How many links to put in your bio (and how to decide which)

It is the most repeated doubt when building a links page: how many buttons is too many. The honest answer is that there is no correct number. On Zona there is no link limit, and that freedom is useful but dangerous, because the tool will never tell you to stop. You have to set the criterion yourself. This article proposes one you can apply in ten minutes.

Why more is not always better

Every link you add competes with the others for the same thumb. With three options, choosing is easy. With fifteen, the person has to read, compare and decide, and that load makes many decide nothing. Research on choice and overload has observed this effect for decades in shops, menus and forms; a links page is the same problem in miniature.

You do not need to quote figures to recognize it. Just remember the last time you opened a page with an endless list of equally sized buttons: which one did you tap? Probably the first, or none.

A three-step method

Step 1: make the complete list. Write down everything you could link, unfiltered. You may end up with twenty.

Step 2: group. Put together the links that serve the same purpose: all social networks in one group, everything that can be bought in another, everything for contacting you in another. You will see that many ideas repeat.

Step 3: pick one representative per group. From each group, keep the link that matters most to you. The rest are either folded into a single entry (for example, "My socials") or removed.

Normally, after these three steps you are left with between four and eight items. That is the range where most pages work well, without being a rule.

Hierarchy matters more than quantity

Six buttons with a clear hierarchy are understood better than three identical buttons. What helps the person is knowing what to do first. That is achieved with three signals: position (the main one on top), visual weight (one highlighted button) and text (the verb describing the action).

Three examples

A barbershop. Book an appointment, WhatsApp, location on the map, price list, Instagram. Five buttons. Whoever arrives wants to book or to know where it is.

An illustrator. Print shop, portfolio, custom commissions, newsletter, Instagram and Behance. Six buttons. The main one depends on whether she prefers to sell prints or receive commissions.

A podcast. Latest episode, how to subscribe, sponsorship or support, socials, contact for guests. Five buttons, with the new episode always on top.

None of the three needs more. If one grew, the reasonable move would be to group or archive, not to add.

When more does make sense

There are cases where a longer list works: a store with distinct collections, a publication with sections, an initiative with several programs. Even then, it helps to use headings or visual grouping so the list is scannable. If in doubt, go back to the three-step method and check whether they are really different.

What to do with what you remove

What you take out does not have to disappear. You can keep it to swap links by season, or move it to another place in your online presence where it fits better: your profile, a website, a newsletter. A link that is surplus today may be the main one next month.

How to check whether you got it right

The analytics tell you what gets used. If a link has gone weeks without taps, it is probably surplus or badly named. If one concentrates almost everything, put it first and make it more visible. With Zona's free plan you see the last 7 days; on Pro and Business, 90, which is a more useful period for spotting trends. If you want to learn to read it, start with link analytics.

Put the method to the test

Open your current page (or create a new one with a free account) and apply the three steps. If after grouping you still have more than eight items, ask yourself which ones you would remove if you could only keep five. It is an uncomfortable question, but it almost always gives a clear answer.

The mistake of adding out of fear

Almost every long list is born of the same impulse: "just in case someone looks for it". It is a reasonable fear but a poor investment. People looking for something very specific usually know how to find you through your profile, your posts or by messaging you. A page does not have to anticipate every wish; it has to serve the most likely ones well. When you feel the urge to add a link "just in case", note it on a separate list and check next month whether anyone asked for it. If nobody did, you did not need it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a technical maximum of links on Zona?

There is no link limit in the product. The limit is set by common sense and by what your audience can handle.

Do links to social networks count the same?

They count the same in terms of attention. If you have many, group them into one section or link only the ones you use.

What if I have several businesses?

Consider one page per project. Mixing two audiences in the same list means neither finds its own thing clearly.

How often should I review the list?

Once a month is reasonable. If you launch something, review it that same day.