TikTok is a popular social media platform centered around sharing short-form videos. With over 1 billion monthly active users as of late 2022 (TikTok Statistics 2023 – Users, Usage, Trends and Facts), TikTok has quickly become one of the top destinations for entertainment, trends, and viral content on the internet.
One of TikTok’s key features is the ability to add clickable links to your videos and profile. These links allow you to drive traffic to external websites, products, or other social media profiles. Adding strategic links is an important way to maximize the impact of your TikTok presence.
This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to add clickable links on TikTok. It covers the different types of links you can include and best practices for using links effectively. With the right strategy, adding links to your TikTok videos and bio can help grow your audience, promote your brand, and drive real results.
Types of Links on TikTok
There are three main types of links that can be added on TikTok:
- Usernames – You can @mention other users by adding @ before their username. This creates a clickable link to their profile. @mentioning is a way to connect with other creators, give them credit, or increase discoverability.
- Hashtags – Adding hashtags with # before a keyword categorizes your content and makes it discoverable to others searching or following that hashtag. Hashtags act as clickable links to view other videos using the same hashtag.
- Products – You can add affiliate links to products in your TikTok captions or bio to promote them and earn commissions on sales. This allows you to monetize your content.
Understanding the different types of clickable links is key to leveraging TikTok’s features for driving traffic and engagement (Source: https://megadigital.ai/en/blog/deeplink-tiktok/).
Where to Add Links in TikTok
There are a few main places where you can add clickable links on TikTok:
Video Captions
One option is adding a link in the caption for your videos. To do this, simply type out the text you want to be linked in the caption field when posting a new video. Then highlight the text and click the chain link icon to insert the URL you want it to link to. This allows viewers to simply click on the linked text in your caption while watching your video to be directed to the website.
Bio
Adding a link in your TikTok bio is a great way to drive traffic. To add a clickable link in your bio, go to your profile and tap “Edit profile”. Under the Website section, enter the URL you want to link to. This will now appear as clickable link text in your bio that anyone can click on to visit that site.
According to PlannThat, you need at least 1000 followers before being able to add a clickable link to your TikTok bio. If you don’t have enough followers yet, the link will still display but won’t be clickable.
Comments
You can also put clickable links in the comments you leave on other videos. Like with captions, simply type out the text you want linked and highlight it before clicking the chain link icon to insert your desired URL. Then the text will appear clickable as a link when you post your comment.
How to Add Clickable Links in Captions
One of the easiest ways to add clickable links to your TikTok videos is by including them in the caption. Here are some tips for adding links in captions:
– Use a URL shortener like bit.ly to create a short, clean link. Long URLs will get cut off in captions.
– Make sure the link works and takes users to the right place before posting your TikTok.
– Format the link using brackets and parentheses like this: [Check out my site!](https://www.example.com) The text in brackets will be clickable.
– Place the link near the beginning or end of your caption so it’s easy to find.
– Double check that the link is clickable after posting your video.
– Use descriptive link text that gives users a good idea of where they will end up.
Adding clickable links in TikTok captions is a great way to drive traffic and engagement. Just make sure to test and properly format the links before sharing your video.
Adding Links in TikTok Bio
One way to add a clickable link on TikTok is by including it in your TikTok bio. To edit your bio and add a link:
- Go to your TikTok profile page and tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
- Select “Edit profile” from the menu.
- In the “Bio” section, you can add text and include a single external link.
TikTok currently only allows you to have one active external link in your bio at a time. If you try to add multiple external links, only the first one will be clickable.
Because of the single link limitation, many TikTok users add a URL shortener link in their bio, which then redirects to a landing page with multiple links they want to share.
Including Links in Comments
One way to add clickable links on TikTok is by pasting full URLs directly in your video’s comments section. You can include context before pasting the link to provide users more details on what they can expect from clicking. For example, you could write “Check out our full video here:” before pasting your YouTube link.
However, there is a character limit to be aware of. Comments on TikTok can only contain up to 150 characters. So you’ll need to be concise with any explanatory text before your link.
When pasting full links in comments, it’s best to use URL shorteners to avoid hitting the character limit. Popular options include Bitly and TinyURL.
With creative use of link text explanations and shorteners, adding clickable links in TikTok comments can help drive traffic and engagement.
Best Practices
When adding links to your TikTok videos and profile, it’s important to follow some best practices to get the most out of them. Here are some tips:
- Choose relevant links – Make sure the links you’re sharing are closely related to the content of your video or profile. This helps ensure viewers who click them will find valuable information.
- Use UTM parameters to track clicks – Using UTM codes in your links allows you to track traffic and analytics. This can help you see which links perform best.
- Make link text descriptive – Avoid generic link text like “click here.” Use text that describes where the link goes, so viewers know what to expect.
Following these best practices helps optimize your use of links on TikTok. Relevant, descriptive links that you can track results for will drive more engagement and traffic.
Link Restrictions
TikTok does put some restrictions on the types of links you can include in your profile and content. Most notably, TikTok prohibits links to competitor platforms or services. You cannot include links to other short form video apps like YouTube, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, etc. TikTok considers this a violation of their community guidelines.
Additionally, TikTok does not allow links to inappropriate, dangerous, or illegal content. This includes pornography, violence, hate speech, harassment, and other dangerous or unethical material. Including links to this type of prohibited content can lead to your account being banned or suspended.
As stated in their community guidelines, “We do not permit accounts that promote or enable criminal activity or dangerous organizations or individuals.” Users must comply with local laws and avoid dangerous or illegal behavior when posting links.
According to this article, violations of TikTok’s link policies “can lead to account suspension or banning.” It’s important to carefully consider any links you include in your TikTok content or bio to avoid any policy violations that could jeopardize your account.
Drive Traffic with Links:
One of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your website or online business via Tiktok is to promote your link strategically in video captions and comments. As this source explains, including a clickable external link in your video captions gives viewers a direct path to your site.
You can also drop your link frequently in video comments and engage with users. Respond to comments with your link to capture traffic from interested viewers. According to experts, active promotion and engagement is key to converting TikTok’s large audience into website visitors.
Additionally, be sure to cross-promote your TikTok content and links on other platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Advertise your TikTok presence and compelling links to maximize exposure. Driving traffic requires promotion across multiple platforms.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a few main ways to add clickable links to your TikTok videos and profile. You can include links in your TikTok bio, video captions, and comments. The best practices are to use relevant links that provide value to your viewers, choose eye-catching link text, and test different placements to see what drives the most engagement.
Using links strategically on TikTok can help you drive more traffic to your website, promote products, and build your brand and audience. Links allow you to connect your TikTok presence to other platforms, highlight featured content, and give viewers a seamless way to learn more about you.
So don’t miss out on the opportunity to add clickable links on TikTok. Just follow the steps outlined above to easily include links across your profile and videos. With a bit of experimentation, you can become a pro at using links to boost your TikTok marketing strategy.
