With nearly one billion active users, Instagram is one of the largest and most popular social networks around. It is also one of the most powerful advertising platforms available for businesses and individuals.
Starting a business on Instagram is not an easy task and requires extensive knowledge of the platform. One of the first things beginners should learn is Instagram’s notorious link policy. If you want to start your own Instagram business, read on to find out if the platform allows links.
Does Instagram Allow Links?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, Instagram allows links in the bio section. No, Instagram does not allow links anywhere else. That’s it when it comes to free and clickable links.
On the other hand, if you’re willing to dig into your pockets and pay for links, Instagram offers you ads. There are currently five types of ads on the menu – photos, carousels, videos, slideshows, and stories.
link in bio
If you have a regular profile, you will be limited to only one clickable link in your bio section. Therefore, you should be very careful when placing links in your bio. Here are some ideas on how to use your free link:
- You can link to your blog. If you run a blog and have an Instagram account, you can use your bio link to increase the traffic your blog gets. Alternatively, you can link to a specific related post.
- If you have a product that you sell, post the link to the product page in your bio to increase sales.
- If you’re running a contest outside of Instagram, it might be a good idea to link to a sweepstakes or contest.
- You can also link to a video. Whether you’re supporting a noble cause or promoting your own product, a short and powerful video presentation can go a long way.
On the other hand, business profiles have a few additional links at their disposal. They are not that customizable. Additional links available to business profiles include:
- The “call” link contains the company landline or mobile home phone number.
- The “Email” link contains the official email address of the company.
- The “Directions” link usually takes users to a page with instructions on how to get to the company’s main office or store.
Because of their predetermined names and roles, using these links for anything else is pretty pointless.
Regular Posts and Comments
Except in the bio section of your profile, you may not post links that you have not paid for anywhere else. This is because of Instagram’s strict and fast policy against connecting, which the app has maintained since its inception. The way things are, this rule isn’t about to change anytime soon.
Sure, you can paste a link in the title of your post, but this will appear as plain text once posted. Also, if you try to paste a link in a comment, it will also be displayed as plain text.
Surprisingly, this policy has worked well for Instagram. According to a Shopify case study conducted and published in 2015, Instagram was the number one traffic source for test jobs. For the purposes of the study, a T-shirt sales business was established and monitored during the first few weeks. All of the traffic from Instagram came from the link in the bio section.
Link Building with Instagram Ads
While maintaining a strict “no free links” policy, Instagram allows its users to add links to their paid posts (ads). As mentioned earlier, there are five types of ads you can do, and all of them may contain external links. Here’s a quick overview of available ad types:
- Photos are the easiest way to advertise on Instagram.
- Video ads are another great way to advertise. The time limit is set at 60 seconds (originally only 15 seconds).
- If you’re advertising multiple products, carousels may be the right choice. You can have up to ten photos in a single rotating gallery.
- Stories can contain both photos and videos and will self-destruct after a certain period of time (very similar to Snapchat stories).
- Slideshows are actually videos made up of still images. It will be shown to users as a video.
Solution
With almost a billion active users, Instagram is slowly becoming an indispensable tool for building a successful online business. That’s why it’s essential to learn the ropes before you start building your business on the platform. Learning about Instagram’s link policy is a great way to get started.
