There are over 35 million business profiles on Instagram, and it’s easy to see why. With 300 million users visiting at least one company profile daily and one-third of the most-viewed Stories coming from businesses, it’s one of the best places to be when you want brand exposure.
Instagram has a lot of benefits for its business users, namely:
- A company bio where you introduce your brand and what you have to offer.
- Access to Instagram Insights that deliver performance statistics for your account and posts. You can see what content works and what doesn’t and who your followers are based on demographics like gender, age, city, country, and periods of greatest activity.
- A Contact button that puts visitors in touch with you by email or phone without having to click off your profile.
Where Instagram has traditionally been weak is its linking policies. Unlike Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, you can’t include links in your posts. You can add them to captions, but the URLs won’t be clickable: your visitors will have to copy and paste them in their browser, which is inconvenient when using a smartphone.
Fortunately, Instagram allows all accounts, regardless of follower count, to add link stickers in Stories, DMs, and Instagram Ads. This is a major win for small businesses looking to drive traffic without needing a massive audience. You can also add a single link to your company bio page. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you know how to use it, it can increase your Instagram followers, attract new customers, and grow the company.
The Instagram Bio Link Explained
Most businesses use their bio link to connect their website to their Instagram profile. Nothing wrong with doing that, but try thinking of this link as a billboard: to increase interest and engagement, you’ll want to switch it up now and again. Below are some ways that other businesses have used their links- feel free to try one, or all, of them.
Link to an ‘About Us’ Page
You only have 150 characters to work with on your business Instagram page, which limits you to a sweet but short overview. By linking to the ‘About Us’ section on your website, you can share more information about the company, such as:
- The story of your business and why it was started
- The customers it serves
- Information about how your products are made
If you specialize in cruelty-free cosmetics, using your bio link to highlight biographical information can attract those who are extremely discerning when it comes to which businesses they support.
Announce a Product Launch
Everyone loves to be the first to know about and try something. If you’re launching a new skincare line, productivity app, fall fashion line, or anything else that your followers will want to know about, direct your bio link to a dedicated landing page that tells them what, when, and how (to buy). You can even maximize your marketing efforts by including a form where they can input their email address to receive future offers.
Advertise a Sale or Limited-Time Discount
Nothing compels action (and click-throughs) like a sense of urgency. Use your link to announce seasonal sales, pre-launch discounts, and other offers that can introduce more Instagram users to your brand and convert them into loyal customers.
Offer a Free Product Sample
The only thing that’s better than a discount or sale is a free sample. Linking to a lead magnet page that offers a free product upgrade, download, or sample is a great way to collect contact information and market to your target customers directly.
Link to Your Most Popular Product or Service
When you’ve got hundreds (possibly thousands) of Instagram users checking out your business page, it makes sense to put your best foot forward. Did your line of purple office widgets get a few influencers raving? Are your handmade vegan vinyl purses being featured in publications dedicated to sustainable style? Each week, direct your link in bio to a different best seller to increase awareness of your product line and benefit from some extra sales.
Create a Links Page
Sometimes one link simply isn’t enough. Fortunately, there are some tricks that overcome Instagram’s one-link rule.
- Linktree was one of the first tools created for this purpose. You use it to build a mobile-friendly landing page with links that you want to share, such as your website, blog, and other social media accounts. Once your Linktree page is set up, all you have to do is direct your link to its custom URL.
- Lnk.Bio has a free version that gives you unlimited links on your custom landing page, but not a branded URL (which Linktree provides). If this is an issue, a one-time payment of $9.99 includes a custom address as well as linking tracking and statistics.
- Linkin.bio by Later creates a shoppable landing page. If you have a Shopify store, you can connect it to your Linkin.bio account to tag products in your Instagram posts. No Shopify? Simply link Instagram posts to website product pages. Your followers can then shop for your products from the link in your bio.
What’s the Bottom Line?
When you want to attract more Instagram followers and convert them into customers, that single bio link carries a lot more marketing power than you might think. Setting up and optimizing a linking strategy doesn’t take a lot of time or effort and, when done right, can convert casual visitors into dedicated brand ambassadors. The power of one has never been better illustrated.
