For years, creators have shared the identical warning: “Don’t submit hyperlinks — they’ll hurt your attain.” However numbers to again it up have been onerous to come back by. That’s what we got down to take a look at, this time on X, previously often known as Twitter.
With the assistance of our information scientist Julian Winternheimer, we dug into 18.8 million posts from 71,000 X accounts, and the outcomes are clear: hyperlinks actually do damage efficiency.
For creators and types who depend on sharing hyperlinks as a part of their content material technique, the info factors to one thing greater than a small algorithm tweak. Let’s get into the numbers.
Do posts with hyperlinks have an effect on content material efficiency on X?
The brief reply: sure — and the influence is dramatic.
Our evaluation reveals that posts with hyperlinks carry out considerably worse than different content material sorts.
As of August 2025,
Hyperlink posts had0% engagement charge on common accounts~0.28% engagement charge on Premium accountsImage posts had~0.20% engagement charge on common accounts~0.42% engagement charge on Premium accountsVideo posts had~0.25% engagement charge on common accounts~0.85% engagement charge on Premium accountsText posts had~0.40% engagement charge on common accounts~0.90% engagement charge on Premium accounts
The graph reveals how, even with decreased attain for normal accounts, each format holds some engagement besides hyperlinks, which fall to absolute zero after March 2025.
This does appear to substantiate the concept the X algorithm downranks content material with hyperlinks.
Nonetheless, Premium accounts proceed to see attain and engagement on hyperlink posts — although even there, hyperlinks underperform in comparison with textual content, pictures, and video.
Once we dug into the perfect content material to submit on X in March (earlier than the drop), hyperlinks have been the lowest-performing format on X. Nonetheless, they weren’t at absolute zero, so the sharp drop post-March places into perspective simply how a lot has modified on the platform since then.
Premium customers, however, can nonetheless drive engagement with hyperlinks — although even there, native codecs constantly outperform.
What stands out most is the size of the divide: Premium accounts now see round 10x the attain of normal ones. That creates a compounding cycle: extra attain → extra followers → even higher attain.
And never all Premium is equal. Premium Plus subscribers get the best attain of all account sorts, with mid-tier and Fundamental Premium nonetheless far forward of normal customers. This benefit suggests the distinction isn’t nearly bigger audiences — it’s constructed into how X distributes content material.
⚡Be taught extra in regards to the influence of X Premium on content material efficiency in Does X Premium Actually Enhance Your Attain? An Evaluation of 18M+ Posts. Spoiler: It does!
Why is there such a pointy divide?
The probably clarification is platform incentives. X has a powerful motive to maintain customers on-platform as an alternative of sending them elsewhere, and it additionally has a transparent motivation to encourage extra customers to pay for Premium. Collectively, these incentives imply hyperlink posts — particularly from non-paying accounts — get pushed down in distribution.
The result’s a two-tier system:
Common accounts: hyperlink posts are successfully invisible.Premium accounts: hyperlinks are nonetheless viable, however carry decrease engagement than different codecs.
This factors to a basic change in how X rewards content material — and a transparent message to creators and types who depend upon sharing hyperlinks.
Implications and workarounds for hyperlink posts on X
For creators and types, the message from X is obvious: hyperlink posts are not a dependable solution to attain your viewers except you’re within the Premium tier.
When you’re operating an everyday account, exterior hyperlinks gained’t simply underperform — they could not carry out in any respect.
Since March 2025, hyperlink posts from non-Premium accounts have been successfully invisible, with median engagement charges caught at zero. Which means newsletters, product pages, and weblog posts shared immediately within the timeline gained’t drive the outcomes they used to.
So what are you able to do?
Put money into Premium if hyperlinks matter to you. Premium accounts nonetheless generate attain and engagement on hyperlink posts, although lower than on different codecs. If driving visitors is a core a part of your technique, upgrading might now be a part of the price of reaching your viewers..Use native codecs first, hyperlinks second. For each Premium and common customers, content material that stays on-platform — threads, pictures, video — constantly performs higher. Use these to ship your important message, and deal with the hyperlink as supplemental.Put hyperlinks in replies as an alternative of the submit. Whereas not foolproof, this method can generally keep away from the distribution penalty. The bottom line is to make the principle submit participating sufficient to earn consideration earlier than introducing the hyperlink.Diversify past hyperlinks. When you’re sharing articles, think about turning key insights into a brief thread. Selling a product? Pair it with a picture or video demo. Consider the hyperlink as a bonus, not the centerpiece.
The underside line: on X, hyperlinks are actually the weakest format you possibly can publish — particularly with out Premium. Constructing a sustainable technique means leaning on codecs the platform favors and utilizing hyperlinks extra sparingly and strategically.
