By requiring all ad campaigns to link to a verified profile by early 2026, TikTok is eliminating anonymous advertising. This strategic shift compels advertisers who previously operated without a profile to establish an organic presence, increasing platform transparency and accountability for brands.

To drive traffic off Facebook without paying for ads, experts recommend moving beyond links in comments or stories. The primary strategy is to use Messenger DMs, ideally triggered by comment automations. This aligns with Meta's focus on direct interaction and allows for unrestricted link sharing in a conversational context.

Contrary to a popular myth among marketers, a Senior Director of Product at LinkedIn stated that adding an external link to a post does not inherently reduce its reach. Poor performance is caused by low-value, self-serving content that users ignore, not the link itself. Valuable content with a relevant link can perform very well.

Facebook is testing limiting links for non-verified accounts to push Meta Verified subscriptions. Experts suggest this is a revenue play, and for most businesses, that money is better spent on ads. The long-standing best practice of placing links in the first comment remains the recommended approach.

For the first time, Instagram is testing clickable links in Reel captions. This is a monumental shift from its long-held strategy of keeping users within the app at all costs. If rolled out, it could transform Instagram into a primary traffic driver for businesses, fundamentally changing its value.

Since algorithms no longer show every post to every follower, the risk of "overposting" has vanished. This creates a free opportunity for marketers to test large volumes of organic content at scale to identify potential viral hits before committing ad spend.

Meta is directly addressing the long-standing issue of low-quality leads from its ad platform. New verification options, including requiring a work email or SMS confirmation, allow advertisers to filter spam and unqualified submissions. This improves lead quality, reduces wasted spend, and makes the platform more viable for B2B and high-value campaigns.

While Meta promotes benefits like increased reach for its Verified subscription, the most tangible value, especially at higher price tiers ($150-$500/month), is access to human support via phone. For most marketers, the performance benefits do not justify the cost compared to direct ad spend.

Instead of paying for Meta Verified, marketers can effectively drive traffic by placing links in the first comment. Additionally, Stories and Messenger automations are highly recommended, underutilized channels for link sharing that circumvent new restrictions on feed posts.