The Best Link-in-Bio Strategy That Even Social Media Marketers Miss
Every company on Instagram has a “link in bio” these days. Countless services like Linkin, Linktree and Campsite have cropped up over the years to overcome the IG challenge of not being able to share actionable hyperlinks in post captions. To take matters into its own hands, in 2023, the photo app—sorry, video app—even expanded its native link-in-bio feature to allow brands to share up to five links.
Problem solved! Except, not really.
There’s one problem with both solutions that even experienced social media marketers miss, and it’s causing you to leak lots of SEO juice.
What’s a link-in-bio service anyway?
Most social network platforms, including TikTok, provide only one link in your profile bio. The problem is that most brands have a lot more than one call-to-action or campaign at a time. Users need to be able to participate in your current giveaway, read the most recent blog post you mentioned, visit your case studies landing page, check out your privacy policy, etc.
Enter link-in-bio services.
These linking platforms let brands create a single landing page with a list of near-infinite links so that they can place only one URL in their social media profile bio. The days of forgetting to replace a link in your Instagram bio when one campaign ends and another begins are over. Add links, set timelines, et voilà. There are even visually engaging options that replicate the post graphics on IG or TikTok rather than simply showing a blue, underlined line of text, so users can more easily find the link they want. It’s a useful and wonderful tool, no doubt. And yet…
What’s a better link-in-bio alternative?
If you already have to add and remove URLs from the link-in-bio tools, and you already have a website, you might as well put that time and energy into updating a link list on your own domain. Using a link-in-bio platform isn’t a bad idea, but owning the page for yourself is much better for a variety of reasons.
1. Streamlined user experience 🔀
When someone clicks that Linktree link in your bio, they land on the Linktree domain. Users are rerouted to a third-party landing page before getting to their final destination. While some of your links may be to other sites, a lot of them will likely be to landing pages or blog posts on your site. So, you might as well keep those users where you really want them: in your marketing ecosystem.
2. Search engine optimization (SEO) 🔍
When a user clicks on your link in bio and then chooses to visit that partner site you mentioned in your recent IG post, everyone benefits from the SEO… but you. Instagram gets a click, the link-in-bio service gets a click, and the partner site gets a click. You, on the other hand, get nada. Owning the link list on your domain ensures you get SEO value, too. You’re doing the work, so you should reap the rewards.
3. More control and personality 💅
Most link-in-bio tools let you update colors and add your logo, but they’re nowhere near as branded as your website. Creating a link-in-bio landing page on your domain grants you far more control than a third-party tool does. You can add an introduction, an animation or even a video to curate a more holistic branded experience.
4. Data you can actually access 📊
Sure, link-in-bio services may provide basic metrics, like clicks per link or traffic sources, but your website offers far richer analytics. Own your page, and tools like Google Analytics or Matomo can give you greater visibility over user paths, dwell time, conversion points—insights you can’t get with a link-in-bio platform. Plus, you can add UTM parameters to your links to track marketing campaigns even better.
What are the best practices for a link-in-bio landing page?
Just hosting a link-in-bio list on your own domain isn’t enough; you need to make sure it’s a great experience. Here are five tips on how to elevate your links:
- Use descriptive anchor text, like “Shop our new snack line” or “Meet our team of toymakers,” to stand out, drive action and be on brand.
- Include headings in a logical hierarchical structure (h1, h2) so search engines and visually impaired users can understand the content.
- Ensure simple navigation. Having greater control does not mean you have to “do the most.” People are only on the page to get somewhere else.
- User experience (UX) matters. If your website lacks a clean, responsive design or fast load speeds, use a link-in-bio service until you can deliver an impeccable UX.
- Add visuals that match the corresponding social media post, if possible, to make the process seamless. Besides, it’s boring to see just a list of links.
How do I make the change?
If you’re ready to make your bio link do more for your brand, it’s time to shift from a third-party tool to your own website. At Elevate My Brand, we can build a landing page on your site that not only functions the same as a link-in-bio service but also empowers you to reclaim your traffic, own your SEO, and keep your voice.
Cody H. Owens,
Content Director