Facebook Ads and Facebook Boosted Posts
Often, many of our clients come to us with the question, “What is the difference between Facebook Ads and Facebook Boosted Posts? ” They may have even tried boosted posts themselves and are unsure how Facebook ads differ. Luckily, we are here to set the record straight and give some vital insights into the similarities and differences between these two options. Learning how each can benefit your business will give you the ability to make an informed decision on which route is best…
What are Facebook Ads and Facebook Boosted Posts?
Firstly, we’ll start with a short explanation of each to help give a basic understanding of what they involve.
Boosted posts are organic posts that are then promoted by giving money to Facebook. It uses this budget to then increase the reach of the chosen post, showing it to those outside your following.
On the other hand, Facebook ads are custom adverts, created on Ads Manager, where you can tailor who they are shown to. You can tell Facebook your desired outcomes by making certain campaigns and setting goals to align towards the overall strategy.
Advantages
Looking at both, it’s important to understand the positives of each and why you would use them.
Boosted posts are great for their ease; they require minimal knowledge to set up and can be done by anyone with access to the account. Other pros include:
- Great for building engagement
- Beginner-friendly, no external help needed
- Quick effects, perfect for last-minute events or promotions
In addition, Facebook ads also come with a range of positives. Although not as simple, they are far more advanced, especially when it comes to who and where to target. The ability to fully customise your ad suggests you’ll target more relevant audiences and reach those likely to convert. Other pros include:
- Full control over where the ad is placed
- Range of goal settings to suit your overall aim (e.g. more engagement, leads, conversions)
- Specify your audience in detail (location, interests, age, gender, etc.)
Disadvantages
Although it’s clear both options have their benefits, it’s also worth noting that they also come with their drawbacks. As per the advantages, it’s worth understanding these negatives to ensure you can decide which suits your business best.
Starting with boosted posts, there are a few key points to address here. These are:
- Limited targeting, Facebook chooses who it thinks to show it to
- Only promotes engagement, no other goals
- Optimisation is minimal as customisation is limited
Facebook ads also come with their downsides. These include:
- More complicated to set up, meaning external help is needed
- Can cost more than boosted posts
In conclusion
Taking this on board, it’s clear that boosted posts are a good solution for a quick, easy engagement increase. They are perfect for someone with little experience due to the simple setup, but shouldn’t be expected to bring in conversions. Due to the lack of targeting, not all eyes are relevant that see the post, but instead, the main aim is to increase brand awareness.
Whereas Facebook ads, on the other hand, are far more fitted if you’re wanting to run specific, targeted campaigns with a clear goal in mind. Having the flexibility to cater the ads to your audience will lead to better results, as the viewer is more relevant. But it’s important to understand that running these ads needs experience, and to optimise fully, it should be done by a professional. If you would like help with running Facebook ads, contact our team today here!
