Before You Publish: A Link in Bio Launch Checklist

You’re about to put your page in your profile, in front of everyone who visits. This link in bio checklist is for the ten minutes before that. It’s organised by the sort of mistake it catches, so you can go through it in order, tick things off and publish knowing the awkward problems have been dealt with. Most of them only show up on a real phone, so have yours handy.

Content

Read your page as a stranger would.

• ☐ Your name or brand is correct, and matches your profile.
• ☐ Your bio says what you do and who it’s for, in plain words.
• ☐ Your profile image is clear at a small size.
• ☐ Your main action is the first thing after your bio.
• ☐ There’s no placeholder text, such as “Your title here”.
• ☐ Spelling, names and numbers are correct.
• ☐ Prices, dates and hours are current.
• ☐ Any claims can be backed up.
• ☐ You have permission for your photos and testimonials.

Links and destinations

Tap every single one. Don’t assume.

• ☐ Each link opens the right page.
• ☐ Each one works on mobile data, not only on Wi-Fi.
• ☐ Each destination loads properly on a phone.
• ☐ Labels say exactly what happens, such as “Book a 30-minute call”.
• ☐ No two links go to the same place, unless that’s on purpose.
• ☐ Your links use https.
• ☐ Your payment links, booking links and store links work for someone who isn’t logged in.
• ☐ Your WhatsApp button opens the right number, with sensible pre-filled text if you’ve used it.
• ☐ Campaign tags are present, if you’re using them.

The “not logged in” check is the one people miss. Open each link in a private browser window, or on someone else’s phone. If a link fails, fix the address, and test it again before you share the page.

Forms and downloads

Test these by actually doing them.

Test submission

• ☐ Submit your form with real details.
• ☐ Check it arrives in your Leads inbox.
• ☐ Try leaving out a required field, to see what happens.
• ☐ Check the labels are clear.
• ☐ If you’ve turned on the consent checkbox, read the wording, and confirm it’s required when you expect it to be.
• ☐ Check any redirect goes to the right place.

Test the download

• ☐ Unlock the file as a visitor would.
• ☐ Open the file on a phone.
• ☐ Check that it’s the final version.
• ☐ If email delivery is on, check that the email arrives, and look in the spam folder too.
• ☐ Check any availability dates are correct.
• ☐ Remember that a File downloads block doesn’t have a consent checkbox. If you plan to send marketing emails to those people, work out how you’ll get consent.

Confirmation

• ☐ Your success message says what will happen next.
• ☐ It’s honest about timing, such as “I’ll reply within two days”.
• ☐ Someone is actually checking for new leads.

BioFlow doesn’t send a confirmation email to people who submit a form, so your success message is the only reassurance they get. Make it clear.

Mark your test entries as Closed afterwards, so they don’t get mistaken for real leads. They’ll still appear in your first week’s numbers, so allow for that.

Design on a real phone

The editor preview is useful, but it’s not the real thing.

• ☐ Open the live page on your own phone, and if you can, on an older one.
• ☐ Text is readable without zooming.
• ☐ Buttons are easy to tap with a thumb.
• ☐ Colours have enough contrast. Check any warnings in the editor, and use your own eyes too.
• ☐ Images aren’t cropped badly, and they’re not too slow to load.
• ☐ Try it outdoors, in daylight.
• ☐ Your main button is visible without scrolling.

Our mobile guide goes through each of these. Check how things look inside Instagram’s browser too, by sending yourself the link in a DM.

Sharing preview

• ☐ Your page title and description are filled in.
• ☐ Your sharing image is set.
• ☐ You’ve tested the link by pasting it in a WhatsApp message to yourself.
• ☐ Noindex is off, unless you want the page out of search results.

Legal text and disclosures

This isn’t legal advice, but these are the common gaps.

• ☐ Affiliate or sponsored links are clearly disclosed, next to the links.
• ☐ If you collect personal details, you’ve said what you’ll do with them.
• ☐ You have a privacy policy link, if your situation needs one.
• ☐ Marketing consent is clear, if you plan to send marketing messages.
• ☐ You’ve checked the rules for your industry, if you’re in health, finance or law.
• ☐ Refund terms are clear, if you’re linking to a sale.

Run the audit

If you’re using BioFlow, run the Page Audit after you save. It checks the last saved page for setup issues, including a missing bio, placeholder text, links with no title, duplicate destinations, and unsafe addresses. It’s not a ranking score, and it won’t catch a wrong price or a bad offer, so your own review still matters.

One publishing rule catches people out: without an enabled Link block that has both a title and a URL, the page won’t go live.

After publishing

You’re not quite finished yet.

• ☐ Open your live address in a private window.
• ☐ Add it to your Instagram profile, then tap it from there.
• ☐ Add it to your other profiles.
• ☐ Scan any QR codes.
• ☐ Check your analytics the next day, to confirm views are being recorded.
• ☐ Check your Leads inbox regularly.
• ☐ Set a calendar reminder to review it in a month.

Unpublishing is possible at any time, but remember that while it’s unpublished, the address shows “not found”, including for any QR codes you’ve printed. Fix small problems on the live page instead, if you can.

This same habit applies to automation as well. If you’re also running comment-to-DM, see how to test comment-to-DM and what to set up before a post goes live. If you’re still building your page, start with how to create a link in bio.

FAQ

What should I check before publishing?

Make sure the content’s accurate, every link works on mobile data, forms and downloads function, the design works on a real phone and your sharing preview looks right. Also add any disclosures you need. Test in a private browser window, because a link can work for you when you’re logged in, but fail for a visitor.

How do I test a form?

Open your live page, and submit the form as a visitor would, using your own details. Check that it reaches your Leads inbox, that the success message makes sense, and that any redirect works. Try leaving out required fields as well. Mark your test entries as Closed when you’re done, so they don’t get mixed up with real leads.

Can I unpublish afterwards?

Yes, but it affects anyone with the link. In BioFlow, an unpublished page’s address returns “not found”, including from printed QR codes and old posts. So for small mistakes, it’s usually better to fix the live page. Only unpublish when the page shouldn’t be seen at all.

Now tap everything

Go back to the top, and work through the list with your phone in your hand. You’ll almost certainly find something. Once it’s all ticked, you can preview, then publish.