Limitation often inspires tremendous creativity and lateral thinking, and possibly the best example of that is found with the almost limitless potential found in just three simple words: link in bio.
The circumstances that lead to the frequent signoff of Instagram and TikTok posts of “link in bio” are not universally loved, but whilst there are some who would prefer social media posts to allow multiple links, other influencers and social media businesses have made the most of limitations.
Whilst it is true that only having a single link stops a social media post from being able to link to a unique page every time, it also allows for some very clever funnels which could potentially lead to higher conversions.
To explain why, we need to explain why “link in bio” even exists.
Why Is The Link In The Bio?
The term “link in bio” comes primarily from Instagram, who unlike Twitter and Facebook at the time did not allow clickable links to be posted in the captions of pictures, and since it was not easy to copy and paste text from the captions on the mobile app, effectively outlawed linking out.
The logic behind this was to prevent spam, particularly since there were no website previews available on Instagram at the time, unlike Facebook and Twitter, so this would be a way to keep users safe.
The only exception to this was that every Instagram account could have one link prominently placed in their user bio, intended to link to a website or main content channel.
Eventually, users got very savvy on how this could be used and the phrase has since become common parlance not only on Instagram but also on TikTok and almost every other social media site, even if they allow URL links.
Here are some common ways to make the most of the link in bio space.
Add A Landing Page
Instagram’s restriction to a single link in bio led to the development of landing pages that simply consisted of all of a user’s other associated links, including not only other social media pages but also online stores, affiliate links, music and video pages depending on the nature of the business.
They are probably the most obvious fix to the link in bio issue, and whilst Instagram themselves tried to ban sites such as Linktree, ultimately it has since become the most common way to advertise all of your social media presence at once, and not only out of necessity.
Regularly Refresh Your Bio
An alternate strategy that has also become incredibly successful is to take the opposite approach; instead of having one link that ensures that customers can access anything they want, have just one that everyone will tap and regularly change where it goes.
This is particularly useful if you have a business model based on limited edition sales, drops or releases that are by their design intended to be ephemeral.
Many brands will link to their newest products, promotions, giveaways or sponsorships, and this can be even more effective than a landing page at converting depending on the content’s appeal.
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