Facebook is testing a significant new restriction that could impact how creators and businesses use the platform. The company is limiting how many links certain users can share each month, unless they subscribe to Meta Verified, its $14.99 (~KES 1950) monthly subscription service. This change, which targets creators using Facebook’s professional mode and businesses running Pages, marks a shift in the platform’s approach to link sharing.
How the New Restriction Works
Under the test, creators and businesses can only post two links per month in organic posts. If users want to share more links beyond this limit, they will need to subscribe to Meta Verified. This limitation does not affect regular personal profiles, only professional users on Facebook Pages and those utilizing professional mode.
Meta’s Experiment: Monetizing Link Sharing
Meta explains this move as an experiment to test whether limiting link sharing adds value for subscribers. The company’s recent data shows that 98% of feed views in the US come from posts without links, while only 2% of views include links to external content. Given this, Meta believes limiting link sharing is justified since most users don’t click on links anyway. By making link-sharing a premium feature, Meta aims to create a new revenue stream.
Impact on Creators and Small Businesses
For creators and businesses who rely on Facebook to drive traffic, such as affiliate marketers, small business owners, writers, and coaches, this change could have a huge impact. Many of these users post multiple links per week to products, services, or newsletters. With the new restriction, limiting these users to just two links per month could disrupt their business models, making it harder for them to reach audiences or drive traffic to external sites.
Although links in comments will remain unlimited, the core function of posting links to direct users to external sites is now treated as a premium service. Links to Instagram, WhatsApp, and other Meta properties will not be limited, but links to third-party websites are now a paid feature.
Matt Navarra’s Warning: The Risk of Platform Dependence
Social media strategist Matt Navarra pointed out that this move is a clear signal from Meta that it wants to monetize content distribution itself. Navarra also warned that businesses heavily reliant on Facebook for distribution are now facing a serious risk. Basic features like link-sharing could become paid services at any time, making it essential for businesses to reconsider their platform dependency.
The Broader Trend: Platforms Want Users to Stay Inside the App
This shift isn’t unique to Meta. In 2023, X (formerly Twitter) removed headlines from news links, making it less attractive for users to share outbound content. This aligns with a growing trend across social media platforms: keeping users inside the app. By gatekeeping links, platforms can ensure users spend more time scrolling within their ecosystem, increasing their engagement and revenue from ads.
What This Means for Businesses
For businesses that have built their audience or brand through Facebook’s free distribution, this represents a fundamental shift. With link-sharing now a paid feature, businesses need to reevaluate their strategies and consider diversifying their platforms. Relying solely on Facebook’s free distribution for critical business functions could leave them vulnerable if more features get restricted behind paywalls.
This new change is part of Meta’s broader shift towards paid services for creators and businesses, and it may prompt others to reconsider their content distribution strategies. As Meta’s experiment continues, businesses and creators will need to stay informed about how these shifts affect their ability to connect with audiences on the platform.
