Over the weekend, several users noticed new guidance appearing inside Facebook’s Professional Dashboard. Specifically, Facebook Page managers are being advised to add external links in the first comment, rather than including them directly in the post body.
Meta’s Silent Shift in Link Strategy
One such example was shared by @cmcalgary on Threads, with screenshots of Facebook’s own recommendation stating that link posts underperform. Others echoed similar findings, interpreting this as a strong signal from Meta that links in post captions hurt reach.
To confirm, I reviewed Social Media Today’s Facebook Page activity. We typically include a link with every post—our goal is to drive traffic to full articles, not just engagement within the platform. Sure enough, the same prompt was present. But with one interesting nuance.
What Counts as a Link in the Post?
Facebook’s dashboard notes that the example post contains no visible link—yet the link preview appears. That’s because we use a common publishing trick: we add the URL, let Facebook generate the preview image, then delete the URL from the caption before posting. So technically, the link exists, but not in the text.
Is that loophole enough to bypass Facebook’s engagement penalties?
Possibly not. Since the preview doesn’t include a native image or video, engagement might still suffer. That’s why many successful publishers now share a photo or video in the post itself, and drop the link in the first comment. It improves visibility while satisfying Facebook’s algorithm preferences.
Why Meta Prefers Posts Without Links
According to Meta’s latest Widely Viewed Content Report, 97.3% of all U.S. Facebook post views go to content without external links. That’s a massive signal that Facebook’s algorithm deprioritizes link-heavy posts.
Although Meta has stated a renewed commitment to “free expression,” and Threads is actively working to improve link reach for creators and publishers, traditional link posts are still being pushed down the feed.
So while Meta may be easing some restrictions, the data shows the platform continues to reward native content—especially video—over anything that leads users away from Facebook.
What Should Page Managers Do?
To stay competitive and maximize reach:
- Add links in the first comment, not the post caption
- Use high-quality images or video in the post body
- Avoid text-only link previews
- Monitor performance in Facebook’s Professional Dashboard
If you’re a publisher or content marketer, this small change could significantly boost your post visibility.
