Meta is experimenting with restrictions on the number of links users can post on Facebook. The move could significantly affect creators and brands that rely on external traffic. Users who are opting for the company’s cheapest plan of $14.99 a month instead of Meta Verified will only be able to share a maximum of two links.
The experiment was first spotted by social media strategist Matt Navarra, who shared a screenshot of the link post limit. Meta confirmed the test to TechCrunch, stating it is currently being implemented against users in ‘Professional’ mode and Facebook Pages.
Meta’s professional plan allows individuals to convert into creator profiles. This will make their posts discoverable and eligible for monetization. The new development will affect those using Facebook to increase the traffic on their blogs, e-commerce hosted on the site, or any other site outside the platform.
Based on screenshots of the guidelines posted on the web, users are allowed to share affiliate links, links in comments, and links to content on other Meta-owned platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Meta has further clarified that publishers are not counted in the testing phase. Links that users post in the comments section will work without any restrictions.
Meta claims that the test is intended to clarify whether letting a greater number of link posts into a user’s feed increases value to Meta Verified subscribers.
“This is a pilot to test if it adds any value to already existing subscribers to Meta Verified to publish a higher volume of links,” a spokesperson for Meta told CNBC.
The company remains fixated on improving Meta Verified with new and exclusive features, as it focuses on increasing subscription revenues.
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In its Q3 transparency report, Meta revealed that feed views in the US exceeded 98% on posts that did not have any links. The company noted only 1.9% of feed views of posts containing links came from pages that they already followed.
The report also found that the most shared external domains on Facebook included YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe.
The test represents an additional development in the industry’s shift toward content without links. As algorithmically generated summaries and platform-native content fill up news feeds, it has become even harder for publishers to generate traffic outside of social platforms.