Test your beliefs

External links hurt reach on Facebook posts.

That's what everyone has told me since day 1 I started doing this.

I've always been super careful not to put them in.

I put links in the comments instead, because that's what people do.

And it's what I told other people to do.

Then yesterday, I was in a hurry.

I put an external link in a facebook post.

It was to an optin for this list.

"Damn!" I thought "that won't get seen".

But I was in a hurry, so I forgot about it.

This morning - 65 new people on the list.

Guess I was wrong.

Did some searching, and found lots of people trotting out the same 'no external links' received wisdom.

But then I read someone who said otherwise. His take was FB doesn't care about anything but engagement.

If you create content people like, then you get engagement.

I don't know who's right. But 65 more people are reading this email today.

Good reminder to try new things, make room for serendipity.

And just because everyone says something is right (including me) doesn't mean that it is.

Your friend,

John Caprani