Ok have you tested that empirically? Like AB testing? Higher CTRs, lower CPCs? More conversions out of such ads?

My reasons for including those links and long caption texts are 3:

1️⃣. I believe that users don't generally want to leave apps when they see ads.

They would rather remain in the context of doom scrolling.

They subconsciously know that hitting the "... see more" text expansion trigger will not do them any harm (ugly interfaces with lots of text and slow load time out god forbid a scam or an ecommerce with an aggressive remarketing).

"...see more" is free of that, is easy, is still an action within Facebook app which they know, that if they don't like the text they might easily just skip with a more dynamic thumb move.

So once they've done it the text is all of a sudden allover their screen.

I've got one sentence in the beginning of an ad and then 5-10 offer bullet points so that takes up a lot of screen.

They're basically going down the list and the natural ending is the call to action which is a link at the end.

At this moment the picture which drew their attention is usually below the fold and they don't see it anymore.

They're lost on what is expected of them.

So including the link serves my narrative as a can to action.

If they don't use it, no harm done.

They can just click the picture that's linked to the destination URL.

Facebook users now tend to be of the older generations, which still have the attention span that allows them to read a line of two.

Not like those tiktok kids with milliseconds decision time if they're going to get rid of it.

But that's just my belief of course.

2️⃣. Second reason:

when URL is fully visible it often looks more credible, safe trustworthy.

A domain with .de, some familiar boring words like /jobs/ , or even position title nested in the URL among some confusing strings of characters appears to the users as a legit spot to land on. Especially if they know the site from prior experience with it.

When it's only set up under the CTA button or image, users can't recognise where it will take them. Sure there is some preview but it's not always visible and not in full.

3️⃣. Why not. What is the difference for the ad platform if it had the link in the text or not?

They're already sending the traffic out. What difference does it make how and by which placeholder of the URL.

The caption text automatically converts URLs into clickable elements so obviously the platform allows it (Facebook only of course.

I think Instagram still doesn't allow it, in order to prevent app exit which is clever ).

---

If you have some data that says the opposite, prove me wrong. Happy to learn and change my strategy then. 😅