Over the weekend, multiple users spotted a new tip in Facebook's Professional Dashboard. The platform's advice? Don't include the link in your post body — stick it in the first comment.
The Subtle Shift
Social media consultant @cmcalgary first posted the discovery on Threads, followed by others who saw similar recommendations across their Page Insights. While Meta hasn't issued a formal policy change, this looks a lot like backdoor guidance from Facebook's algorithm team.
We checked. The prompt shows up even on posts that technically have no link in the caption — for example, when you paste a URL, let Facebook pull the link preview, then delete the actual URL from the post text. Even then, Meta flags that posts with links may see less reach.
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Why the Algorithm Hates Links
This advice tracks with Meta's broader content priorities. According to the latest Widely Viewed Content Report, 97.3% of all Facebook post views in the U.S. are for content without external links. Link posts — the kind that drive traffic off-platform — have been bleeding reach for years as Meta pivots toward video, Reels, and content that keeps users scrolling inside its own ecosystem.
Yes, link post exposure saw a slight uptick in the latest report, but overall the trend is brutal for publishers, brands and media buyers trying to drive outbound traffic.
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Should You Follow This Advice?
Maybe. Many high-performing publishers have already adapted:
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Post your creative (image, video, meme, etc.)
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Skip the link in the caption.
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Drop the link as the first comment.
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Pin the comment if needed.
The downside? You can't schedule the first comment ahead of time — which means more manual work for social managers running dozens (or hundreds) of daily posts.
Meta's Mixed Signals
Interestingly, while Facebook Pages suffer under this link suppression, Meta's Threads app is actively improving link visibility to attract publishers and creators. A sign of broader platform experimentation? Maybe. But for now, Facebook proper remains hostile to outbound links.We'll follow up with Meta for comment. For now:
Media buyers, affiliates, social marketers:
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Try link-in-comment.
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Monitor your reach and CTR.
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Don't get your hopes up.