How to Link Items on TikTok

Adding a clickable link to your TikTok is one of the best ways to turn views into website visits, email signups, and sales for your brand. This guide breaks down every method available for linking items on the platform, from the simple link-in-bio for creators just getting started to the fully integrated TikTok Shop for businesses and affiliates.

Why Does Linking on TikTok Matter?

TikTok isn't just an entertainment app anymore - it's a massive search engine and a powerful product discovery tool. The phrase "TikTok Made Me Buy It" became a phenomenon for a reason. Users see something they love in a video and want to buy it immediately. When you don't provide a direct path to purchase, you introduce friction and risk losing that customer's attention as they switch apps to search for your product on their own.

By providing direct, clickable links, you shorten the buyer's journey from discovery to checkout. This can dramatically increase your traffic, lead generation, and revenue, making your content creation efforts directly profitable. It's the single most effective way to connect your content strategy to your business goals.

The Universal Method: Your Link-in-Bio

The "link-in-bio" is the most common and accessible way for almost any creator to direct traffic outside of TikTok. While you can't place clickable links directly in video captions (yet!), you can add one tappable website link to your profile page. This method is perfect for driving traffic to a storefront, a specific product, a blog post, or anywhere else you want your followers to go.

Who Can Add a Link to Their Bio?

Historically, you needed a Business Account with at least 1,000 followers to add a website link to your profile. This is still the most reliable way to get access to the feature. Sometimes, TikTok rolls out this feature to personal accounts with a high follower count, but switching to a Business Account is the recommended first step.

To switch to a Business Account:

1. Go to your profile and tap the three lines in the top-right corner to open Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Account.
3. Select Switch to Business Account and follow the on-screen prompts. It's free and gives you access to analytics and other business tools.

How to Add a URL to Your TikTok Profile

Once you have the feature enabled, adding the link is simple:

1. Go to your TikTok profile and tap Edit profile.
2. Look for the Website field. If you don't see it, you may not have met the requirements yet.
3. Paste your desired URL into this field and tap Save.

Your link will now appear below your bio on your profile page, ready for your audience to click.

Pro Tip: Supercharge Your Single Link

Since you only get one link, make it count. Don't just link to your homepage. Instead, use a "link-in-bio" service like Linktree, Beacons, or Later. These tools create a simple, mobile-friendly landing page where you can host multiple links.

This transforms your single bio link into a gateway for your audience, allowing you to direct them to:

• Your newest product landing page
• Your online store (Shopify, Etsy, etc.)
• Affiliate links to products you recommend
• Your latest YouTube video or blog post
• An email newsletter signup form

The key to driving traffic to your TikTok link in bio is your call-to-action (CTA). In your videos, you need to tell people what to do. Use verbal cues like, "You can find this dress linked in my bio!" and add on-screen text that says "Link in Bio" with an arrow pointing up towards your profile name.

The Ultimate E-commerce Tool: TikTok Shop

If your goal is to sell products directly within the TikTok app, then TikTok Shop is your most powerful tool. It transforms your TikTok profile into a native storefront, allowing users to discover, browse, and purchase your products without ever leaving the app. This creates a seamless shopping experience that has been shown to have much higher conversion rates.

What Are the Benefits of TikTok Shop?

• In-Feed Product Links: Tag specific products directly in your organic videos. A small shopping bag icon appears that users can tap to view the product and purchase it on the spot.
• LIVE Shopping Integration: Host live-selling events where you can showcase products in real time, pin them to the screen, and answer customer questions.
• Product Showcase Tab: A dedicated "shop" tab is added to your profile, displaying all of your available products similar to a traditional e-commerce catalog page.
• Affiliate Program Access: Once you have a shop, you can allow other creators to promote your products on an affiliate basis in videos, expanding your reach exponentially.

How to Set Up TikTok Shop for Your Business

Setting up a shop requires a bit more effort than adding a bio link, but it's definitely worth it. You'll need to apply and get approved through the TikTok Shop Seller Center.

1. Register: Go to the TikTok Shop Seller Center website and sign up. You will need to provide documentation to verify your business, such as an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or personal identification if you're a sole proprietor.
2. Link Accounts: Connect your bank account so you can receive payments for sales.
3. Upload Products: You can add your products directly to the Seller Center. You can write your descriptions, set prices, and upload product images. If you use a compatible e-commerce platform like Shopify, you can often sync your product catalog to save time.

Once your shop is approved and your products are loaded, you're ready to start linking them in your content.

How to Link a TikTok Shop Product in a Video

This is where the magic happens. After you've created a video showcasing a product, you can link it directly before posting.

1. On the Post screen (where you write your caption), tap on Add link.
2. Select Product from the options.
3. Choose the product you want to feature from your Shop and tap Add.
4. You can customize the name of the link that appears in the video (e.g., "Blue Linen Shirt").
5. Tap Post. Your video will now have a clickable product link above your username.

For Creators: Joining the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program

What if you don't have your own products to sell? You can still use TikTok Shop's powerful linking features by becoming an affiliate. An affiliate marketer promotes brands and products you genuinely love, earning a commission for sales generated. Through the TikTok Shop for Creator program, you can link to products from any brand that's part of the affiliate network and earn a commission for any sales you generate.

The requirements to join typically include being over 18 and having more than 5,000 followers, though these can change. Once you're in, you can browse a massive marketplace of products, find ones that suit your niche, request free samples, and add them to your own Showcase. Once items are in your showcase, you can link them in your videos just like a seller would!

Final Thoughts

TikTok offers creators and brands multiple ways to turn content creation into a revenue-generating opportunity. Whether you're starting out with a simple link-in-bio to build your email list, running a sophisticated e-commerce operation with TikTok Shop, or monetizing your influence through the affiliate program, there's a linking strategy that fits your goals.

Creating compelling videos to highlight those links consistently requires a solid plan. At Postbase, we designed our platform for the fast-paced, video-first world of TikTok and Instagram. Using a visual calendar to plan your content, scheduling your posts reliably, and managing all your comments and DMs from a single inbox gives you the headspace to focus on creating content that performs. A clear, bird's-eye view of your content calendar helps you strategically place your product videos for maximum impact, making sure you never miss an opportunity to drive a sale.