Facebook Just Put a Price on Your Website Link. Here's What That Means for Your Business.

For years, the deal with Facebook was simple. You post great content, you add a link, people click through to your website.

That deal is changing.

Since Meta launched its new Meta One subscription in September, many business Pages have been greeted with a new notice: you can add links to two posts this month. After that, links stop being clickable unless you pay.

If Facebook is one of the ways you bring people to your website, shop or booking page, this is worth five minutes of your time.

What's actually changed?

On Pages included in the rollout, you now get two organic posts or comments containing external links per month, for free. "Organic" means anything you post without paying to promote it.

A few details that catch people out:

• Comments count too. The old "link in the first comment" trick no longer gets around the limit.
• It counts posts, not URLs. One post with three links uses one slot.
• Unused slots don't roll over. The count resets at the start of each month.
• Once you hit the cap, links appear as plain, unclickable text.

What does it cost to get more?

Meta One comes in four business tiers. Meta hasn't confirmed official UK pricing yet, so these are approximate sterling equivalents:

• Essential, around £11 a month: still 2 link posts (no change)
• Advanced, around £37 a month: 8 link posts
• Expert, around £110 a month: 20 link posts
• Max, up to around £400 a month: unlimited links on Facebook

One thing to watch: pricing is per profile. If you run a Facebook Page and an Instagram account, you may be paying twice. Check the exact price Meta shows your Page before committing.

What's not affected?

Plenty, which is good news:

• Links in ads and boosted posts
• Links to Meta's own apps (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads)
• Extra links in the comments of a post that already has a link
• Eligible Facebook affiliate links
• Links sent in Messenger DMs
• The website field on your Page profile

Does this apply to everyone?

Not yet. Meta is rolling it out gradually and still describes it as a test, so one Page might be capped while another carries on as normal. If you manage several Pages, check each one.

Why is Meta doing this?

Every external link sends someone away from Facebook. Meta's business depends on keeping people scrolling, so link posts have been getting less reach for years. Now Meta has gone a step further and turned outbound links into a paid feature.

In other words, Facebook was already a weak channel for website traffic. Now it's a limited one.

So what should you do?

At StudioDG, here's what we're recommending to clients:

• Audit before you pay. Look at your last 90 days of link posts. How many clicks did they actually drive? How many sales or enquiries? If the numbers are small, a subscription may not be worth it.
• Treat your two links like prime real estate. Save them for what really moves the needle: launches, events, sign-ups and sales. Not routine blog shares.
• Make the post the destination. Native content (Reels, carousels, photo posts, text posts) typically reaches far more people than link posts. Give your audience the value right there in the feed.
• Use the exemptions. Keep your Page's website field up to date. Set up a Messenger auto-reply that sends your link when someone gets in touch. Point people to your Instagram or WhatsApp.
• Put budget behind ads where it counts. Ad links aren't capped. A small, well-targeted boost on a key post can outperform a monthly subscription.
• Own your audience. This is the biggest lesson. Rented platforms change the rules whenever they like. Your email list, your website and your SEO are channels you control, so now is the time to invest in them.

Final thoughts

Facebook still has a place in your marketing, but this is a clear signal. Social platforms want to keep your audience on their turf. The brands that thrive from here will be the ones that make every link count and build channels they own.

StudioDG builds marketing you own - websites, email and search that don't change the rules on you overnight. If you're rethinking how social fits your funnel, get in touch and we'll help you plan around it.