Meta is currently running a new experiment that limits how many links users can post on Facebook. The test restricts users to posting only two links unless they have a paid Meta Verified subscription, which starts at $14.99 per month. Over the last week, several users and social media strategist Matt Navarra have spotted and reported on this test.
According to a screenshot shared by Navarra, the limit does not apply to affiliate links, comments, or links to posts on other Meta platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta confirmed the test to TechCrunch, stating it impacts people using professional mode and Facebook Pages. Professional mode allows personal profiles to be converted into creator profiles for wider content discovery.
A Meta spokesperson explained that this is a limited test to understand if allowing more posts with links provides additional value for Meta Verified subscribers. The company aims to learn how it can enhance that paid plan. Publishers are not included in this test at the moment, and users can still post links in comments without being affected by the new limit.
This change could directly impact creators and brands who regularly share links from their blogs or other platforms to reach a broader audience on Facebook. If they reach their link limit, they might be forced to post content from other Meta platforms instead or stop posting altogether unless they pay for a subscription.
Meta’s recent transparency report noted that over 98% of feed views in the U.S. come from posts without any links. It is unclear if this statistic influenced the decision to test link limits. The same report found that YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe were among the top domains shared in linked posts, and that the majority of the small percentage of views for posts with links came from a page the user already followed.
This test occurs amid a broader debate about the link-based web, especially as AI summaries and search tools impact publisher traffic. Other social networks, like X, have also experimented with demoting linked posts to encourage users to create and share content directly on their platforms.