To Boost or Not to Boost, that is the Question
Wondering the difference between boosted posts and paid ads through Ads Manager on Facebook and Instagram? It really comes down to strategy and objectives. Before choosing to boost or create a paid ad in Ads Manager, ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish with this specific campaign and who you’re trying to reach. For example, if you want audience engagement on your page or to develop your brand awareness, boosting a post is a great way to maximize visibility and grow your audience. On the other hand, to create more advanced ad types and campaigns, utilizing Ads Manager is most helpful in creating a customized paid ad.
Boosted posts—Boosted posts are existing posts you’ve posted to your timeline that are performing well, so you choose to boost them and place some money behind them in an effort to reach more people. Boosted posts differ from Facebook ads because they are not created in Ads Manager and don't have all of the same customization features. Boosted posts are more likely to be shared because they are a Facebook newsfeed post rather than an ad which usually has more of a sales approach.
When you boost a post, it'll show up in your audience's Facebook news feed as an ad. You can also select Instagram as an ad placement for your boosted post. To boost a post, you'll decide on 3 key components:
Who you want to reach: You'll pick a target audience of the type of people you want to connect with through choosing things like location, age and gender.
Your max budget: Determine exactly how much you want to spend over the course of your entire campaign.
How long you want to run your ad: Once you click boost and your ad is approved, people in your target audience will see your ad in their news feed for the duration you've set.
Paid ads through Ads Manager—Facebook ads that are created through Ads Manager offer more advanced customization solutions.
What MORE can I do with Facebook ads through Ads Manager than boosted posts?
Choose different ad placements: With Facebook ads through Ads Manager, you get the added benefit of choosing placements in a variety of different places: Facebook News Feed, Instagram Feed, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Video Feeds, Facebook Right Column, Instagram Explore and Messenger Inbox. (See the link above for the specifics on each of these)
Use specific ad objectives: Choosing an ad objective early on will help you to focus on which campaign type best aligns with your current business goals. The full ads system in Ads Manager lets you choose from a wide range of objectives like store traffic, conversions, and lead generation, just to name a few.
Maintain creative control: You can design an ad that fits your goals. For example, if you’re selling a product, create carousel ads, add specific descriptions and a call-to-action button that'll drive more of your audience to take action. There are simply more creative tools offered within Ads Manager.
Use advance targeting capabilities: Ads Manager has access to advanced data for targeting and custom audience creation and allows you to measure your campaign. You can choose traits such as geographic location, gender, age, and specific interests for targeting. They also offer lookalike audiences, a feature that allows you to target new audiences like your existing one for growth opportunities.
Now that you know the technicalities behind each option, you may be wondering which is better. My answer to that is it depends on your goals and objectives. Ask yourself what are you trying to accomplish? For instance, are you trying to capture information through targeting a very niche audience? I’d recommend Ads Manager for that. On the contrary, are you simply looking to build brand awareness through targeting folks who like your page and their friends? That’s a perfect scenario for a boost. One of the things I like about boosted posts is that since it’s content already living on your page, it feels less like an ad and more like a conversation. That being said, I appreciate the innovation that Ads Manager provides when I need it! I think the perfect ad campaign consists of a little of both, based on your determined goals.
Cheers to creating ads that bring your brand to life and tell a story that only you can tell!
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