Recently, a client contacted me with a question about Linktree.
The question was this:
“On Instagram, is it better for SEO to have a link to LinkTree or is it better to link to a landing page on my website?”
You want people to find your site, and you want your social media efforts and traffic to support your SEO efforts.
And having a link to your site on social media is great for doing just that. But do you use Linktree, or to use a website landing page that looks like a Linktree?
What is LinkTree and SEO?
Instagram only allows you to put one link in your bio (at least they used to – IG is now piloting a feature where you can add multiple links to your bio natively, but in my opinion it’s a little bit clunky for the person clicking).
Because of this, many coaches use third-party websites to create that link. One of the most popular options is LinkTree, which enables you to add multiple links to a single page, including links to blog posts, websites, and other social media counts.
And as for SEO?
Well, that stands for search engine optimization, which is when you use keywords and key phrases on your website to make it appear higher on search results pages on Google, Bing, etc.
(For more on SEO, read my article, SEO Basics for Coaches.)
Is Linktree SEO friendly?
Are you considering using Linktree on your Instagram profile to provide quick access to your website and other pages? While Linktree is a popular and convenient tool, it’s important to know that it can have an impact on your SEO.
Let’s dive into the pros and cons of using Linktree for SEO.
Pros of Using Linktree for SEO
Linktree is easy to set up and use.
You don’t need any technical knowledge or coding experience to create your landing page, which is a big advantage for coaches with a full schedule.
Gives quick access to multiple pages on your website.
Instead of having to click through to your website and search for the specific page they’re looking for, they can simply click on the Linktree link and choose the page they want to visit.
Can improve user experience by making it easier for followers to navigate your website.
This can be especially helpful for coaching businesses with a lot of different offers since it makes it easier for followers to find what they’re looking for.
What are the cons of Linktree?
There aren’t a lot of customization options to brand the free version of Linktree.
While you can choose from a variety of background colors and add your own profile picture, you can’t change the layout or add custom branding elements like fonts or images. This makes it difficult to create a cohesive brand experience across all of your online platforms, which is a disadvantage if you want to build a strong visual identity that fosters loyalty.
It keeps Google from recognizing the value of your Instagram traffic.
When someone clicks on a Linktree link and goes to your website, they’re technically leaving the Instagram platform. This means that Google may not give you credit for the traffic coming from Instagram, which can hurt your search rankings and make it harder for people to find your site.
It spreads your analytics data out onto multiple platforms.
When you use Linktree, you’re creating a landing page on a third-party site. This means that any data or analytics from that page won’t be tracked on your own website where you might have Google Analytics installed. Instead, you’ll need to rely on the analytics provided by Linktree. This can make it more difficult to get a full picture of your website’s performance and understand how people are interacting with your content.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to using Linktree for SEO. It’s important to weigh these factors when deciding whether or not to use Linktree in your digital marketing strategy.
What’s an alternative to Linktree?
If you’re looking for a more SEO-friendly and customizable solution for your social media bio links, creating a landing page on your website may be a better option.
By having your landing page on your website, you can be sure it’s optimized for both search engines and users.
If you aren’t sure how to create a landing page on your website, I created a WordPress tutorial to help you. Watch it here.
By creating a landing page on your website, you can be sure your social media bio links are SEO-friendly and customizable. This will help improve your website’s search rankings and user experience, and ultimately grow your business.
Do you really need to ditch LinkTree for a landing page?
The short answer is: it’s up to you.
It depends on where you are on your coaching journey.
If you’re using LinkTree, it works for you, and you’re seeing traffic turn into leads and sales, then a landing page might send you down a rabbit hole you don’t need to go down (more on the rabbit hole of analysis paralysis here).
But if you’re already working on improving your website SEO, a landing page might help you gain more traffic.
And if you want help creating a Linktree look-alike landing page on your WordPress website, this tutorial will help you.
(In the tutorial, I even give you a landing page template you can use so no design is required!)
I hope that helps,
Jennie
