Meta restricts link sharing: here's how the new half-price subscription will change the game for creators and brands

Meta is experimenting with an aggressive strategy to incentivize paid subscriptions. According to industry experts, the platform is introducing restrictions on the number of link-containing content that can be shared on professional accounts and business pages unless users subscribe to Meta Verified.

How the new restriction works

Social media strategist Matt Navarra has documented the details of the ongoing test. Accounts involved in the experiment can publish a maximum of two links unless they subscribe to a paid plan starting at $14.99 per month. However, links in comments, affiliate links, and those directing to other Meta services like Instagram and WhatsApp are excluded from this limit.

Meta officially confirmed to TechCrunch that the test specifically concerns users utilizing the professional mode and Facebook Page administrators. This mode is the tool through which content creators transform their personal profiles into creator profiles, thereby expanding the reach of their posts.

The consequences for creators and businesses

The impact of this measure could be significant. industry professionals who regularly share content from personal blogs, external websites, or other platforms would be forced to choose: subscribe to a half-price plan or scale back their content distribution strategy. Some might opt to publish exclusively native content on Meta, effectively limiting their ability to direct traffic to other digital properties.

The logic behind the strategic decision

In its Q3 transparency report, Meta revealed an interesting fact: over 98% of impressions in the US feed come from posts without any external links. Only 1.9% of views involve content with links, mainly from pages followed by users. Links shared by friends and groups account for an even smaller fraction.

This imbalance likely motivated the company to explore new monetization and content control models. YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe are among the most frequently linked domains, confirming that Meta wants to keep its users within its proprietary ecosystem.

The evolution of the debate on links in the modern web

The experiment is part of a broader context where social networks are rethinking the role of links. Platforms like X have previously implemented strategies to declassify posts containing links to encourage direct content publishing. With the rise of AI and automated summaries, the traditional link-based distribution model has faced increasing pressure.

Meta clarified that publishers are not currently included in this test, and it remains to be seen whether this exclusion will continue or if it is only an initial phase of implementation.