Can I discuss a hot topic today? With the rise of influencers over the last few years, more and more people are making money online. I love that for them. However, most influencers don’t have an official website. They utilize link in bio tools to sell their products and affiliates. And while that probably is all they need, service-based businesses need more than that. When it comes to growing your brand, the Linktree vs. website debate comes down to ownership and strategy.

And that’s why I always tell online businesses to use their website for a link in bio instead of Linktree or other link in bio tools. I’m taking a hard stance on this, so let me explain why I believe website landing pages are more effective than Linktree.

What is Linktree?

Linktree offers a simple landing page to put in the bio of your social media accounts. It’s a one-stop-shop for everything the account is promoting on social media. Whether it’s affiliate programs, Spotify playlists, or videos, anyone can set one up and begin selling.

It’s popularly used by influencers and affiliate marketers to sell products. They don’t typically have a need for a complete website because all they’re doing is selling other people’s products. Linktree is a great solution for them. It’s free and easy to set up.

Linktree makes sense for beginners who don’t have a website yet or don’t need one at all. It can be useful for short-term campaigns or a special launch, but even then, your website is probably a better choice. You might be interested in Linktree if you have low-stakes side hustles or personal projects. Other than that, I wouldn’t recommend Linktree as your bio link.

The Limitations of Linktree and Other Link-in-Bio Tools

You already know I don’t think service-based businesses should use Linktree. But why do I think that?

First, the branding options are limited on the free plan. It has more of a generic look and doesn’t give you much control over design or branding unless you upgrade. But even then, it still looks templatized to me.

The analytics are also limited unless you upgrade. You can’t see how many clicks you get or your conversion rate, which is the whole point of having a link in your bio. You want people to interact with your social media posts, explore the links in your bio, and convert them into customers. It’s important to know what people are engaging with and clicking on.

You don’t own Linktree, so you’re risking outages, platform changes, or shutdowns. You could lose everything overnight and you can’t do anything about it. I would prefer to have control over my link in bio, wouldn’t you?

Why Your Website is the Smarter Choice

And that all leads me to why your website is a better choice to put as your bio link. You have control over the design, get SEO benefits, have better analytics, can offer a better experience, and appear more professional. In the Linktree vs. website debate, your website wins every time if you care about SEO, branding, and analytics.

Full control over design and branding.

By creating a separate landing page on your website, you can feel confident knowing it will match your branding, aesthetic, voice, and user experience. You have full control over the page design and the links.

SEO value goes to you.

This is the biggest one in my mind. Sending people to Linktree only boosts their SEO and domain authority. If you have a landing page hosted on your website as your bio link, YOU get the SEO benefits. Every click and view strengthens your search engine rankings because it signals to Google that you’re popular and offer value.

Better analytics and tracking.

With a link on your own website, you can use Google Analytics to review the analytics. Linktree only offers limited analytics, but Google Analytics shows everything you need to know about the page. You can even use retargeting ads to show relevant offers depending on what someone clicks on. 

Professionalism and credibility.

Keeping everything hosted in one place shows that you’re invested in your business and want to provide the best experience. I personally don’t like landing on a Linktree page as a consumer. It feels clunky and unprofessional. On the other hand, a custom-branded website landing page makes me believe the company is trustworthy and credible.

How to Create a Linktree-Style Page on Your Website

Creating a link in bio page on your website is easier than you think! Here’s my link in bio page as an example. Create a hidden page on your website and design it similarly to other pages on your website. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly, as almost everyone accessing this page will be on a mobile device.

Include links to the content you talk about on social media, such as:

• Blogs
• Services
• Portfolio
• Freebies
• Newsletter
• Affiliates
• Products
• Courses

Keep the URL slug simple, like /links or /bio. Then, publish the page and start adding it to your social media profiles! 

Create Your Custom Link in Bio

I’m clearly very passionate about this topic! As a web designer, branding expert, and Pinterest manager, I have a well-rounded view of how your bio link plays a role in your business’s success. When comparing Linktree vs. website, it’s clear that the benefits of using your own platform outweigh the convenience of a third-party tool.

I’ve made it even easier for you to create your own link in bio landing page. Download my free Showit link in bio template! You’ll get a free template to feature your links and services, access to a free month of Showit, and my free Showit Crash Course to teach you how to set up and customize your Showit account from scratch. There’s no excuse not to use your website! Download for free.