Instagram has today announced it would be launching the ability to add up to five links in your bio, after reportedly testing the feature since October 2022.
“We hope this flexibility can help you more effectively express yourself so your audience can learn more about YOU — your passions, causes you care about, brands you love, businesses you run, or anything else you want to share,” the Meta-owned platform wrote in a post on its Creators account.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared news of the new feature on his Instagram broadcast channel, saying it was probably one of users’ most requested.
The new feature will challenge outside companies offering a “link in bio” solution, with Linktree and Beacons the most popular among them. TikTok also has and still does limit its “link in bio” to just one. Tech Crunch says it thinks Instagram’s decision to up the links to five now, after all these years, might have to do with complaints over TikTok’s stricter limitations.
“The company likely sees how expanded access to links could be seen as a competitive advantage, potentially luring creators back to its app,” the publication writes. “In fact, Instagram calls out that its ability to add multiple links to a profile will be available to ‘all accounts’, including business and creator accounts.”
Adding the extra links will work similarly to how you add one link. You’ll go into Edit Profile, then tap Links, then add tap Add external link. There, you’ll add the link and manually enter its title. You’ll also be able to reorder the links by dragging them. Note that only the first link will be visible on the profile view.
Links are all scanned by Meta to ensure they abide by the company’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. It also doesn’t plan to block use of Linktree links or from other link-in-bio platforms, reports Tech Crunch.
Related: Meta’s New VR Headset Meta Quest Pro Can Help You to Be Your Most Productive Self
Related: Would You Pay to Engage With Meta’s Flop Era?
The publication also noted that Instagram’s bio links don’t open the websites in separate browser windows — they open inside the Instagram app. Considering Instagram and TikTok are known for creating features that maximise the amount of time you’re spending on the app, this isn’t a surprise.
If you do want to view someone’s Instagram bio link in a browser outside the app, you’ll have to tap the three-dot menu at the top of the page and choose “open in system browser”.
In March this year, Meta announced it would be launching another new feature globally to Instagram: Meta Verified. The feature, which sees users paying a monthly subscription fee for a blue tick, had been trialled in February 2023 in Australia and New Zealand.
To qualify for Meta Verified, you’ll need to meet minimum activity requirements, be at least 18 years of age or older, and submit a government ID that matches the name and photo you have on Facebook or Instagram.
In addition to the blue badge, once you submit the verification request and qualify, you’ll also get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, as well as direct access to customer support. Users will also get exclusive stickers for Stories and Reels, and 100 free monthly stars that they can use to tip creators on Facebook.
“This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services,” Zuckerberg wrote in his post.
In a blog post explaining the Meta Verified announcement, Meta wrote that the service was to help up-and-coming creators grow their presence and help them build a community faster. It noted that some of the top requests it gets from creators are for broader access to verification and account support, in addition to features to increase visibility and reach.
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.