Meta’s new subscription model leads to link limitations

By Gracee Hedge, Social Media Specialist turned Meta detective

A full week before Meta officially announced their new subscription model, I received an email that read along the lines of this: “Hey, we can’t post links on Facebook anymore?”

Say what?

After scouring the internet, I discovered that Meta had begun rolling out the Meta One subscription in the United States — without notifying users of the changes it would bring until they were already being affected.

Accounts chosen to be included in this round of testing suddenly received a notification: “You can add links to 2 posts per month, and you’ve used them all.”

What’s new and really interesting though, is the Meta One plans for businesses… These plans expand a business’s toolbelt — but in turn, non-subscribers are being limited. Without subscribing to at least the second tier of Meta One, professional pages on Facebook will be limited to posting just two links per month, including in comments. To receive more links, business pages will have to join Meta One.

This change is an effort to keep users on the platform instead of leaving to a third-party website. Links to supported affiliates and other Meta apps will remain unrestricted for all users, but for users who often link to their own website, they’re going to have to decide how to allocate those two links per month.

Subscribing does have its benefits. With four options, users can choose one to best suit their needs:

1. Meta One Essential ($14.99/mo) – Link sheets on Facebook and Instagram to drive users to websites, social channels, or other key destinations, a verified badge, and impersonation protection.
2. Meta One Advanced ($49.99/mo) – Essential features + clickable links in Reels, links in posts (8 per month on Facebook; 4 per month on Instagram), enhanced audience and competitor insights, a bolded follow button, shared access to an Instagram page without sharing a password (up to 4 people), and upgraded content scheduling features.
3. Meta One Expert ($149.99/mo) – Advanced features expanded: 20 clickable links per month in Reels on Facebook and 8 on Instagram, 20 links in posts on Facebook and 8 on Instagram, and password-free shared Instagram access with 8 people.
4. Meta One Max ($499.99/mo) – Expert features expanded: Unlimited clickable links in Reels on Facebook and 12 per month on Instagram, unlimited links in posts on Facebook and 12 on Instagram, password-free shared Instagram access with 30 people, and access to content strategy advice through a Meta advisor.

For businesses that choose to pay, Meta One will up their social game, providing them with enhanced discoverability, deeper insights, and other features.

The reality is, small businesses or those with a tight marketing budget might not be able to afford the subscription.

Social media is often used to drive traffic to a business’s website. Maybe they are selling a product, trying to get ticket sales, or directing users to a blog post.

Without a clickable link in the caption, users will have to go through more steps to complete the desired action — making them less likely to do so. When users are forced to search, they are more likely to abandon the task or pivot to a competitor who provides the path of least resistance, putting non-Meta One subscribers at a disadvantage.

So, what does this mean?

Users who do not to subscribe to Meta One will need to put thought into what posts need a link attached, asking themselves what is most important to drive traffic to during that month and using analytics to uncover which links receive the most clicks.

They should also prioritize owned assets like their website or email newsletter, making sure visitors can easily locate the information they need. Social media should be used to build relationships and start conversations, not as a home base.

Thanks to this shocking switch-up from Meta, we might be seeing the classic “Click the link in our bio” line a lot more.