Brands nowadays are using Instagram all the time to share and promote their services. Running your own restaurant’s Instagram account will attract business and lead to more online bookings — here’s how to add a “link in bio” in five easy steps.
1. What Does “link in bio” Mean?
This is super simple. Instagram has a user policy that permits you to insert web links in your profile’s bio section but excludes URLs in subsequent posts.
Hence links appear in your profile’s description box.
The bio appears in the description box at the top of your profile, and therefore the phrase “link in bio” directs your audience to this part of the page.
This makes it easy for users to go to another website outside of Instagram.
So if you want to add a booking link (below) users can select the “link in bio” to get to your restaurant’s correct booking page. Customers will tap the blue URL link in your bio, then make a booking on your restaurant’s free page via Carbonara. It’s as simple as that.
2. Add Link to Your Account
Setting up a booking link on your Instagram is very simple and takes only a few minutes.
- Tap your profile photo in bottom left-hand corner of Instagram screen
- Head to your profile
- Tap the “edit profile” button
Tap your profile photo to access profile options
3. Use Carbonara Link
We’ll have sent you a unique link via our recent correspondence with you. However, if you haven’t received this link yet, contact us for more information — it takes no time at all.
On your Instagram account there is the option to edit your website. Copy and paste your Carbonara link into this box.
Now you have a shiny new “link in bio” to help guide your customers and allow them to make quick and stress-free restaurant bookings.
If you would like to shorten your link in bio, making it look neater, read the next step.
4. Shorten URL Link (Optional)
It’s up to you whether or not you would like to further shorten your “link in bio” URL. If the link is already super long, then shortening it serves a practical purpose. Otherwise, the choice is purely stylistic.
To shorten a URL you’ll need to use a third-party link shortening service.
Popular services are available, but ones that secure and display your brand name (or a URL resembling it, e.g., goog.gl for Google) will cost money. Google once provided the best-known service, but transitioned into another company in 2018. Nevertheless, their blog still offers advice on how to shorten your link.
Shorter URLs have various benefits. They’re easier to memorise for instance. However, for this post’s purposes, a shorter link on your Instagram page boosts presentation.
Using a free service you can:
- Search online for a URL shortener
- Open on your web browser
- Paste your original URL into the “Shorten your Link” field
- Click, Shorten
- Presto — copy to grab the new short URL, and then use this on your Instagram account
5. Direct Customers to “link in bio” Section
Your link in bio will now take your customers to your restaurant booking page, making reservations free and easy.
Booking tables made easy: Carbonara App’s free reservation feature
Carbonara App also has waitlist features, catering for non-booking restaurants. Check out our other posts to find out how the first-ever free reservation app can help your restaurant today.
