Meta Is Considering Charging Business Pages To Post Links - Social Media Today

December 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM

Meta may charge business Pages to post links on Facebook — here’s what’s changing and how to prepare.

What’s happening

Meta is testing a limit that caps certain Facebook Pages and professional mode profiles to two organic link posts per month unless they subscribe to Meta Verified.
The in-app notice says the change starts December 16 for selected, non-Verified accounts participating in the test.
Meta told industry watchers this is a limited experiment to gauge whether allowing more link posts adds value for Meta Verified subscribers. Meta has told TechCrunch the test does not include publisher Pages at this stage.

Why this matters

If expanded, this would be a major shift for businesses and publishers that rely on Facebook to share links and drive traffic.
Meta Verified for businesses ranges from $14.99 to $499 per month, offering a verified badge, fraud protection, improved support, enhanced search visibility, and potentially higher link-post allowances.
Meta’s “Other” revenue hit $690 million in Q3, more than double since Meta Verified launched in Q2 2023, hinting at growing subscription uptake.

The bigger context

Facebook link posts currently receive very limited reach, according to Meta’s Widely Viewed Content Report. Share of link content visibility has declined from 2022’s 9.8% benchmark, making this a relatively low-risk change for Meta’s overall engagement metrics.
Earlier this year some publishers reported modest recovery in referral traffic, but this test underscores a long-standing lesson: avoid over-reliance on Facebook for traffic, as platform priorities can shift quickly.

How to adapt your strategy

Prioritize your top two link posts each month if you’re in the test group.
Test placing URLs thoughtfully (note: Meta is also experimenting with restrictions on link-sharing in comments).
Lean into Reels and native content to build brand presence rather than pure click-through.
Consider Meta Verified if frequent link posting is core to your goals.
Reassess Facebook’s role in your 2026 content mix if traffic is the primary KPI.

Possible upside for users

A pay-to-play threshold could reduce spammy link floods and improve content quality in feeds by pricing out mass-scale spammers.

Bottom line

This is a limited test for now, not a platform-wide policy. But if expanded, it could reshape how businesses use Facebook for link distribution in 2026. Monitor your Page notifications, test alternative formats, and prepare contingency plans.

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