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You may have heard that Facebook has been tweaking its algorithm to prioritize content that doesn’t include external links—specifically, links that could potentially move users off their platform. This adjustment, which has been in effect since February 2023, has sparked quite a bit of debate among social media managers and marketers.

Some are trying to "work around" the new rule by adding links in the comments, others are adhering strictly to the new guidelines, and some are just sticking with their usual content strategy.

So, who’s got it right?

The Short Answer: Everyone!

Here in New Zealand, where the volume of content and users on Facebook is relatively low compared to global figures, changes like this often have little to no impact. But how can you tell if these changes are affecting your reach or engagement? The answer lies in your Facebook Insights and Google Analytics results.

What’s Your Social Media Strategy?

If your primary goal is to boost engagement on Facebook—meaning you focus on communicating with your audience and conducting business directly on the platform—following the new "no-link" guideline might make a difference, but probably not a significant one.

However, if your strategy includes driving traffic from Facebook to your website, reducing the number of external links you post could have a serious downside. Fewer links mean less traffic to your site, which can negatively impact your Google ranking over time.