Facebook Limits Link Posting for Professional Accounts

Meta Experiments with Link Posting Limits on Facebook

A new trial by Meta is underway, restricting the quantity of links users are permitted to share on Facebook, unless they are subscribers to the Meta Verified paid service.

Discovery of the Test

Over the past week, numerous users have observed this test, which directly affects link-sharing capabilities. Matt Navarra, a social media strategist, highlighted that participants in the test are limited to posting only two links without a Meta Verified subscription, which begins at $14.99 monthly.

According to a screenshot shared by Navarra, the posting of affiliate links, comments, and links directing to other Meta platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – remains unaffected.

Impact on Professional Mode Users

Meta has confirmed the test to TechCrunch, clarifying that it impacts users utilizing professional mode and managing Facebook Pages. Professional mode allows personal profiles to be transformed into creator profiles, increasing content visibility.

A Meta spokesperson explained to TechCrunch that the purpose of this limitation is to evaluate whether increased posting volume with links provides added benefit to Meta Verified subscribers.

Implications for Creators and Brands

This change could significantly affect creators and brands who rely on sharing links from their blogs or other platforms to broaden their reach.

The company stated its intention is to discover ways to enhance the value proposition of Meta Verified, and this test represents one such exploration. Currently, publishers are excluded from this particular experiment.

Users retain the ability to post links within comments, and these are not subject to the imposed limit.

Data on Link Sharing

Meta’s Q3 transparency report revealed that over 98% of feed views in the U.S. originate from posts without any links. It remains uncertain whether this data influenced the decision to experiment with link-sharing restrictions.

The report also indicated that the majority of the 1.9% of views generated by posts containing links came from pages users already follow. Link sharing via friends and groups was minimal.

Top Domains Shared

The same report identified YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe as the most frequently shared domains within posted links.

With the implementation of this link posting limit test, content creators and brands may be compelled to prioritize content from other Meta platforms if they reach their limit, or cease posting altogether if they are unwilling to subscribe.

The Broader Context of Link-Based Web

As artificial intelligence increasingly dominates the internet landscape, a continuous debate surrounds the future of the link-based web. The rise of AI-powered summarization and search has negatively impacted the publishing industry.

In recent years, social networks like X have explored methods of demoting linked posts to encourage users to share content natively on their platforms.

This shift reflects a broader trend towards platform-centric content ecosystems.