How to Get Traffic from Social Media When Platforms Hide Your Links

Social media platforms don't want you to leave. Every link you post is a potential exit sign, and the algorithms treat it accordingly.

Instagram buries posts with links. TikTok makes them unclickable. LinkedIn throttles reach when you share external URLs. If you're an SME relying on social media to drive traffic to your website, you've probably noticed the traffic dropping off a cliff.

The good news? There are workarounds. They're just not the ones you've been using.

Why Platforms Suppress Links (And Why It's Getting Worse)

Every social platform's business model depends on keeping users inside their ecosystem. Time on platform equals ad impressions, which equals revenue. Your website link is a threat to that.

Instagram's algorithm has been de-prioritizing link posts since 2021. TikTok never allowed clickable caption links to begin with. LinkedIn's recent changes mean external links get maybe 30% of the reach compared to native content.

The suppression is deliberate. It's not going to get better. Complaining won't help. You need different tactics.

Platform-by-Platform Workarounds

Instagram: Move Links Out of Feed Posts

What doesn't work: Dropping a link in your caption and hoping for reach.

What works:

1. Stories with link stickers (available to all accounts now, not just verified or 10K+ followers). Better reach than feed posts with links, and the sticker is clickable. Post to Stories first, then to feed without the link.

2. Link in bio + clear CTA. Pin your most important conversion page as your bio link. Every post should have a simple "Link in bio" CTA if relevant. Yes, it's extra friction. But Instagram will actually show the post.

3. DM automation. If you have a business account, set up automated DM responses. Post says "Comment PRICING and I'll send you the details." User comments, they get a DM with the link. Instagram doesn't suppress this (yet).

The key insight: Instagram rewards content that keeps people on Instagram. Native carousels, Reels, and Stories all perform better than anything pointing outward. So use those formats to build interest, then capture traffic through Stories or bio.

TikTok: The Long Game (Because Links Don't Work)

TikTok is the most restrictive platform when it comes to external links. Caption links aren't clickable. Bio links only work if you have 1,000+ followers. Even then, the algorithm doesn't love it.

What works:

1. Build to 1K followers first (this unlocks the website link in bio). If you're below 1K, your only option is putting the link in your profile with the hope people manually type it in. Spoiler: they won't.

2. Brand search as the conversion path. Your TikTok content should be teaching, entertaining, or solving a problem in a way that makes people want to Google your brand name. "For a full guide, Google [Your Company Name] + [topic]." Example: "Google Magnified website design checklist." If your content is good, people will actually do this.

3. Use TikTok's native shopping features if you're e-commerce. If you're selling products, TikTok Shop keeps the transaction inside TikTok, which the algorithm loves. For service businesses, this doesn't help.

The reality: TikTok isn't a traffic driver, it's a brand awareness play. Treat it like the top of funnel. If someone discovers you on TikTok and converts on Google Search three days later, that's still a win.

LinkedIn: The "Open Link in Comments" Trick Still Works

LinkedIn visibly suppresses posts with external links. A post with a link will get maybe 30% of the impressions compared to a text-only post. But LinkedIn users are more willing to click through to your site than users on other platforms, so the traffic quality is higher.

What works:

1. Post the content as text or a native document, link in the first comment. LinkedIn's algorithm checks the post itself for external links. It doesn't penalize comments as heavily. Write your post, publish, immediately comment with "Full article: [link]." You'll get significantly better reach.

2. Native LinkedIn articles and newsletters. These stay inside LinkedIn, so the algorithm promotes them. Use them to build authority, then subtly mention your services at the end with a "Learn more at [link]." The conversion rate is lower, but the reach is real.

3. Use LinkedIn carousels (PDF uploads). These get insane organic reach right now because LinkedIn is prioritizing them. Final slide can have a CTA with "Visit [YourWebsite].com for the full guide." Again, keeps the post native, link happens after engagement.

The key: LinkedIn wants you to publish ON LinkedIn, not use it as a billboard for your blog. Give them native content, capture attention, move traffic in comments or end-of-carousel CTAs.

The Singapore Context: Where Your Audience Actually Clicks

Platform behavior in Singapore skews differently than Western markets:

• WhatsApp is still king for conversions. If you're B2C, getting someone onto WhatsApp is often a better conversion path than getting them to your website. Instagram/TikTok/LinkedIn → WhatsApp → conversion. Many SMEs use click-to-WhatsApp ads for this reason.

• Google Search intent is high. Singaporeans research before buying. If your social content is good enough that someone Googles your brand name, you're halfway there. Make sure your Google Business Profile and organic search presence are strong.

• Facebook still drives traffic for older demographics. If your customers are 40+, Facebook organic reach is better than Instagram or TikTok, and link suppression is slightly less aggressive. Don't write it off yet.

What Actually Drives Traffic in 2026

Here's the blunt truth: organic social media is no longer a reliable traffic channel. It's a visibility and trust-building channel. Traffic comes from:

1. Paid ads (where you control placement and links actually work)
2. Search (both Google and platform-native search like Instagram or TikTok search)
3. Email (the only channel you actually own)
4. Direct/branded search (people who already know your name)

If your entire traffic strategy is "post on Instagram and hope people click the link," you're going to be disappointed. The platforms have made that impossible.

Instead:

• Use social to build brand awareness and trust
• Drive conversions through WhatsApp, DMs, or search
• Invest in paid ads for traffic goals
• Build an email list from social audiences (use lead magnets, gated content, anything that gets people off the platform and onto your list)

The One Strategy That Still Works: Stop Fighting the Algorithm

Platforms want you to create content that keeps users on their platform. If you do that well, they'll reward you with reach. Once you have reach and trust, people will find their way to your website through search, direct visits, or other channels.

Fighting the algorithm by jamming links into every post is a losing strategy. The algorithm is smarter than you, and it will win.

Better approach:

1. Create genuinely useful content on the platform itself (not just "click here for the full article").
2. Build authority and trust.
3. Make your brand name memorable and searchable.
4. Capture traffic through search, paid ads, or owned channels.

You're not optimizing for clicks anymore. You're optimizing for brand recall and search intent.

What Magnified Does for Clients

We run social media strategies for SMEs across healthcare, professional services, F&B, and retail. The ones that succeed don't rely on organic social links for traffic.

Instead, we:

• Build content strategies that prioritize platform-native formats (Reels, carousels, Stories, TikToks)
• Drive conversions through WhatsApp Business API, Google Search, and paid ads
• Use social to feed the top of the funnel, not close sales
• Track brand search volume as a key metric (not just link clicks)

If your current social strategy isn't driving traffic, it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's because the game has changed.

Want a strategy that actually works in 2026? We build social + search + paid systems that drive real business outcomes for SMEs. Talk to us about your traffic goals.