Why Linktree and Link in bio tools don’t work for e-commerce (And what you should use instead)

With features like reels, stories, and native ads, Instagram is one of the best platforms for growing your brand and getting new customers. 

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87% of Instagram users take action to about a product or service after discovering them on Instagram. 46% eventually made a purchase online or offline.

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There's one part of your Instagram page that's crucial if you want these followers to convert: the link in bio. 

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Your link in bio is the home base for your brand. It’s where you send potential customers and leads to find more information or buy what they see in your post. 
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It's easy to resort to Linktree and other mainstream link in bio tools to cover your bases. But these tools aren't ideal when Instagram is how you're hoping to drive e-commerce sales.

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How Linktree and similar tools work

Linktree and other link in bio tools work by allowing you to create a page within a certain template that contains links you would like to feature. Linktree is usually used as a gateway to other pages within your brand ecosystem. 

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A Linktree page can link to your website, Facebook page, online store, promotional pages, and so on. It's also an easy way for content creators to drive traffic to their blogs, podcasts, videos, and events. It’s a great tool for general use, which is why its adoption has also been widespread.

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The problem with Linktree for e-commerce sales

There are a few reasons Linktree isn't the ideal solution if you want to drive product purchases from your Instagram page. 

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1. Adds extra steps to making a purchasing decision

When it comes to purchasing online, a shop visitor wants to be able to find out more information about the product, such as specific details, pricing, and reviews. This information is usually found in your e-commerce listing.

But since Instagram posts don't have links, a visitor would have to go to the link in bio to go to your e-commerce store, find the product, and decide if they're interested in it. 

While it lets them browse the rest of your site and look at other products, this flow doesn't give a visitor the ability to find out about a product and potentially add it to cart right as they’re interested in the product.

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2. Doesn’t work with normal shopping behaviour

Whether we’re shopping online or offline, it’s natural to start a conversation when you want to know more about a product.

This also applies to browsing products on Instagram.

When we need personalised and immediate answers about a specific product, or want to learn about other relevant products in your store, sending shoppers to your link in bio to browse by themselves isn’t exactly the best experience.

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3. Limited by a template
Linktree’s main purpose is to be an easy, minimal way to host important links. While Linktree can provide some other features like product photos from a Shopify collection, it’s still just a hub of links that may not always be the best way to introduce a new audience to your store or product offerings, especially if there is some customization involved. (Think of personalised diet plans, skincare bundles, and similar services)

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4. Needs constant updating

Linktree and other similar tools are for a general marketing use case, so they don't have a straightforward integration for popular e-commerce tools like Shopify. If you want to highlight specific products and services, you would need to change with links you want to feature on your link in bio page as necessary.

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What’s the alternative?

Timing is everything when it comes to sales. To grow e-commerce conversions, you should have a way for potential customers to buy products that work with the behavior that they’re used to, and on the channel that they’re currently on. Customers also immediately notice and remember when a store provides the best experience, from browsing to buying. Being able to address simple questions immediately goes a long way as well.

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‍With Maisie's new Conversational Links function, you can add a custom link to your link in bio, and also any social post or ad.

When a shopper clicks on this link, a conversation gets triggered (that you can fully customize!) that addresses commonly asked questions, recommends products straight from your Shopify listings, and takes them directly to the relevant e-commerce listing for checkout.

Conversational links essentially replace impersonal landing pages for a more memorable, personalised brand experience.

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Conversational Links are powered by the Maisie chatbot, you don’t need to put additional work into managing these conversations unless needed. On the other hand, customers can find out everything they need to make a purchase decision through this conversation.

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Now that’s a win-win situation.

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Get Early Access to Conversational Links

If you’re interested in getting early access, head on over here to sign up: Link

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