Let me ask you a question – would you have a relationship with someone who was stealing from you? What if it was just like a few dollars each day and you barely noticed? What if they didn’t mean to steal from you or didn’t see it as stealing? Likely, NO, you wouldn’t be in a relationship when someone was stealing from you in any way, shape, or form. So, why are you letting this happen with LinkTree? That handy little app that is allowing you to share multiple links with your audience on Instagram is actually a toxic, unhealthy relationship that you need to end.
In case you’re unfamiliar, LinkTree is a free app that allows bloggers and businesses to share multiple links (via one “tree” link) and used most commonly on Instagram. It’s essentially a loophole for sharing multiple links on Instagram and at face value, it’s genius. And let me be clear, I do not think LinkTree is intentionally stealing from you, that was simply an example for emphasis. But I do think that breaking up with LinkTree will help you and here’s how.
Increase Traffic
Breaking up with LinkTree will actually increase your traffic. Yep. Every time you encourage a follower to hit a LinkTree link, you’re taking them away from your site, and directing them somewhere else first. You’re adding a step for them to find your content, but you’re not even getting the credit. When you break up with LinkTree, the traffic to your own site will actually go up because you will be removing the step that’s stealing the first-click traffic from you.
Own Your Content
The number one mistake that so many bloggers and businesses make is giving away their content to platforms they do not control; doing things specifically for Instagram or Facebook or YouTube, but not doing things for the platform they actually control, their own website. Social media should be a way to compliment your content and share your content. Would you put in the same amount of work to let someone else take all the credit? Again, probably not. By breaking up with LinkTree, you will own your content.
You will dictate how information is shared, what it looks like, and where it directs, on your own terms. More importantly, if LinkTree decides to shut down one day, gets bought out, or just altogether disappears, you will be fine! You will be using your own website and your own strategies to bring in traffic.
Avoid Algorithm Anxiety
There have been rumors for months that bloggers and businesses using LinkTree are being negatively affected by the Instagram algorithm which causes nearly every blogger to break out in hives and rant on IG Stories. If you break up with LinkTree, all of that stress will be gone! Just like that. By breaking up with LinkTree you will not be giving Instagram any reason to look more closely at your account or potentially flag your account and diminish your visibility.
What To Do Instead
This isn’t a sales pitch – it’s not another app. What you should do instead is use your own website to create a landing page that links out to whatever you want, even another site. Essentially, create your own LinkTree on your website, which you control, where you direct your own traffic to other areas on your site. Now, every time a follower clicks over, YOU are getting the credit, not LinkTree. Then, on Instagram, share your landing page in your bio, instead of a LinkTree URL.
Here’s an example for you
The Instagram URL I would use is: sasc-online.com/social-links
You can quickly create this type of page on your website and there are lots of different plug-ins that will help you create cute buttons just like LinkTree, but with more customizable options. You can use photos on this page, buttons, or just text links. Whatever your heart desires and you can handle making. From now on, when someone wants to see your link, they’re immediately on your website, and you’re getting a boost in traffic and the amount of time spent on your website.
Need Help?
Optimizing blogs and business websites is one of our specialties and we’d love to create a custom landing page for you, conduct an audit of your blog or website to provide strategic feedback, or just brainstorm what you could be doing better and smarter. Reach out here to set up a time to chat!
*This post is based on SASC’s professional opinion and industry experience.
Hi! What plugins would you recommend using for the creation of these buttons? This article is very helpful, thanks so much!
Hi! I actually don’t recommend a plugin, but rather just creating a button image on a site like Canva, Photoshop, etc. depending on where you feel comfortable. Then you just put the image into your page and link it to the corresponding post.