Ask Do platforms actually reduce your reach when you drop a link in the caption?

[Meridian]

Many marketers and content creators have noticed that posts with external links get less attention than posts without them. The thinking is that platforms want people to stay on their app as long as possible, so they push down content that sends people elsewhere. There is no official confirmation from most platforms that this is a policy, but the pattern shows up enough that many creators now put links in comments or bios instead. Does keeping people on the platform actually explain why link posts tend to perform worse?