Five years of Link in Bio
A peek at what's next and a sale to celebrate.
My very first Substack post was a haphazardly-written essay demanding that people stop calling social media managers “interns”. In it, I shared my goals for Link in Bio. How I hoped it would be an “actually-useful resource for people who work in social media” and maybe even “illuminate all the work social media managers do to any higher ups or CMOs who might be subscribers.” I sent it on February 3rd, 2021, a few days before my 30th birthday.
Link in Bio was born out of a bone to pick. A frustration that social media managers didn’t get the credit they deserved or the resources they needed to do their best work.
Five years later, those goals remain the same. We still get called interns, but now there’s someone in the comments who immediately writes “Interns don’t run the accounts of corporations!”. That back up didn’t always exist. CMOs, founders, and marketing leaders tell me all the time that they read Link in Bio to educate themselves on the trends, platforms, and strategies shaping this world. If you’ve ever had a boss who doesn’t “get” social, you know how big of a deal this is. Of course, I still put every newsletter send through the “actually-helpful resource” test.
One of the most important projects of this newsletter was also the first. I launched the inaugural compensation survey only a few months after my first send. Since then, it’s become a core piece of the Link in Bio puzzle. In 2021, the median salary for a social media director was around $97K. In 2025 it was $138K. There’s still so much more work to do, but I’ve been encouraged by stories from readers who tell me they’ve received a raise by using the data.
I often get asked how I decide what to write about. I use my own interest as a barometer for coverage. I need to see how a brand’s post or campaign lands online before ever deciding if I want to talk about it here. While this might not sound radical, I’ve found that a lot of advertising and marketing media is more interested in an exclusive than covering something that’s proven. I have no interest in writing about an expensive campaign from a fancy agency until I see that it’s actually working. I’d rather interview a small coffee shop getting 1M views than a Fortune 500 getting 50K views. I don’t publish every platform update, just the ones I think you should know about. There’s a place for all of that, but it’s not Link in Bio. Once I notice that something is resonating? I sprint. I’m grateful to every brand and social marketer who has trusted their story with Link in Bio, sharing big insights and answering late-night emails.
Link in Bio wrote about serialized social shows all the way back in 2023, interviewed Zohran Mamdani’s video agency before the primaries, and investigated how Wimbledon makes their “Overheard” videos by calling a stranger who was in one. “There’s always a social angle” is something I often tell myself. Link in Bio has received over 21M views since sending that first newsletter. I’m grateful to every single reader.
When reflecting on these past five years, I was a bit shocked at how little has actually changed in my process. It’s still just me writing the newsletter every week. My screen time remains dangerously high. I don’t use AI. I cold DM social managers on LinkedIn for interviews. I consult for brands. I get nervous before every send. I have bones to pick. I am consistently delighted by the inventive work that social teams do.
I’d be thrilled if the next five years looked exactly the same. I remain laser focused on making Link in Bio the most helpful resource for social media teams. Growth to me looks like going deeper not wider. I’m dreaming up a summit where we can learn from one another and developing a long-form video strategy. I can’t wait. In the meantime, I’ll see you in your inbox. Thanks for letting me in.
What I’m scrolling
Brands are posting the new “Distorted Face” emoji on Twitter. Figma here, Wendy’s here, and McDonald’s here.
Adweek reports that 65% of marketing jobs may not survive AI. The same publication recently announced their “AI Power 50” honoring the “leaders driving innovation and adoption of artificial intelligence tools within the marketing and advertising industry.”
Apple launched @helloapple on Instagram today. I really like this post from inside their durability lab. Last week, I noted that they hadn’t posted their popular Neo TikTok videos on Instagram yet. One of them is already on this new account.
AI could never replace Taco Bell’s Live Más LIVE event. My feed is full of UGC from it.
Gen Z’s negative feelings about TikTok are starting to affect their usage habits. “Gen Z still shows up to TikTok every day, but they’re showing up skeptical, exhausted, and nostalgic for a version of the platform that’s already gone,” said Harris Poll Chief Strategy Officer Libby Rodney in a statement. “That’s not loyalty—that’s habit. And habits break.” Meanwhile, The Harris Poll survey found that 78% of Gen Z views YouTube favorably, and 66% of that group visits YouTube every day. Regrettable minutes will have a profound impact on the direction social media goes!
The beer company Happy Dad just tweets news headlines now. Very bleak strategy! Thanks to the reader who tipped me off to this.
Speaking of Twitter, everyone is very confused by this Axios tweet. It’s a quote tweet of an article they shared that reads “It's the terminally online news junkies who are detached from the actual reality. We've been manipulated by algorithms and politicians amplifying the worst of humanity. Our feeds and screens spread a twisted, inaccurate view of America.”
Joshua Charow makes the most beautiful social videos. Brands should study the subtle ways he hooks viewers.
Gap had a campaign director and a making-of-campaign director. Mick Kelleher was responsible for capturing how the recent spot came together. That “making of” video has over 20K likes.
A few more things
Get 20% off an annual paid subscription. To celebrate five years, all annual subscriptions will be 20% off until March 20th, 2026. That’s $16 off, or two free months. The paid tier gets access to weekly strategy emails, quarterly trend reports, a running list of post ideas, and an invite to the Link in Bio Discord. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading, now is the time. I rarely run sales.
Want to work with Link in Bio? If your brand is interested in partnering with Link in Bio, sponsoring in-person events, or having me speak at a company offsite, please email rachelkartengroup@caa.com.
The job board is back! I switched providers and the Link in Bio Job Board is up and running again. It features all of the best social media roles in one place, updated daily. Right now there are roles from places like Disney, Ramp, and Ben & Jerry’s. If you work for a brand that’s hiring within social media, this job board is for you too. You can post your job listings to get in front of the most talented social media professionals in the business. Check it out here.
Join the Link in Bio Discord. A reminder that paid subscribers get access to the Link in Bio Discord. Think of it as an always-on chat with some of the smartest people who work in this industry. It’s been described as “invaluable” and “as close as you can get to the pulse.” If you’re a paid subscriber and haven’t joined yet, shoot me a DM on Substack for an invite.
Thank you for reading! If you’ll be at SXSW this weekend, please say hi! Unfortunately my happy hour with Casey Lewis filled up in an hour, but you can find more details on our panel here.
i love everything about this and CONGRATS on 5 years!!! your insights have always been so thoughtful and sharp because you create that space to critically think and analyze. how refreshing!
i have gotten clients & hired people for my consulting business bc of link in bio. i tell everyone who works on the internet to subscribe.
(also we need to finally meet up IRL one of these days!!!)
Being a paid subscriber is the joy of my life🩵