Plaid logo
Docs
ALL DOCS

Link

  • Overview
Platforms
  • Web
  • iOS
  • Android
  • React Native
  • Hosted Link
Core Link functionality
  • OAuth guide
  • Update mode
  • Preventing duplicate Items
  • Data Transparency Messaging migration
  • Returning user experience
Additional Link modes
  • Embedded Link
  • Multi-Item Link
  • Link Recovery (beta)
  • Modular Link (UK/EU only)
Optimizing Link
  • Optimizing Link conversion
  • Link analytics and tracking
  • Pre-Link messaging
  • Customizing Link
  • Choosing when to initialize products
Errors and troubleshooting
  • Troubleshooting
  • Handling an invalid Link Token
  • Institution status in Link
Legacy flows
  • Legacy public key integrations
  • Link Token migration guide
  • Webview integrations
Plaid logo
Docs
Close search modal
Ask Bill!
Ask Bill!
Hi! I'm Bill! You can ask me all about the Plaid API. Try asking questions like:
  • Can you show code for getting a credit card APR in Ruby?
  • How do I set up Link on the web?
  • How do I set up a webhook for IDV?
Note: Bill isn't perfect. He's just a robot platypus that reads our docs for fun. You should treat his answers with the same healthy skepticism you might treat any other answer on the internet. This chat may be logged for quality and training purposes. Please don't send Bill any PII -- he's scared of intimacy. All chats with Bill are subject to Plaid's Privacy Policy.
Plaid.com
Log in
Get API Keys
Open nav

Link messaging

Shape your messaging around Link to optimize conversion and user experience

Overview

Factors that you control, such as how Link is placed in your onboarding flow, and the UI of the page where it is hosted, can have large impacts on Link conversion. This article outlines best practices for Link presentation that you can adopt to maximize conversion and overall user experience.

Pre-Link messaging best practices

Explain the benefit to the user

Your UI should tell the user why they want to use Link. For example, linking an account might let them make free transfers, versus having to pay a credit card transaction fee. Or it might be faster, allowing them to avoid manual data entry of balances or transactions, or having to wait several days for a micro-deposit-based verification flow.

Tell the user what to expect, including what data is shared and why

Before launching the Link flow, explain to the user that they'll be prompted to link a bank account with Plaid. Explain what data your app will be collecting from their account, and why it's needed. One common approach is to provide a concise, user-friendly explanation of how your app uses data from Plaid, then link to your Privacy Policy for a more comprehensive explanation.

Present Link as the default

Rather than presenting Link and manual flows as equal alternatives, encourage your customers to use Link through the size, positioning, and color of the Link entry point. You can also use labels such as "Recommended" or "Preferred". Yet another option is to display manual flows as an option only after the onExit callback (indicating a failed link attempt) has been received.

Explain that Link is secure

Let customers know that Link is secure and uses 256-bit encryption; a lock icon can also be used to help convey that Link uses encryption. Explain that your app does not have access to their credentials. If your app implements the best practice of allowing users to disconnect accounts from within the app, explaining that they can choose to unlink their account later can increase users' confidence in their control over their data.

Provide a polished, engaging flow

A Link hosting flow that is engaging, polished, and reflects your brand conveys the legitimacy and importance of linking an account. Illustrations and interactive elements can all be a part of your pre-Link messaging.

Be concise

In applying the recommendations, use concise explanations, rather than displaying large blocks of text. If you need to provide more details to fully explain something, you can use a "learn more" link to display a modal with additional information.

Use multiple channels to engage users

If a user does not link an account during their first interaction with your app, you can use other channels such as email, text, or mobile notifications to remind them. These channels should use the same best practices as your in-app UI. You can also use these channels to notify users when they need to take action to repair a linked account via update mode.

Pre-Link messaging examples

Below are some examples of fictional Plaid-powered apps that incorporate elements of best-practice messaging. While every app will have its own unique pre-Link UI, these examples are intended to provide inspiration and demonstrate how the principles above can be applied.

Payments example
A pre-Link pane incorporating pre-Link best practices

This pre-Link flow conveys the benefit to the user, presents Link as the default experience, and uses social proof to show that Link is a secure solution trusted by many users. It mentions Plaid by name before launching the Link flow, helping the user understand that Plaid is trusted by the app. It also clearly explains what customer-permissioned data the app will be using, how that data will be used, and that the user can revoke access to that data.

Lending examples
A pre-Link pane incorporating pre-Link best practices

These pre-Link panes convey the benefit to the user of linking an account, present Link as the default experience, and explain that Link is secure.

Personal financial management example
A pre-Link pane incorporating pre-Link best practices

This pre-Link pane conveys the benefit to the user, explains that Link is secure, and contains a link to additional security messaging with more detail on security practices, including an explanation of how the user can manage their linked account.

Email messaging example
An email ecouraging the user to link an account

This followup email, sent when a user does not link an account within 24 hours of signing up for the app, uses the same branding as the main app, contains a clear call to action, and explains the benefits of Link and why the user should link their account.

Post-Link messaging best practices

While post-Link messaging has a less direct impact on conversion, it can still impact the confidence your users have in Plaid and in your app.

Present a success screen

Let the user know that they successfully linked their account to your app. You can also show some of the data that your app has collected, so that the user can have proof that the link process worked correctly. If applicable, have a CTA on this screen that allows them to link another account.

Allow users to manage linked Items

Having an area within your app where users can view, manage, or remove linked Items is a privacy and security best practice. It can also minimize the risk of duplicate Items (when a user accidentally adds the same Item twice) and help users fix Items that are unhealthy and need to go through update mode.

Post-Link messaging example

A post-Link pane incorporating post-Link best practices

This post-Link pane includes a success screen to instill confidence. It incorporates the account mask, which lets the user know their account data was retrieved, and incorporates a call to action to link another account.

Next steps

To measure the impact of these steps or set up an experiment to evaluate them, see Measuring Link conversion. For more conversion maximization tips, see Maximizing Link conversion.

Was this helpful?
Developer community
GitHub
GitHub
Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow
YouTube
YouTube
Discord
Discord