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.

Major platforms have shifted from being traffic sources to walled gardens. They algorithmically suppress posts with external links and provide answers directly in their UIs, forcing marketers to adapt to a world where driving traffic to their own website is no longer the primary goal.

Meta's ecosystem is engineered for a four-step journey: content, viewership, direct message conversations, and then conversion. Marketers should align with this by using features like comment-to-DM triggers to initiate conversations, as Meta prioritizes this over external links.

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.

Telling users "link in bio" directs them away from your post before they can like or comment. This lack of engagement signals the algorithm to limit your reach. Use DM automation CTAs (e.g., "comment 'SALE' for the link") instead to boost interaction and visibility.

Don't guess which ads will work. Post content organically and let the platform's algorithm validate it. When a post gets unusually high engagement, you've found a winner. Turn that specific post into a targeted paid ad to de-risk your 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.

Telling users to 'click the link in bio' actively instructs your most interested audience members to stop engaging with your content (liking, commenting, saving) and navigate away. This lack of engagement from interested parties signals to the algorithm that the post is not valuable, reducing its reach.

To avoid algorithm suppression, don't post links in the comments. Instead, publish your post without a link, wait 15 minutes for initial engagement, then edit the post to add your link. You can change up to 14% of the character count without penalty, a strategy called the "14% rule".