According to TechCrunch, Meta is running a limited test where users with Facebook Pages or profiles in “Professional Mode” can only post two links. The only way to post more is by paying for a Meta Verified subscription, which starts at $14.99 per month. The company confirmed the test, saying it’s to see if “the ability to publish an increased volume of posts with links adds additional value” for paying subscribers. Affiliate links and links to other Meta platforms like Instagram are exempt from the limit. The test directly impacts creators and brands who rely on Facebook to drive traffic to their own sites. Notably, Meta’s own data shows that over 98% of feed views in the U.S. are on posts without any links at all.
The walled garden gets higher
Here’s the thing: this isn’t really about links. It’s about keeping you—and your content—inside Meta’s universe. Think about it. If you’re a creator hitting your two-link limit, what are your options? You can pay up. Or, you can post that content natively on Facebook or Instagram Reels instead of linking out to your blog or YouTube. It’s a classic platform play. They’re using a pain point (the limit) to push a solution (paying or staying on-platform) that benefits them. This follows a trend we’ve seen for years, where social networks increasingly demote external links to boost their own engagement metrics.
Who’s really affected?
So, who gets hurt? Small to mid-sized creators and local businesses. Big publishers are (for now) excluded from the test, and massive brands will just absorb the Verified cost as a business expense. But for the independent creator using Professional Mode to grow, this is a new tax on their reach. They’re already fighting an algorithm that prefers native video. Now, their basic link-sharing—a core function of the web for decades—might be paywalled. It forces a brutal calculation: is the potential traffic from a third link worth fifteen bucks? For many, the answer will be no.
Meta’s link problem
Why would they do this, though? Look at their own Widely Viewed Content Report. Links are a tiny, tiny fraction of what people see. And of that small slice, the most-viewed linked domains are… YouTube, TikTok, and GoFundMe. Basically, Facebook is spending energy and algorithmic real estate sending its users to its biggest competitors and fundraising sites. From a cold, corporate perspective, that’s a terrible deal. This test might be a way to quietly choke off that free traffic to rivals while monetizing the privilege of linking out for everyone else.
The bigger web’s slow fade
This is part of a much larger, weirder shift. Between AI summaries scraping publisher sites and social platforms locking down the gates, the traditional “link-based web” is under siege. The value of a mere URL is collapsing. Platforms want you to create *for them*, not use them as a billboard for your own corner of the internet. As noted by strategist Matt Navarra, this test feels like another step in that direction. The message is becoming clear: if you want to play in our yard, you either pay rent or leave your toys (and links) at the door.
