According to Inc, Meta has started a test that limits Facebook business accounts to posting just two links per month for free in their organic posts. To send any more links to followers, account holders must subscribe to Meta Verified for $14.99 a month. Social media expert Matt Navarra first flagged the change, noting Meta’s stated goal is to see if more links “add additional value” for paying subscribers. The test is limited for now, but the policy explicitly states that the two free monthly link posts do not roll over and should be used on the first of each month. This move directly impacts influencers, creators, and small businesses who rely on Facebook to drive traffic to their sites or content.
The Real Strategy Behind The Limit
Look, this isn’t really about verification. It’s about revenue. Meta’s core advertising business faces challenges, and they’ve been searching for new subscription revenue streams for a while. Meta Verified started as a blue-check clone, but now it’s morphing into a “trust layer” that bundles essential features—like, you know, the basic ability to share links—behind a paywall. Navarra put it bluntly to the BBC: “This isn’t really about verification as much as about bundling survival features behind a subscription.”
A Brutal Reality Check
Here’s the thing: this test makes the implicit, explicit. For years, organic reach on Facebook has been dying. Businesses already had to pay to be seen. Now, Meta is signaling you might have to pay just to function. Want to post a link to your new blog, your product page, and an event in the same week? That’ll be $14.99, please. Navarra’s analysis points out this “reinforces a pretty brutal reality that Facebook is no longer a reliable traffic engine.” It’s a managed platform, and the management is getting more expensive.
Why This Is Probably Here To Stay
So, will this become a permanent, platform-wide rule? I think the writing’s on the wall. Meta calls it a “small, controlled test,” but what’s the likely outcome? If they find even a modest percentage of businesses cave and subscribe, that’s pure profit. And if it works on Facebook, why wouldn’t they extend it to Instagram? It’s a straightforward way to monetize the massive small business user base that grew accustomed to free tools. This is the direction of travel.
The Bigger Warning For Businesses
This is the most important takeaway. Tests like this are a screaming siren about platform risk. Building your entire growth strategy on a channel you don’t control and don’t own is incredibly dangerous. Your access can be throttled, your rules can change, and your costs can go up overnight. The smart move is to diversify. Build your email list, nurture a community elsewhere, own your customer relationships. Relying on any single platform’s goodwill is a recipe for getting squeezed. For more sharp analysis on business strategy, you can sign up for 1 Smart Business Story from Inc.
