External Links on Social Platforms - Where You Can Use Them!CREATED BY LISA HARPER Social media has become integral to our daily lives; for businesses, it is a crucial tool for reaching and engaging with your target audience. However, as social media platforms evolve and so do their policies and algorithms, which can have significant impacts on businesses' digital strategies. One such aspect that has been a topic of discussion is the use of external links on social media. Social media feeds, External links beckon me, Endless scrolling trap As a social media manager, one of the most common questions I get asked is, 'Why can't I post external links on social media?' The truth is, the use of external links on social media has become a complex and ever-changing landscape. Each platform has its own policies and algorithms, making it crucial for businesses to understand where each big social platform stands on external links. Facebook, being the largest social media platform, has been a topic of discussion when it comes to external links. While the platform has not directly stated that its algorithm penalises link posts, the decrease in referral traffic from link posts is evident. According to Facebook's own data, only 5% of posts displayed in user feeds include external links, and this percentage has been decreasing over time. This decrease in reach can be attributed to Facebook's focus on AI-recommended post insertion, such as Reels, and reduced organic reach for Page updates. Additionally, Facebook has been moving away from news content, further reducing the reach of external links. So, while Facebook may not be directly penalising external links, businesses are seeing a significant decrease in reach and engagement from link posts. Instagram, on the other hand, has never been a platform for driving referral traffic through external links. The platform does not allow links in captions, making it difficult for businesses to direct their audience to their website. However, Instagram does allow links in Stories, which are not reach-restricted, but are only distributed to a user's followers. This means that businesses can only reach their established audience through external links in Stories. While there is no evidence to suggest that Instagram actively limits external links, the platform's focus on visual content and the limited reach of Stories make it challenging for businesses to drive traffic through external links. Threads, a messaging app by Instagram, has also been a topic of discussion when it comes to external links. There has been speculation that the app actively limits the reach of posts that include external links. However, Instagram and Threads boss Adam Mosseri have clarified that this is not the case. Users may still believe that Threads is limiting the reach of external links, but according to Mosseri, this is driven by user behaviour rather than the app's algorithm. As a messaging app, Threads is not the ideal platform for driving referral traffic, and businesses should focus on other social media platforms for this purpose. TikTok, the popular short-form video app, has also been in the spotlight for its stance on external links. The platform does not allow links in captions, but it does allow users to add a link to their profile bio. However, this link is not clickable, and users have to manually type it into their browser. This makes it challenging for businesses to drive traffic through external links on TikTok. However, the platform's algorithm favours content that keeps users within the app, making it crucial for businesses to create engaging and entertaining content to reach a wider audience. In contrast, LinkedIn, a professional networking platform, has always been a platform for driving referral traffic through external links. The platform allows users to add links to their posts, making it easier for businesses to direct their audience to their website or other external sources. Additionally, LinkedIn's algorithm favours external links, as it sees them as valuable resources for its professional user base. This makes LinkedIn an essential platform for businesses looking to drive traffic through external links. The use of external links on social media is a complex and ever-changing landscape. Each platform has its own policies and algorithms, making it crucial for businesses to understand where each big social platform stands on external links. While some platforms actively limit the reach of external links, others see them as valuable resources for their users. As a social media manager, it is essential to stay updated on these changes and adapt your digital strategy accordingly. Until next time ...
LISA HARPER
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