Link In Bio – Choosing the Right Link Service for You
The pros and cons of the 3 top link in bio services
“Shop online via our website—link in bio!”
“Learn more and book your first appointment through the link in our bio.”
“This is a developing story, stay updated through the link in our bio.”
Does this sound familiar? Odds are, it does. On Instagram, users can’t put clickable links into captions. Why the social media giant chose to do this is anyone’s guess, but it has led to a clear trend: link in bio.
We’re inspired lately to talk about links and the services that help people use them. That’s because Instagram has recently launched a long-awaited feature: the ability to have up to five clickable links in your bio, rather than just the one. This is definitely a handy feature that has led many to ask whether the link in bio services they use are still worth it.
Many accounts will be just fine with the new limit of five links. However, some businesses may still prefer to use a third-party service. Here’s why:
Link in bio services allow you to include far more than five links
Many services offer a customizable, stylish look to the link page to help you stay on brand
A single link in your bio can help your page look more clean and organized
Link pages allow you to edit the name and appearance of each link to let users know what it is (rather than just a mysterious URL)
With that said, what exactly is a link service? Which ones are most popular right now? And how do you decide which option works for you? Let’s have a look.
What are social media link services?
Rather than cluttering post captions with hyperlinks, Instagram users have the option to put a clickable link in their profile bio. And while this can be a great choice if you only have one link to share (e.g. your e-commerce site or ‘contact’ page), it also presents an issue. What if you have more than one link that you want users to be able to access?
As many will already know, the answer to this issue is link services—a simple landing page that allows users to browse a handful of links via the one in your bio. This means that a user can now access your website, an event sign-up form, a LinkedIn page you made for your cat, and anything else you want to show, all from a single link in your Instagram bio.
While there are a number of link services available out there, a few have risen to the top as being preferred by marketers, businesses, and regular users alike. In this article, we’ll be going over three of the top link in bio options, and going over the pros and cons of each. Let’s take a look!
LinkTree
At one time, no linking service dominated the social media space like LinkTree. There was even a point where it looked like it could become the default wording (kind of like calling all bandages ‘Band-Aids’ or all tissues ‘Kleenex’). However, we’ve come to find that LinkTree simply isn’t up to snuff for today’s modern marketing landscape.
Namely, LinkTree offers very little in the way of customization, meaning it can be difficult to keep your LinkTree feeling on-brand with your other materials. While LinkTree is a ‘freemium’ product with many free or low-cost options, we no longer consider it the gold standard when trying to create something that appeals to prospects and customers.
2. Liinks.co
As a standalone link service, we prefer Liinks in basically every way. Offering all the functionality of other services, but also having extensive customization and modding options, this is a versatile, clean-looking service that has everything you could want for social media. Because the look of your Liinks page is so customizable, it makes it simple to design something that feels aligned with the brands of our clients. However, because the service is solely centred around links, we’ve come to love another service even more—especially when it comes to e-commerce.
3. StanStore
Links in bio are cool and everything, but what if we just levelled up our whole idea of what a link could really be? Rather than being a simple landing page to collect links to your e-store and other important pages, StanStore takes it a step further. StanStore is a powerful, flexible, easy-to-use application that allows you to create your very own social media store. People can purchase directly from you in just a few clicks, making the sales funnel more efficient and streamlined for your users.
StanStore doesn’t take a cut of your profits either, instead opting for a flat-rate subscription fee that doesn’t increase with your sales. Plus, it offers solid customization options, secure payments, and even other applications such as event sign-up and scheduling meetings.
StanStore is a super flexible program that allows us to make social media work harder for us and our clients—and we can’t recommend it enough.
Nail the details of your social media strategy
As you can see, something as seemingly simple as the link in your bio can be reimagined to be more effective for your business and online growth. And while most know the importance of these small details, we also understand how difficult it can be to find the time to perfect them.
That’s where BNL comes in. Our Social Media Strategy Calls are your opportunity to get a detailed, thorough audit of your Instagram presence. We go over every aspect, outlining your strengths and opportunities for improvement on all the little things that can make a big difference—including your link in bio!
If you’re ready to take your social media marketing to the next level, BNL and our team of Unicorns are here to support you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!