Boosted Posts vs. Ads: Tips for Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn
Every social media team faces a recurring question during budget discussions: Should we boost posts or create ads? With the constant shifting of how algorithms work, new market entrants, and seasonal trends, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. However, understanding the nuances of both strategies is key to tailoring your approach effectively.
Understanding Boosted Posts and Ads
Boosted posts and ads are cornerstones of a strong social media strategy, each offering unique benefits that can significantly enhance your online presence. Understanding the differences between them is crucial as they can impact your account’s reach, impressions, and conversions in distinct ways. Mastering when and how to leverage each option can transform your social media efforts from good to great
What is Boosting?
Boosting posts is about enhancing the visibility of existing content It’s the simplest way to increase your content’s reach, usually requiring just a few clicks to expose it to a broader audience This method is favored by many social teams due to its ease of use and immediate impact, making it ideal for content that has already shown organic engagement potential Boosting can help attract new followers, increase overall impressions, and provide valuable insights into the types of content that resonate most with your audience
Boosted posts are particularly useful for maintaining visibility in your followers' feeds and can help reinforce your brand presence without the complexities of setting up full ad campaigns Despite being labeled as ads in analytic reports, boosted posts retain an organic feel, making them less intrusive and more likely to engage users in a natural, conversational manner
What are Ads?
Ads require a more detailed setup but offer comprehensive control over targeting, content, and budget. In social media platforms’ ad managers, like Meta Business Suite or LinkedIn Ads Manager, you can craft campaigns that focus on achieving specific business objectives such as lead generation, sales conversions, or significant brand awareness efforts This level of control allows marketers to fine-tune who sees the ad based on intricate demographic and behavioral data
Moreover, ads provide opportunities to place content in varied formats across different areas of a platform, enhancing the likelihood of reaching your audience in a context that increases conversion chances Whether it's placing ads in Facebook’s Newsfeed, Instagram Stories, or LinkedIn’s article feeds, each placement can be optimized based on performance metrics to maximize ROI.
Strategic Use of Boosted Posts vs. Ads
Choosing between boosted posts and ads often depends on your immediate goals Boosted posts are best for quickly amplifying the reach of content that is already performing well organically They work well for increasing engagement and brand awareness, making them suitable for introducing new products or services or keeping your brand top-of-mind during peak seasonal activity
On the other hand, ads are tailored for conversion-driven outcomes and reach a very specific audience segment They are ideal for strategic campaigns aimed at driving direct actions, such as purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading an app The ability to retarget ads based on user interaction further enhances their effectiveness, making them a powerful tool for remarketing to potential customers who have already shown interest in your brand.
Platform-Specific Strategies: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn
On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, marketers can benefit from the blurred lines between boosted posts and ads, utilizing both to maximize content visibility and conversion rates For instance, using Facebook’s integrated ad system allows you to streamline processes across both platforms, saving time and resources while ensuring consistency in messaging.
TikTok’s exploding platform presents unique challenges and opportunities with its rapidly growing user base and highly competitive ad space. Boosting posts on TikTok can quickly elevate brand presence and foster user engagement, which is critical for capturing the platform's predominantly younger audience
LinkedIn offers distinct advantages for B2B marketers with its professional network ecosystem While LinkedIn ads can be incredibly effective for targeted recruitment and lead generation campaigns, boosted posts can elevate thought leadership content and increase brand credibility within industry circles
When to Use Boosted Posts:
Boosted posts are an excellent choice for simplicity and ease in your social media advertising efforts. They are particularly useful if you have limited time, operate with a small team, or are new to social media advertising Boosted posts allow you to increase the visibility of content that is already performing well organically, making them a straightforward option for enhancing your reach with just a few clicks.
This approach is particularly effective on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for:
● Amplifying content that has shown organic engagement
● Enhancing visibility during specific promotional periods or for special events.
● Promoting content quickly and efficiently without the need for detailed targeting or custom creatives
As your familiarity with these platforms grows, you'll gain a better understanding of how boosted posts perform compared to more detailed ad campaigns, guiding your decision on whether to scale up to more complex advertising strategies
When to Use Social Ads:
Social ads are essential when your marketing objectives go beyond what boosted posts can achieve. If you aim to drive specific actions like conversions, or if you need detailed control over who sees your ads and where they are placed, then turning to social ads is the recommended strategy.
Social ads are superior for:
● Targeting specific demographics with tailored messages
● Conducting A/B tests to determine the most effective version of your ad
● Running comprehensive campaigns with multiple ad sets tailored to various segments of your audience
Social ads generally account for a significant portion of advertising budgets on platforms like Meta, reflecting their importance for achieving measurable business outcomes and engaging with a precisely targeted audience.