Facebook Ad vs Boosted Post: Which Is Better for Your Business?

What Are Boosted Posts and What are Its Advantages and Disadvantages?

Before you delve deeper into the main difference between Facebook advertising versus boosting, let us clear some basics.

To start with, let us tell one thing, do you have a Facebook page? If yes, then have you noticed a blue button underneath the creative of your organic post with the text ‘boost post’. Yes, this is the button for boosting the post.

In general, a Facebook-boosted post is a post from your page’s timeline that you can promote to a selected audience for a fee. It is a fast and easy way to reach a wider audience with your existing content.

Advantages of Boosted Posts

1. Promote Content: It allows you to easily promote content. It requires less knowledge of Ad Manager compared to running Facebook ads.
2. Reach More People: It allows you to reach more people, especially if you boost a post that has already performed well in engagement.
3. Promote on Instagram: It allows you to promote your post on Instagram, increasing exposure and access to a larger audience.
4. Higher Engagement: It allows you to achieve higher engagement, focusing on views, leads, and messages.
5. Specific Audience: It allows you to target specific audiences for your sponsored post, which can help improve conversions later on.

Disadvantages of Boosted Posts

1. It can limit your post format, as you can't turn it into a carousel, side ad, or use other formats.
2. It can restrict your objectives, offering only a limited number of goals.
3. It can eliminate bidding options, as you won't have the flexibility to set bids for your promotion.

How To Create Boosted Posts?

To create boosted posts, follow these steps.

1. Firstly, head over to your Facebook page to find the post you want to boost.
2. Now, you’ll see the ‘Boost Post’ button beneath your post. Click on it.

3. After that, consider choosing from existing audience options or click ‘Create New Audience’ to define new targeting settings such as -
   • People you choose through targeting.
   • People who like your Page.
   • People who like your Page and their friends.
4. Fourthly, decide on the maximum amount you want to spend on promoting the post. A higher budget increases the ‘Estimated People Reached’ count, meaning more people will see your post.

5. In the fifth step, select how long you want your ad to run and the end date of the promotion.
6. Sixthly, set your preferred currency and payment details.

7. Once everything is set, finally, click the ‘Boost Now’ button to launch your boosted post.

Alternative Method to Boost a Post

• First, go to the ‘Facebook Insights’ tab.
• Secondly, scroll down to the ‘Your 5 Most Recent Posts’ section.
• Finally, under the ‘Promote’ column, click on the ‘Boost Post’ button next to the post you want to promote.

What are Facebook Ads and What Are Its Advantages and Disadvantages?

Now, let us understand Facebook Ads. To be simple, Facebook Ads is the platform's advertising system that offers businesses a range of tools to create and manage ad campaigns. It is similar to other PPC systems, for instance, Google Ads.

Advantages of Facebook Ads

1. Set More Objectives: It allows you to choose goals like brand awareness, traffic, app installs, lead generation, and conversions.
2. Access Placements: It allows you to show ads across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and more.
3. Lookalike Audiences: It allows you to target people similar to your existing audience.
4. Manual Bidding: It allows you to control bids and choose payment options like impressions, clicks, or likes.
5. Ad Formats: It allows you to use carousels, videos, Stories, Canvas, or image ads to match your needs.

Disadvantages of Facebook Ads

1. It can be quite expensive to run a Facebook ad campaign.
2. It can be difficult to understand the metrics used to track Facebook ads.
3. It can require a deep understanding of your target audience's demographics, psychographics, purchase patterns, and behaviors for success.
4. It can risk advertising to inactive or fake Facebook accounts.

How To Use Facebook Ads?

To run Facebook Ads, follow these steps.

1. First, create a Business Suite account. This is where you'll manage all your Facebook marketing and ads.
2. Second, connect or create your Facebook Page. This will represent your brand and help you run ads.
3. Third, set up your ad account. This lets you manage your ad campaigns and payment options.

4. Fourth, add the Facebook Pixel to your website. This tool tracks what visitors do on your site, helping you understand your audience better.
5. Fifth, create your ad campaign. Decide what you want to achieve, like more website visits or brand awareness.

6. Sixth, set up your ad set. Choose who will see your ads, how much you want to spend, and when you want them to run.

7. Seventh, create your ad. Pick the format, upload images or videos, and write a catchy message to grab attention.
8. Finally, publish your ad. Review everything, click ‘Publish,’ and your ad will start reaching people!

9 Major Differences Between Facebook Ad vs Boosted Post

Now, let us address the main motto of the blog and solve your query regarding the major difference between Facebook Ad and boosted posts.

That's it! This must have cleared your confusion between Facebook ads vs boosts. But, guys, we have a big surprise for you. To make you more confident in your decision whether to opt for boosted posts or ads, Cronbay has taken a step closer and solved your maze. Without ado, quickly take a look at it.

Bonus Tips: When To Choose Boosted Posts? What is the Cost of Running Boosted Posts?

A boosted post is perfect if -

1. You want to gain more followers over time.
2. You want to increase brand awareness among potential customers.
3. You want to drive more traffic to your website.
4. You want an easy setup that doesn't require tech skills.
5. You want to boost the visibility of posts that are already performing well.
6. You want to work within a smaller marketing budget, as boosted posts are cheaper than ads.
7. You want to start experimenting with targeted ads since you’re new to social media.

Cost for boosted posts -

As per the latest Hootsuite findings, you can boost a Facebook post for just USD 1 per day. For instance, if you have a budget of $50 for a week, Facebook will spend about $7.15 each day. The daily amount may, however, change slightly, but you won’t spend more than your total budget.

Bonus Tips: When To Choose Facebook Ads? What is the Cost of Running Facebook Ads?

A Facebook Ad is perfect if -

1. You want advanced targeting to reach similar customers.
2. You want to make sales or generate leads.
3. You want control over ad placement.
4. You feel comfortable using Meta Ads Manager.
5. You want more design options for your ad.
6. You can spend more on advertising.
7. You have a good social media following.

Cost for Facebook Ad -

The total cost of running a Facebook ad is based on two main factors: cost per click (CPC) and cost per thousand impressions (CPM). As per Shopify’s latest findings,

• CPC can go on an average of about 60¢ for each click on your ad.
• CPM can cost around $10.32 to reach 1,000 people.