If you manage your church’s Facebook page, you may have seen a notice that your account will soon be limited to two link posts per month. A link post is a post that includes a link to something outside of Facebook, like your church website or an online giving page. You can still post as often as you like; the limit applies only to posts that send people off Facebook. This is a change to be aware of, not a reason to walk away from Facebook. With a little planning, your church can keep communicating well.
What is changing
Meta, the company that owns Facebook, is rolling out, in waves, a limit on how many organic (unpaid) posts containing links an account can publish each month. Accounts that have not subscribed to one of Meta’s paid plans (Meta Verified, now being joined by a newer subscription called Meta One, with prices starting around $15 a month) may be held to two link posts per month. Meta began with a limited test in December 2025 and has since been expanding it to more accounts, so what you see may differ from what another page sees, and the exact number can vary from account to account. But this is not a distant rumor. We are already hearing from churches and leaders in our own conference who have run up against the limit, so it is here, and it is wise to plan now.
The good news: nothing about this change stops you from posting photos, text, video, or Facebook Events. Putting a link in the first comment has been a popular workaround, and it still works for many pages. However, some reports say Meta is experimenting with limits on comment links too, so test it on your own page rather than counting on it.
What counts as a link post
A link post is any post that includes a link to something outside of Facebook, such as your church website, an online giving page, a registration form, or a news article. Facebook usually turns these links into a preview card with a picture and headline. Photos, videos, text-only posts, and Facebook Events do not send people away from Facebook, so they are not what this limit is aimed at.
Why Facebook is doing this
Most of the coverage has focused on the obvious business reason: the limit nudges accounts toward Meta’s paid Meta Verified tiers. But the stated goal is also about keeping people on Facebook. When someone clicks a link and leaves, they may not come back. When they can read the information and keep scrolling, that is better for Facebook. Seeing it this way helps us plan. Facebook clearly prefers experiences that keep people on the platform, so our best posts will give people what they need right there in the post.
Facebook is still worth your time
For many congregations, Facebook remains one of the best places to reach members, visitors, and neighbors who would never see a bulletin or a website. Nothing about this change takes that away. It simply asks us to be more intentional, which is a healthy habit for any ministry communicator.
Choose your two links wisely
Think of your two monthly link posts as prime real estate. Before each month begins, ask: what two destinations matter most right now? Good candidates include:
- Your online giving page or a special offering campaign
- Registration for a major event, such as VBS, a retreat, or a Christmas Eve service
- A new visitor page or “Plan Your Visit” page
- A signup for a big volunteer or mission opportunity
Write those down on your content calendar so they are decisions, not accidents.
For everything else: lead with your own image and words
Most posts do not need to be a link preview. Instead, create your own graphic or photo and write the key details right in the post: what, when, where, and who is welcome. Then, if your page still allows it, put the link in the first comment, and say so in your post (“Sign up using the link in the comments”). People get everything they need at a glance, and the link is still one tap away.
This approach often makes for a better post anyway. A bright, clear image with your own warm words will usually say more about your church than an automatically generated link preview.
You can find tutorials on how to create social media post images using Canva in this UMCom resource.
Also make sure your website is listed in your page’s bio or About section, since that link is always there for anyone who wants it. Then take a look at your website’s home page with a Facebook visitor in mind: if you are promoting a big event or an item you want people to visit from Facebook, it should be easy to find right there on the home page (or on whatever page your profile link points to), without any digging.
Don’t forget Stories
Facebook Stories are another place to share a link, and so far they haven’t counted against the two-link limit. To add one, create your Story, tap the sticker icon, choose the Link sticker, and paste in your web address. A plain link typed into a Story won’t be tappable, so the sticker is what makes it work. Stories are best for quick, timely nudges like “Registration closes Friday” or “Join us this Sunday,” but they disappear after 24 hours. Think of them as a reminder, not a permanent home for your link, and pair them with a regular post, an event, or a clear spot on your website’s home page so people can still find the details after the Story is gone.
Let others carry your link
Here is a simple strategy many churches overlook. When a partner, a district, a conference office, or a member posts the link you need people to see, share their post instead of posting the link yourself. You are amplifying a post that already contains the link, and you are building a stronger network of churches and ministries that lift each other up. This is also a good reason to follow and engage with the pages of your district, your conference, and your ministry partners.
Use Facebook Events, but use them well
Events are one of the most powerful free tools on Facebook, because they can be shown to people who have no connection to your church. A neighbor who has never liked your page may see your Christmas Eve service in their feed or in their local events listings. That is exactly the audience we hope to reach.
Because events carry that kind of reach, use them for the right things:
- Yes, create events for: Christmas Eve and Easter services, special concerts, community meals, Vacation Bible School, seasonal festivals, workdays, and anything a first-time guest might want to attend.
- No, skip events for: weekly worship, choir rehearsal, regular Bible study, and other recurring gatherings. Those belong in your page’s service times and About section. Filling the events feed with routine items waters down the special things and trains people to scroll past.
Should we pay for Meta Verified or Meta One?
Paying for Meta Verified is a reasonable option to consider, especially if your church posts links often and wants the extra account protection and support that come with it. Plans start at about $15 a month and go up from there, with higher tiers allowing more links. Meta’s plan names and what each tier includes are still shifting, so check the current details before you buy. But before you commit, weigh it against another use for those dollars.
For many churches, that money may go further as Facebook ads. A modest ad budget can put your VBS registration or Christmas Eve worship in front of families in your community who do not follow your page, which is exactly who we hope to reach with our biggest invitations. A paid subscription may unlock more links, but ads are what extend your reach. If your budget is tight, consider saving it for the special things worth advertising, and use the free strategies in this article for everything else.
Be thoughtful about what, when, and how
The two-link limit is really an invitation to slow down and plan. Before you post, ask yourself:
- What is the goal of this post? Is it to inform, invite, celebrate, or ask for action?
- When will the right people actually see it? Consider how far ahead to promote and what day and time your congregation is online.
- How will people respond? Do they need a link, a phone number, a person to talk to, or simply to show up?
A simple monthly content calendar, even a shared spreadsheet, can answer these questions in advance and keep you from spending a link on a post that did not need one.
A quick checklist
- Decide your two link posts for the month ahead of time.
- Create your own image and write the details directly in the post.
- Put other links in the first comment.
- Share partner posts that already contain the link you need.
- Make Facebook Events for special occasions only.
- Keep your website and email list strong, since you own those channels.
The bottom line
Platforms change their rules often, and they will again. What does not change is our calling to welcome people and share good news. Stay flexible, plan ahead, and keep showing up where your neighbors are. Facebook can still be a wonderful tool for your church, as long as we use it wisely.