
Why you shouldn’t boost posts on Instagram & Facebook
Why You Should Not Boost Posts on Instagram or Facebook (and what to do instead)
If you’ve been managing your business’s social media presence, you’ve probably seen that tempting blue “Boost Post” button on Facebook and Instagram which promises to increase your reach with just a few clicks. Whilst boosting a post might seem like an easy win, it’s not always the most effective way to spend your marketing budget and using Meta Business Manager offers more strategic control and better results.
Here’s why:
1. Limited Targeting Options
Boosting a post gives you basic targeting options like age, location, and interests. However, these are pretty broad and might not reach the people most likely to engage with your content or purchase your product. Meta Business Manager allows for advanced targeting, including custom audiences, lookalike audiences, and detailed behavioural data. This means you can reach the right people at the right time (your perfect target audience), increasing your chances of conversions.
2. Fewer Ad Format Choices
When you boost a post, you’re usually limited to a single format—like a photo or video with basic text. This limits creativity and how you tell your brand’s story. With Meta Business Manager, you have access to a variety of ad formats, including carousel ads, slideshow ads, video ads and collection ads. You can even upload different-sized images for specific placements, meaning your images look their best. Advantage+ Ads allow for more engaging and interactive experiences, which can better capture your audience’s attention.
3. No Control Over Placement
Boosted posts automatically appear on Facebook and Instagram feeds, but you can’t control where else they might show up, like Stories or the Audience Network. On the other hand, Meta Business Manager allows you to select exactly where your ads appear. You can choose to show your ads in Stories, in-stream videos, or even on Messenger. This flexibility lets you optimise for the best-performing placements, ensuring your ad spend goes further.
4. Limited Optimisation and Reporting
Boosted posts offer basic metrics like reach, impressions, and engagement. But if you want deeper insights—like conversion tracking or ROI analysis— you’re out of luck. With Meta Business Manager, you receive advanced analytics and detailed reporting tools. You can track website actions, app installs, or even offline conversions. This helps you measure the actual impact of your ads, making it easier to adjust strategies, create retargeting ads and maximise ROI.
5. Higher Costs, Lower Returns
Boosting posts is convenient, but it’s not cost-effective. The simplified setup often leads to spending more money without a strategic plan or measurable results. Meta Business Manager enables you to set more precise budgets and bidding strategies, ensuring you get the most out of every Pound. When testing various images or different text options, you can turn ads off if they’re not working, thereby ensuring the best ads are showing. Test, refine, repeat. By optimising ad delivery and targeting, you can lower costs while achieving better results.
The Better Alternative: Meta Business Manager
Whilst boosting posts might seem like a quick solution, it’s limited in functionality and control. If you want to maximise your social media advertising budget and see real business results, Meta Business Manager is the way to go. It offers advanced targeting, additional creative options, detailed reporting and better budget management.
Why not check out how well your Meta Business Manager is working here.
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