to users who have visited your link.That said, you won’t need to dive into any complicated Google Analytics data if you don’t want to, because we’ll compile all your link data in one place!To get started, head over to our dashboard and create a custom URL. You can customize the design, links, styling, and more to match your brand. Here’s a quick walkthrough:
- Head on over to app.sked.link.
- Enter the email you’d like to sign up with.
- You’ll now need to enter your Instagram username, without the @. Once done, click add.
- After a few seconds, you’ll be redirected to your very own Sked Link dashboard. This is where you’ll be able to set up and customize your personalized Sked Link. All changes made are automatically saved and will show up in the draft preview on your right.
- If you’re happy with the outcome, go ahead and click publish.
How cool is that? The best part about this special link in bio tool is that you can also use Sked Social’s inbuilt analytics to track how many clicks each individual post generates. That way, you’ll know which types of content work best for you. That means you’ll be able to learn about what’s working more quickly, allowing you to post more of the stuff that works for your audience – and less of the stuff that doesn’t!
Collaborate effortlessly, save time and spend less
Why settle for a lackluster social media management tool when you could be using Sked Social? With unlimited collaborator access, streamlined approvals and advanced auto-post technology that lets you schedule to all major platforms, Sked Social offers everything you need.
Get Started for FREE
2. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to a contest or giveaway.
There’s no denying it: we all love to win prizes. When you’ve watched hordes of sports fans literally elbow each other just to catch a free, oversized t-shirt that’s been shot from a cannon, you know that fact is true. Sure, competitions can be crazy at times. But all this hype also means that running Insta contests and giveaways can be particularly powerful.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of options when it comes to competitions you can run for your own Instagram followers. From photo contests to simple Insta giveaways, you’ve got plenty of choices.
Of course, today a lot of competitions are run on social media. But, for people who miss your advertisement or your initial post announcing the start of the contest, you can always create a dedicated landing page that explains things like the rules, timeline, and prize for your competition. Then, simply use your link in bio to link to that landing page in your Instagram bio.When your Instagram followers click that Instagram bio, they’ll get all of those need-to-know details in one convenient place (as opposed to having to search for a specific Instagram post to find them).All you need to do is create a post for your Instagram feed to promote your contest, update your link in bio and start to drive traffic to your landing page. Instruct your Instagram followers to click your link in bio to get more information or enter to win (like marketing expert and Instagram influencer, Jenna Kutcher, did below).It’s a sure-fire way to drive traffic and engagement on your website!
Need some more help? Here's how you can run a successful Instagram contest.
3. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to a blog post
That standard “link in bio” language you see in Instagram captions is nothing new – in fact, you’ve probably seen a lot of brands and marketers use this CTA. Most often, marketers use the link in bio to direct Instagram followers to a specific blog post that a brand has published. They’ll share a relevant image or video alongside a caption as a teaser, and then use a CTA which will instruct people to visit their bio and click the link to keep reading.
But how do you entice users to click? Well, here’s how:
- Use a short video with tips or tricks and then host the full video within a blog on your website. Your video for social should only be 15-60 seconds
- Add a blog post teaser and include one or more tips within your post to entice users to want to read more
- Add a teaser for recent news but include the bulk of the update in a link on your website
If you aren’t already using this tactic, it’s a great way to switch things up from just having your website homepage in your Instagram bio. And, if one of your goals was to inform and educate your Instagram followers, adding a clickable link that leads to a helpful blog post is a great way to do that. Of course, this means you’ll be changing your Instagram bio link pretty frequently (likely every time you publish a new blog post).The only potential downside? If followers click through to your older posts that instruct them to visit the “link in your bio,” that link will likely have since been updated and will no longer take them to their desired location. However, you run that risk anytime you’re promoting an ever-changing link in your bio – not just when you’re promoting blog posts.
4. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to a freebie.
Want to truly delight your Instagram followers? Rather than running a competition, offer users something totally free. Use your Instagram bio to send people to a landing page. There, they can opt-in to receive something for free, whether it’s a coupon code or a digital download for a PDF that teaches them something new.
From checklists to templates to worksheets to lists of tips and resources, there are so many valuable resources you can give people via your Instagram bio, while also solidifying their relationship with your brand. But what’s in it for you? Giving things away for free can seem counterintuitive, especially if you’re a small business. After all, isn’t the point of marketing ultimately to make money? Well, when users are claiming their freebie on your landing page, set up your landing page so that they are required to enter their name and email address to receive their freebie. The freebie doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. It could simply be a supplementary product to your main product line, a free shipping code, a small free gift, or just $15 off their first order. As a result, you’ll grow your email list quickly and start to truly create measurable, impactful results with your Instagram marketing efforts.
5. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to a specific website page.
Remember when we mentioned the importance of evaluating your social media marketing goals in order to determine which link is the most appropriate for your Instagram bio? When you’re solidifying your social media marketing objectives and better understanding your audience, you might come up with a particular landing page (other than your homepage) that makes sense to send people to.
For example, if your goal was to increase sales, perhaps you’ll use that bio space to include a link to your products page. Or, if your aim was to foster a reputation as a thought leader in your industry, maybe you’ll include a link to one of your best thought leadership articles. National Geographic, for example, likely knows that their Instagram followers are there for a particular reason: to see amazing shots from all around the world. As a result, they use their Instagram bio link to send people to the photography page of their website, where those visitors can see even more awesome images. It’s a tactic that is highly relevant to the platform (since Instagram is so visual), yet is also appeals to their audience’s interests.
So, sit down and ask yourself if there’s a particular website page or campaign that makes sense to direct people to. Remember; your audience on social media might be different than your overall marketing audience (especially since Insta users tend to skew slightly younger). That means it’s important to do some detective work to figure out what sort of content would strike a chord on each platform.
6. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to a video.
We all know that video content is particularly engaging on Instagram. In fact, research shows that four times as many consumers would prefer to watch a video about a product than to read about it.
It’s important to remember that, in most cases, people are going to click your Instagram link in bio if they’re interested in finding out more about your brand. They want to know who you are and what you’re about – immediately!So, rather than sending them to your homepage where they need to read through paragraphs of copy and headlines, why not direct them toward a video?
Create a short (aim for around two minutes), attention-grabbing brand video. The video should communicate what you offer and who you serve. That’s important information for people to have when deciding whether or not you’re a brand that they would like to follow and interact with.A video is an incredibly compelling way to promote your brand, while also letting your target audience know that they’re in the right place.
7. Use links in your Instagram bio to send people to multiple pages.
We know what you’re thinking now: Wait… what? I thought I could only promote a single link in my Instagram bio! How could I possibly manage to send people to multiple pages? What sort of witchcraft are you talking about? True, Instagram itself only allows for one clickable link. But, in this age of hacks and technology, you can bet that various companies have developed workarounds for that ever-prevalent link in bio issue – including Sked Social! Some services offer a free version while others are available through paid plans.
Sked Link is available for free to Sked Social users. Check it out.
Where Else Can You Include Links?
There are plenty of awesome places you can send your Instagram followers using the link in your bio. But, fortunately, your Instagram bio link isn’t the only way you can drive traffic to a specific site or a landing page. If you’ve opted for a business profile and have over 10,000 Instagram followers, you should also be using links in your Instagram Stories.
For brands, Instagram Stories are another place where they can link followers directly to another page. And, when that link limit in your bio can be so frustrating, this is a feature you should absolutely be taking advantage of! If you have over 10,000 Instagram followers and you have a business Instagram profile, all you need to do is start creating an Instagram Story. When creating your Instagram Story, you should see a link button at the top of the screen that looks a little like a paperclip icon. Click it, enter your desired URL, and then add a call to action (or CTA) in your story to instruct users to swipe up. That might be you speaking in a video or it might simply be a text overlay that instructs them to swipe up and follow that link. Use this tactic, and you’re sure to drive traffic to whichever location you like. Believe it or not, Instagram Stories get 15-25% swipe-through rates for brands. One of the best and easiest ways to add clickable links to your Instagram Stories is to do it using Sked. You can find instructions on how to enable your account to post to Instagram stories in this article.
Ready to Leverage Your Link?
Think you can only use your Instagram link in bio to send followers to your website homepage? Think again. There are so many other places you can send your Instagram followers to further engage and delight them. So, don’t hesitate to get a little creative with that link in bio! The more strategic thought you put into it, the more engagement you’ll see on Instagram.
This really applies to all your social media platforms; you need to combine interesting, creative content with strategic thought and well-placed CTAs and links.
If you’re looking to carve out hours in your social media workflow, sign up for Sked’s 7-day trial. Our all-in-one Instagram scheduler allows you to automatically post images, carousels, Stories, videos, and more. Better yet, it also works for Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other major social networks! Add locations, users, hashtags, and products and manage all your hashtags in one place to save 5+ hours every week.