What to put on a digital business card: a field-by-field checklist
By Online Business Cards Editorial Team | Published | Updated | Setting up your card
Your digital business card has one job: help someone remember who you are and get back in touch. Here is what to include, what to leave off, and the order that works.
A digital business card is a short web profile that someone opens from a link or a QR code. It has one job: help the person you have just met remember who you are, and make it easy for them to get back in touch. Everything on it should serve that job.
This checklist goes field by field. Use it when you first set up your profile, and again whenever your role or business changes. Once the contents are right, our guide to laying out your profile covers what should go first.
Start with the five essentials
These are the details people look for first. If you only fill in five things, fill in these.
- Your name, written the way you want to be addressed. If colleagues call you Sam rather than Samantha, use Sam — it is the name they will search their phone for later.
- Your role and organisation. One line, in plain words. "Mortgage adviser at Hartley & Co" is more useful than a slogan.
- A clear photo. A recent head-and-shoulders photo in good light helps people match you to the conversation they had. A logo is fine for a business profile, but a face is easier to remember for a person.
- One phone number and one email address. Pick the ones you actually answer. Two of each makes people guess.
- Your website, or the one page that matters most. If you sell a service, link to the page that explains it, not just your homepage.
Add only the links people will use
It is tempting to list every account you have. Resist it. Each extra link makes the important ones harder to find.
- Social links: include the two or three networks where you are genuinely active and would welcome a message. For most professionals that means LinkedIn and perhaps one other.
- Booking or calendar link: worth adding if you take appointments, run consultations or do discovery calls.
- WhatsApp: useful if clients already message you there. Leave it off if you would rather keep it personal.
- A review link: if you rely on reviews, linking to the page where customers leave them saves a step.
A good test: if you would not be pleased to receive a message through a link, do not show it.
Use the extra sections with a purpose
Most digital profiles can hold more than contact details. On our Brand Presence plan, for example, you can add documents, a gallery, products, testimonials and a short blog. These are helpful when they answer a question someone is likely to have after meeting you.
Section | Add it when | Example
Documents | People ask for something in writing | A one-page price guide or brochure as a PDF
Gallery | Your work is visual | Before-and-after photos, recent projects
Products | You sell a small number of clear offers | Three service packages with a short description each
Testimonials | You have real quotes you can use | A client's words, used with their permission
Blog | You publish useful updates | A monthly tip or market update
On testimonials: only use genuine quotes from real clients, with their permission. Since April 2025, UK consumer law (the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024) explicitly bans fake reviews and misleading review practices. A short, honest quote is worth more than a long, polished one anyway.
Put the most important thing first
People scroll on a phone with one thumb, often while walking away from a conversation. Put the action you most want them to take near the top. For a salesperson that might be "save contact" and phone; for a consultant, the booking link; for a designer, the gallery.
If your profile lets you reorder or hide sections (the Brand Presence plan includes visibility and order controls), use them. A short profile in the right order beats a long one in the wrong order.
What to leave off
- Your home address. If you work from home, show your town or "Serving Greater Manchester" instead.
- Anything you would not want screenshotted. Assume your profile will be shared on.
- Out-of-date details. An old job title or a dead link does more harm than a missing one.
- Long biographies. Two or three sentences is plenty. Link to a fuller "about" page if you need one.
If parts of your profile are only for certain people — a price list for trade customers, say — password protection lets you keep them private while the rest stays public.
Keep it current
The main advantage of a digital card over paper is that you can change it without reprinting anything. That only helps if you actually do it. Put a reminder in your calendar every three months to check your photo, role, phone number and links. If your profile has analytics, glance at which links people tap — it tells you what to move up and what to remove.
Your checklist
- Name as people know you
- Role and organisation in one plain line
- Recent, clear photo
- One phone, one email
- The one web page that matters most
- Two or three social links you actively use
- Booking, WhatsApp or review link if relevant
- Extra sections only where they answer a real question
- Most important action at the top
- No home address, no out-of-date details
- A quarterly reminder to review it
Read next: Six ways to share a digital business card, and when each one works best and How to add your digital business card to your email signature. You can also browse all our guides, or see how an online business card works.
If you draft your about text with an AI tool, read our guide to using AI writing tools well before you publish it.
Frequently asked questions
How many links should a digital business card have?
As few as do the job. For most people that is a phone number, an email address, a website and two or three social links. Add a booking or review link only if you actively use it.
Should I use a photo or a logo?
For a personal profile, use a photo — it helps people remember the conversation. For a profile that represents a business rather than a person, a logo works well. You can often show both: the photo as the main image and the logo in the header.
Can I change my details after my card is set up?
Yes. Your digital profile can be updated at any time, and anyone who opens your link or scans your QR code afterwards sees the new version. Nothing needs reprinting.
Is it safe to put my phone number on a public profile?
Only share the number you are happy for anyone with the link to use. Many people use a work mobile or a business landline. If you would rather not show a number, an email address and a contact form work well instead.
How long should a digital business card be?
Short enough to scan in a few seconds. Most people only need the five essentials, two or three links and one or two extra sections, such as a gallery or a price list.