Social Media BOOST vs. Social Media Ads
Boosted posts on social media like Facebook and Instagram are a little less complex than ads and are easier to get a handle on if you are used to your social media’s News Feed. Unlike an ad, a boosted post is simply a regular post that you pay to reach a wider audience. Most boosts cost maybe $10-$25 although you can arrange more budget and reach—whereas advertising is much more involved and costly.
What are boosted posts?
A boosted post appears in your feed or timeline. They are created in the same place you would normally create a post, with the added option to “boost.” Boosting posts is a simpler way to advertise, since it doesn’t require you to set up an Ads manager account and a more lengthy and costly process. For boosted posts, you typically fill out:
- Your target audience
- Your budget
- The length of time you want the post to run
What’s good?
Boosted posts are simple, basic and are great for companies who are just starting out. Boosted posts can be great for simply expanding brand awareness and reaching new users with a small budget. You can simply optimize engagement, awareness, or page likes/followers.
What not so good?
The features when using a boosted post for your business are a bit limited. If you’re looking for more comprehensive features that align with other business goals, like driving sales or generating leads, you should look at implementing the channels ads instead. It has a greater reach.
What are social media ads?
Linkedin, Facebook ads for example are created in the Ads Manager for each platform. They are tracked separately from your organic traffic and run in the background only targeting your curated audience. Facebook and Linkedin ads can do everything boosted posts can do, but much more. There’s more paperwork, more cost, and more time needed—but can be very effective if strategically done well.
What’s good?
With Facebook and LinkedIn Ads, there are more objectives and more features:
- More specific campaign goals: Such as optimizing for increasing website traffic, app downloads, leads, conversions, and more…
- Advanced and detailed audience targeting
- Interest and behavior targeting, re-marketing options
- Additional ad placement options like stories, messenger, and the audience networks
- Spending optimization: Ad managers will optimize your budget to drive the most efficient performance
- Campaign reporting: Insight into what ad types, audience targeting, placements, and more work best for your business
What not so good?
Facebook and LinkedIn ads can be a bit confusing if you’ve never worked in the ads manager before. The plethora of advertising options may seem more complicated and harder to get a grip on what all that data means— it can be time consuming, a full time job by itself, and typically costs hundreds if not thousands of dollars to be effective.
So what’s best?
My advice— start with boosting posts. But strategically, not just for the hell of it. Work with a creative team or person to help if you can. That will help ANY of your marketing. But start simple with boosting. Then, if you have the time and patience— as well as budget, or have someone that wants to help you— start an ad campaign. Again, strategically and professionally. Don’t waste time and money on ads… Use them as a meaningful and impactful part of a wider marketing plan!
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About Todd: I am a lifetime creative professional dedicated to helping other businesses and individuals achieve their best—their Zen.
I’m Todd Mitchell. Lifetime artist, entrepreneur, and 30-year creative professional. I develop creative ideas and solutions that help inspire the best in people, products and businesses. My mission is helping others achieve their absolute best. Personally and professionally.
Mitchell Creative Group is a micro-virtual creative agency outside of Boston, serving small businesses with professional creative services: Branding and identity, marketing and advertising, web and print, video and new media. Small businesses need high-level creative support— quickly, and at a fair, flexible price. And that’s what I provide.
https://www.mitchellcreativegroup.com
todd@mitchellcreativegroup.com
(508) 494-8182
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