Don’t waste the link at the top of your bio! Make sure it’s something you really want your audience to click, because it’s the only clickable link you get (for free) on Instagram! 

If you have spent some time researching Instagram marketing, you’ve probably heard that one before. But I have another tip that’ll help you take this advice all the way home and get more clicks to the destinations where you want to send your potential customers. 

First, like I said, the link at the top of the bio is the only clickable link in all of Instagram. 

Because there’s only one link to work with, some people change that link often, and add a call to action on their photo posts to encourage people to “click the link in my bio.” Here’s a lovely, shabby-chic example: 

But there is another way to make the most of this link without having to constantly switch it out. 

It’s by including a call to action in your bio itself.

I know! So simple. So obvious. So… under-utilized. 

Here’s an example of the IG account for the San Diego Zoo. They’ve posted a link to what turns out to be a pretty awesome contest. 

But I guess they don’t want us to click on the link all that much.

How do I know? Well … do they ‘splain what they link is? Do they even use the word “click”? Nope! 

The emoji next to the link is disabled in the image above, but it happens to be this: 

Which, yes, it’s adorable.

But it’s also a little sad and bedraggled, like it’s thinking “What do I have to do with the link below me? Why is the owner of this account wasting a precious character on li’l ole me?  

With a following of over 350 THOUSAND Instagram users, perhaps San Diego Zoo can afford to leave out its call to action.

A lot of people are going to see their bio and a lot of people are probably going to click. 

But if you have a much more modest following, as most of us do, then maximize: 

1. your chances of being found in Instagram search (by including relevant keywords in your bio)

2. your chances of getting that new user from Instagram to the page of your choosing by telling them in the bio exactly what to do next once they have found you. 

Instagram maven Sue B. Zimmerman uses the arrow as a CTA. Saves space and gets the message across: 

Birchbox does it with the Ole Faithful, aka the Pointer Emoji

The Brilliant Business Moms do it by spelling it out: 

But no matter how you do, try it. Let me know what you think or how this helps you!