Ok, so we all know that we should be using Facebook in Business. I mean, Facebook has literally billions of users and many of them may be your future customers. But, the big question is how? Especially with Facebook constantly changing the rules.
To help demystify at least a portion of Facebook for you, this is what I’ve found to be the differences between a Boosted Post and a Facebook Ad.
Boosted Posts
What they are?
Boosted posts are the simpler way to reach a wider audience. It is basically
just paying to reach a larger audience than you would organically. They are
designed as a simpler solution to Facebook Ads as the Ads Manager can be quite
confusing and overwhelming.
How do you do it?
You just find the post you want to boost on your page and there is an option to
“Boost Post”. You then have options on your objective, audience, budget and
duration.
Why use them?
Boosted Posts are more commonly used to achieve a higher engagement, not all of
your audience will see your post unless you pay for it. A boosted post can
ensure your posts are seen and engaged with, e.g. get more likes, shares and
comments. They are also the perfect starting point, you can get used to the
basics of Facebook Ads and targeting while using the simpler style of Boosted
Posts.
However, Boosted Posts are only optimised for engagements (likes, comments, shares), messages (people Facebook messaging your page) or traffic (click throughs to your website). They do not allow for conversions (purchases or leads). The targeting is also quite limited compared to Ads.
Facebook Ads
What are they?
A Facebook Ad is created through the Ads Manager. You can create an Ad based on
a Post or create a whole new Ad that does not display as a post, giving you
much more freedom with the creative. Facebook Ads allow more targeting options
with more advanced options for demographic and behavioural targeting.
How do you do it?
Go to the Ads Manager by clicking on Create Ads in the drop down menu in the
top right of Facebook. Facebook will then take you through to choose your
Objective, Target your Audience, pick your placement, budget and schedule, then
create the Ad.
Why Use them?
Facebook Ads are a lot more powerful and specific. You can create an Ad for
separate audiences in the same campaign to ensure the Ads optimal performance.
You also have the option of the Ad showing in Stories or Messenger, instead of
just people’s feeds* and also if you want it shown in desktop, mobile or both.
You can optimise the Ad for conversions and you can even use different creative
in the same campaign to see which works best.
* Note: If you’ve linked your business Instagram, you can also choose for the Boosted Post or Ad to show in Instagram.
So, what’s better?
Well, that is entirely up to you. If you’re just starting out with using
Facebook for your business, you may prefer to just boost a few posts and see
what happens. If you are more confident with the tech of Facebook Ads Manager,
go ahead and create an Ad. It can really come down to trial and error. Try a
few things and see what works best for your audience.
And, of course, I am always here to help. If you would like some assistance with setting up some Facebook Ads, then just shout out. As per my services, I can help with any of your Social Media needs; creating, tracking and adjusting your Ads, creating and scheduling your posts and reporting to you on what works.