The platform has billions of active users, providing quick access to one of the largest audiences. That’s not its only appeal. With 67% of Gen Zs saying they use Instagram for search, you don’t just get a passive audience; you get access to people who are actively looking for information and products you may have.
However, it’s not always smooth sailing on Instagram. Things can get a little complicated when it comes to the platform’s links. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.
This guide takes an in-depth look at Instagram links, exploring what they are, where to add them, and how to use them strategically for better click-through rates.
What Is an Instagram Link?
An Instagram link is any clickable URL on your content, messages, or profile that leads users to a different page. It can direct your audience to:
Another destination on Instagram, such as your Shop
A product page on your website
An online store
A blog post
An event RSVP or ticket sale page
An appointment booking page
An app download page
A WhatsApp chat
Basically, any destination with a URL.
Where Can You Add Instagram Links?
Instagram is pretty restrictive compared to LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). Unlike these platforms, it doesn’t allow outbound links on the feed. The reason? It wants users to stay on the platform for as long as possible, increasing their likelihood of engaging with content, viewing ads, and scrolling through the app.
Despite this limitation, Instagram is still valuable for linking. Here’s where and how you can add URLs on the platform:
Your Bio
The link in bio is the most popular Instagram link. It’s the only clickable URL on your profile, appearing right below your bio.
Instagram is relatively flexible with this link placement. You can direct your audience to a wide range of destinations, including your website, other social media pages, or your online store. You can also use a link-in-bio tool to share multiple links.
Take content creator Abbie Herbert, for example. She has multiple links in her bio that direct profile visitors to her Amazon baby registry, YouTube channel, and Linktree landing page (which contains her Amazon storefront, X, TikTok, and ShopMy links).
To help visitors better understand our product and audience, we place multiple helpful links directly in our Instagram bio. These include links to our blog, RPA tutorials, and a Linktree landing page, making it easy for users to explore different resources based on their interests.
To add links to your bio:
Open your Instagram app.
Tap the profile icon.
Click Edit profile.
Tap Links, then Add external link.
Add your URLs.
Tap Accept when you’re done.
Note: You can only add up to 5 links in your bio. If you need to share more, use a link-in-bio tool like Linktree.
Your Story
If you’re like many content creators, your Stories receive more traffic than your profile on any given day. This makes the feature valuable real estate for your links.
Whether you want to increase sales, share offers, or direct viewers to your website, this is the place for you.
Instagram Stories allow you to add clickable link stickers, eliminating the need to share your entire link. These stickers not only help maintain aesthetic posts, but also let you hint at your links’ destinations. For example, you can use “Product X” for a link sticker intended to direct Story viewers to the item’s product page.
Take football club Manchester United, for example. It has labeled its link sticker “Our legends and fans approve,” rather than simply pasting its online store URL. This is an excellent way to give its products a little more credibility.
To add a link to Instagram Stories:
Create a Story.
Tap the sticker icon.
Select Link from the provided options.
Add your destination URL.
Customize the text that’ll appear on the link sticker. You can also leave the “Sticket text” section blank if you don’t want to. Without the text, Instagram will display the attached link as is in your Story.
Tap Done when you’re done.
Customize the link sticker — change its font and color to match your brand or preferred aesthetic.
Tap the right arrow to post the link (and your Story content).
Direct Messages (DMs)
Sharing Instagram links via DMs is straightforward. You simply need to copy your destination’s URL and paste it into your messages.
DM links come in handy when:
Customers ask for more brand or product information: You can share your website’s link instead of writing lengthy paragraphs.
You want to streamline booking: Share your appointment scheduling landing page instead of going back and forth with clients trying to confirm slot availability.
You want to direct customers to another channel: Share email links with clients for formal communications, such as returns and complaints.
Can You Add Instagram Links to Reels and Image Posts?
Technically, yes, but not in the way you think. If you add links directly to a post’s caption, they won’t be clickable. Users have to copy and paste them into their browsers, something many aren’t willing to do.
The good news is that there are creative ways to share links via Reels and regular feed content. Many creators post their content as usual, then add calls to action (CTAs) such as “Link in bio” or “Full details in bio” to direct viewers to links on their profiles. This is an excellent strategy because feed content and Reels reach both followers and non-followers. By using CTAs to direct users to your profile, you can maximize traffic to your chosen destinations.
Take the CeraVe post below, for example. The brand highlighted the benefits of its moisturizers in the caption and concluded with a “Shop them both at the link in bio” CTA to drive traffic to its bio and, ultimately, to its product pages.
Some creators also work around the restriction by sharing their Reels (or regular posts) on Stories and then adding relevant link stickers.
Others pay for ads. When you run an Instagram ad, you can include clickable URLs with CTA buttons on users’ Feeds, Stories, and Reels tabs.
Reels Linking Exceptions
Instagram isn’t opposed to all links on Reels content — just external ones. If you’ve enabled Instagram Shopping on your account, you can tag products in Reels and direct viewers to your store for purchases. The product tags are technically clickable URLs that originate from Instagram Shop.
Instagram is also introducing a new linking feature that lets creators direct viewers to other Reels. Say you post a two-part storytime. You can add a link to Part 1 when uploading Part 2, making it easy for viewers who want context to find your original video. While this feature still confines you to Instagram-related pages, it’s pretty convenient for your audience.
Maximizing Instagram Link Clicks
Posting Instagram links is only half the battle. The other half is actually getting users to click them and interact with your brand. This can be challenging, but it’s doable if you know how to position your links.
Here are some key best practices to help you:
Place URLs Strategically
Some links are more effective in certain placements than in others. For example, flash sale links are great for Stories, website URLs for your bio, and personalized links for DMs. Use Story Instagram links for time-sensitive content, bio links for evergreen or long-lasting content, and DM links for personalized follow-ups.
Also, position your links where they’re easy to tap. For Story links, for example, opt for centered placement so they don’t get blocked by Instagram’s UI elements.
Match Profile Links to Your Bio
Use your bio to hint at links’ destinations. For example, if you’re an activewear brand looking to use profile links to increase sales, add a line like “Helping you maintain an active lifestyle” to your bio. This way, profile visitors have an idea of what to expect when they click your links.
Offer Value
The truth is, many users won’t click links unless there’s something in it for them. So, make your value proposition clear.
You can write a bio (or caption) that addresses your target audience’s pain points, create content that answers their questions, or add a simple text overlay that highlights a quick benefit, like a discount.
Use CTAs
Don’t assume your target audience knows what to do when they come across your links.
Guide users by accompanying URLs with clear, concise CTAs that hint at what to expect at the other end of a click. For example, use “Book an appointment” for scheduling links, “Buy now” for product links, “Claim your discount” for quick offers, and “Download app” for app links.
Optimize for Mobile
Instagram is a mobile-first platform. So, odds are, most users will come across your links on their mobile devices.
To streamline their experience, use large CTA buttons, make sure linked pages load quickly, and link to destinations with simple layouts. Also, avoid redirects as they can be frustrating for many users.
Avoid Visual Clutter
More isn’t always better, especially when using Instagram links. If your profile has too many links or your Stories feature too many graphics, users may feel overwhelmed or miss the attached URLs.
To minimize distractions and decision fatigue, only include links and design elements that matter. For example, rather than adding links to each individual product’s page in your bio, share a link to your website or eCommerce store — unless you’re running a specific item’s campaign.
Regularly Update Links
Having outdated links on your profile, ads, or Stories is worse than having no links at all. They signal neglect and unprofessionalism, which can affect your credibility and click-through rates.
To keep your links current and reliable:
Remove those associated with expired offers or campaigns immediately after they end.
Replace links to old content with new-content URLs. For example, if you’re using the link-in-bio feature to drive traffic to your blog, add links to newly published content.
Make sure profile links reflect what you promise in Feed or Reels content. For example, if you post a product review and include a “Shop in bio” CTA, make sure there’s a direct link to the product’s landing page on your profile.
Track Link Performance
Performance tracking takes some of the guesswork out of your link optimization strategy. It can show you which link placements get the most clicks, which destinations your target audience is most interested in, and what content drives action. This, in turn, facilitates informed placement adjustments, landing page refinements, and content optimization. For example, if a Story link accompanied by a video tutorial gets more clicks than one posted alongside a product image, you’ll know to focus on more video content in the future.
One of the best ways to track link performance is to use URL shorteners like Bitly. They not only let you shorten and customize links but also provide analytics, such as total link clicks.
You can also track link performance by adding UTM parameters to URLs. These codes assign a unique ID to each Instagram link, making it easy to see where traffic originates.
Scaling Instagram Accounts Beyond Link Placement
When you manage multiple Instagram accounts, links are only part of the workflow.
You still need to publish content consistently, keep accounts separated, and avoid repetitive manual work.
Posting Reels one by one, or handling different regional profiles can quickly slow teams down and increase operational risk.
That’s where tools like GeeLark fit naturally. Instead of managing accounts on a single device, it uses cloud-based Android phones to handle Instagram operations at scale.
With GeeLark, teams can:
Run each Instagram account in an isolated Android environment, reducing account association risks
Assign different proxies to different cloud phones to support multi-region or multi-niche operations
Manage dozens or hundreds of accounts from one dashboard
By combining account isolation with automated content publishing, GeeLark helps teams scale Instagram operations while keeping links, content, and accounts organized.
Instagram links can be valuable for driving website traffic, increasing eCommerce sales, streamlining appointment booking, and even promoting events. However, how you use them matters. To maximize clicks, use them in clickable placements — your profile, Stories, and DMs. For Feed posts and Reels, use a CTA that directs users to your bio rather than adding links directly to captions.
Also, maintain a consistent posting schedule to build trust with your target audience. The more regularly you show up on users’ Feeds, Reels, or Explore tabs, the higher their chances of engaging with your content and links.
If you’re managing a large number of Instagram accounts and need a secure, cost-effective alternative to using physical phones, GeeLark’s cloud phones are worth considering. They offer account-level isolation similar to real devices, while unlocking extensive automation capabilities. Even when your computer is offline, scheduled tasks continue to run in the cloud without interruption.
If your links are not clickable, you’ve likely added them to the wrong places. Instagram restricts clickable links to your bio, Stories, and DMs.
Instagram limits hyperlinking to keep users on the platform for longer.
Not directly. If you add links to Reels captions, they won’t be clickable. A better strategy would be to include a CTA that directs users to your bio for relevant links. You can also share Reels on Stories and add relevant links there.
Yes. Instagram initially only allowed accounts with 10,000+ followers to use this feature. However, it’s now accessible to all content creators on the platform.
You can add up to 5 URLs. If you need to direct your audience to more destinations, consider using a link-in-bio tool to consolidate links.
