Put one main offer first, a free option second and a link that matches your latest post third. Keep the page to about five choices, label every link with what happens after the tap, and track which link turns into sales. A bio link is a funnel, not a directory: every extra option makes the decision harder.
The five slots of a link in bio that sells
| Position | What goes there | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Your main paid offer | Most taps land on the first link; give it to the thing you most want to sell this month |
| 2 | A free option: guide, checklist or newsletter | Catches visitors who are not ready to buy and starts a list you own |
| 3 | The link your latest post talks about | People arrive from one post; meet them with what it promised |
| 4 | A booking link, if you sell calls or services | Higher-priced offers often need a conversation first |
| 5 | Proof: results, testimonials, press | Answers “why trust you?” before the visitor leaves |
Everything else (old launches, every social profile, a podcast from two years ago) belongs on a store or an about page, not in the first five links.
Examples by type of creator
| Creator | Link 1 (main offer) | Link 2 (free) | Link 3 (latest post) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness coach | 12-week training plan | Free 7-day starter workout | This week's mobility routine |
| Designer | Brand template kit | Free logo checklist | The rebrand case study from today's post |
| Podcaster | Paid bonus episodes | Weekly newsletter | The episode you just posted |
These are illustrations, not data from real accounts. The pattern is the same in each: something to buy, something free, and the thing the visitor came for.
Instagram and TikTok link rules
- Instagram lets every account add up to five links to the profile and drag them into order (Search Engine Land, April 2023). Five links are still five separate destinations, so many creators point the first one at a single page that holds all their offers.
- TikTok shows a clickable website link in the bio for personal accounts with more than 1,000 followers, or for a verified business account (Shopify, July 2026). Below that, put the link in your other profiles and point to them.
- Use the same link everywhere so buyers learn one address, and change what is on the page rather than the link itself.
Write the bio text that sends people to the link
The words above the link decide whether anyone taps it. Use one line for who you help and how (“I help new runners finish their first 10K”), one line for proof if you have it, and one line that points at the link with a reason to tap now (“Free 4-week plan below”). Change that last line whenever the first link changes.
Label links like buttons
A label should say what the visitor gets, not what the thing is called. Verbs and outcomes beat nouns:
| Weak label | Stronger label |
|---|---|
| Shop | Get the 12-week training plan ($49) |
| Newsletter | Free: my weekly meal-prep list |
| Coaching | Book a 30-minute strategy call |
| New video | Watch: how I edit Reels in 10 minutes |
Track which link actually sells
Taps are not sales. Add a source to each link you share so your analytics can split visits and purchases by platform, for example ?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=bio on Instagram and ?utm_source=tiktok&utm_medium=bio on TikTok. Then compare three numbers per source each week: taps on the bio link, checkouts started and purchases. Fix the weakest step first: low taps point at the bio text, few checkouts at the order of links, unfinished checkouts at the checkout itself.
Common mistakes
- Ten equal buttons with no main offer.
- A top link that does not match what the latest post promised.
- Links that open another link page, then a checkout on a third site.
- No free option, so visitors who are not ready to buy simply leave.
- Never checking which link sells, so the page never improves.
If the page is mostly offers you sell, a list of outbound links is not enough: buyers should be able to pay on the next screen. That is the difference between a link list and a link in bio that sells.
Frequently asked questions
How many links should I put in my bio?
About five. One main offer, one free option, the link from your latest post, a booking link if you sell calls, and proof. More options make the choice harder; group the rest in a store.
Should I use Instagram's five links or one link-in-bio page?
Instagram allows up to five links, but each one sends people to a different place. Many creators point the first link at one page that holds all their offers and use the others for the one or two destinations people look for most.
Can I sell directly from my link in bio?
Yes, if the page has checkout. A link-in-bio page with a store lets buyers pay on the next screen instead of jumping to another site.
What should I write in my bio above the link?
One line on who you help and how, one line of proof, and one line that tells people what they get from the link right now. Update the last line when the first link changes.
How often should I change my bio link?
Keep the address the same and update what is on the page: move the link your latest post talks about to the top, and move it down once the post is a week old.
