Instagram is coming for "link in bio" providers by bulking up the number of links it allows in people's bios.
Instagram will now allow up to five links per Instagram bio, up from one, meaning users can lead followers to an online business, donation site, favorite brand, competing social network, or whatever deep, dark corner of the internet they're into.
A top request among creators, the function is set to take on tools like Linktree, Beacons, Sprout Social, and Linkin.bio, among others—which have stepped in to help people link out to multiple sources, from Patreons to liketoknow storefronts.
Instagram and TikTok have long eschewed multiple links out of fear they would direct people away from the platform and decrease engagement, according to TechCrunch(Opens in a new window). (Instagram still doesn't support links on actual posts.) But now that TikTok is under scrutiny by western governments, Instagram hopes to take the social media lead with expanded access to links for "all accounts," businesses and creators included.
To fill up your five-link allowance, tap Edit profile > Links > Add external link; leave the URL as is, or add a title. When finished, click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner to drag and drop each site into your preferred order. The first one will appear in your bio, with a note of how many "other links" you've included.
Instagram scans links to ensure they abide by its Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, and promises to continue supporting link-in-bio tools, so your carefully curated Linktree will live on alongside individual hyperlinks.
"Sorry it took so long," Instagram head Adam Mosseri said in a Tuesday video(Opens in a new window), calling this "a solid finally feature."
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