06/04/2026
Why Don’t They Just Tell Us What the Article Says?
Have you ever seen a Facebook post that caught your attention, only to discover that the actual information wasn’t in the post at all?
Instead, you see:
• “Read the full story here.”
• "Click here."
• “Link in the comments.”
• Or perhaps a post that says, “See the comments for the article.”
Many people ask the same question:
“Why don’t they just tell me what the article says right here in the post?”
It’s a fair question.
After all, if someone already has the information, why not simply share it?
The answer is that the click itself often has value—far more value than most readers realize.
For news organizations, websites, bloggers, nonprofits, and content creators, getting visitors to their website is one of the primary ways they measure whether their content is reaching people and whether it is worth continuing to produce.
Think of it this way.
If a local television station spends time researching a story, writing an article, taking photographs, and publishing it online, they need some way to know whether anyone is actually reading it.
Website visits provide that answer.
The same is true for independent publishers, small businesses, community organizations, and content creators.
Every visitor helps.
When people visit a website, search engines such as Google see signals that the content is attracting attention. Over time, websites that consistently attract readers often become more visible in search results, making it easier for new readers to discover them.
For organizations that provide content free of charge, audience growth is often essential.
Without readers, visitors, and engagement, it becomes difficult to justify the time, effort, and expense required to keep producing articles, videos, podcasts, and other content.
Think of it this way.
For decades, most of us watched network television without paying directly for the programs we enjoyed. We may not have loved sitting through commercials, but those advertisements generated the revenue that allowed the networks to create, produce, and broadcast the shows in the first place.
Websites and online publishers often face a similar reality today.
While the business models may differ, many depend on audience traffic, engagement, and visibility to justify the time and expense required to create content. Without readers, visitors, and engagement, it becomes increasingly difficult to continue providing that content free of charge.
In other words, the click is often part of what helps keep the content coming.
There is another reason you may sometimes see “Link in the Comments.”
Social media platforms generally want users to remain on their platform as long as possible. When someone clicks a link and leaves Facebook, Facebook no longer has their attention.
As a result, many content creators have learned that placing a link in the comments rather than the original post may sometimes help the post reach a larger audience.
It’s not always about making things harder for readers. Often, it’s an attempt to work within the realities of how social media platforms operate.
There is another interesting side effect.
Sometimes someone clicks the article, reads it, and then posts a complete summary in the comments.
They’re usually trying to be helpful, but there can be an unintended consequence.
If everyone reads the summary instead of visiting the article itself, the creator receives fewer website visits, less engagement, and fewer signals that the content is valuable.
The person who created the article did all the work, but receives little of the benefit.
A Personal Thought
As someone who has spent years publishing articles, producing content, and building online audiences, I can tell you that every click, every visit, every comment, and every share matters.
Many creators aren’t asking people to visit their website simply for the sake of getting a click. They’re trying to build an audience large enough to continue providing useful information, often at no cost to the reader.
I’ve experienced this firsthand.
Over the years, I created and managed Facebook communities whose readership eventually grew into the tens of millions each year. The audience was enormous. The content was widely shared. On paper, it looked incredibly successful.
But there was a problem.
Not enough people were clicking through to read the articles themselves.
Without sufficient website traffic, it became increasingly difficult to justify the time, effort, and expense required to research stories, write articles, maintain the website, and continue publishing new content.
Eventually, despite having a massive audience, the economics simply didn’t make sense.
That experience taught me something important.
Audience size alone isn’t enough.
For many publishers, websites, and content creators, the readers who actually click through and consume the content are what make the entire effort sustainable.
That’s one reason I appreciate every person who takes the time to visit a website, read an article, listen to a podcast, or support a creator whose work they enjoy.
So the next time you see a post that says, “Link in the Comments,” you’ll know there’s usually a reason behind it.
The click may only take a few seconds.
But for the people creating the content you enjoy, it can make a much bigger difference than you realize.
One final thought.
If you enjoy content from The Boomer’s Edge, your local newspaper, a favorite website, podcast, or content creator, there are several simple ways to support them.
Sharing their content introduces them to new readers. Meaningful comments encourage discussion and signal to social media platforms that people find the content valuable. Visiting their website helps them understand what topics readers find most useful.
While we certainly appreciate every Like, likes alone typically do far less to expand the reach of content than comments, shares, and website visits.
For creators who provide information free of charge, those actions can make the difference between a growing publication and one that struggles to justify the time and resources required to continue producing content.
In short, if there’s a website, page, podcast, or publication you enjoy, don’t just consume it—help others discover it as well.
