If you run a Facebook page, chances are you have seen this message that Facebook recently began sending to Page Managers,

“You have a high-performing post! Your post is performing better than 95% of posts on your page. Promote it to get better results – Boost the post.”

Cool, you feel a little special, right? Like you hit the Facebook sweet spot?! One of your Facebook posts (typically your most recent post) is getting a lot more views and engagement than your other posts. Now, Facebook wants you to use your credit card to “boost” the post to get in front of even more people. But, should you do it?

Well, my answer is – probably not! I do not use the boosting method that Facebook is advising because I find it limiting. It is a quick, easy way to get a Facebook post in front of more people, but not necessarily the best use of your advertising dollars. Why, you ask? Let me explain the differences between Facebook’s post, boost, and advertising.

The Basic Facebook Post

A Facebook post is a status update, typically with a photo, video or link that you post on your Facebook page. There is no cost for a Facebook post, however, your Facebook posts will not reach your entire audience every time. Some estimates are saying that normal posts can reach as little as 2-6% of your audience, but often better if the post gets high engagement. There are many ways that you can increase your organic reach (aka without ad dollars) with suggestions like the ones here. If your Facebook post performs well, Facebook will recommend that you boost the post.

The Quick, Easy, but Limited Facebook Boost

Mari Smith, Facebook Marketing Expert, recently recommended to “stay away from the Facebook Boost button”. Mari explains how Facebook ad algorithms know that people who use the boost button often are a novice advertisers. “Boosting” a Facebook post gives people who are new to Facebook ads the option of paying to get that post in front of more people, but many advanced Facebook Ad features such as custom audience targeting are not available in the boost window. When you see the “Boost Post” button on your Facebook post, notification, or email that Facebook sends, it will bring you to a screen within the Facebook Page interface that allows quick and easy boosting of the post. If your goal is to simply get that Facebook post in front of a wider audience and get more likes, comments, and shares, a quick Facebook Boost may be fine. But, be aware that there are some options you won’t see, such as placements options like Instagram, scheduling a start date for the ad, custom audiences, and budgeting options, to name a few.

The Objective-focused Advanced Options of Facebook Ads

When using the Facebook Ads Manager or Business Manager to run a Facebook ad, the greatest number of options are available. There are many types of ads you can choose depending on what your objectives are, such as driving traffic to your website, generating leads, or getting video views. You can also create custom audiences based on your Facebook page engagement, website engagement, or contact lists. Unlike a Facebook boost, Facebook ads do not have to appear on your Facebook Page. If your goal is to get people to take action on your website, you will definitely want to use a Facebook Ad, rather than a boosted post. You can boost a post via the Facebook Ads Manager with more options, just choose the “Engagement” objective. However, when clicking the “Boost Post” button, you will only be able to use the Engagement objective. The others listed below are only available through the Ads Manager.

Unless you are very short on time and you just want to increase engagement on a Facebook post, I would suggest using the Facebook Ads Manager for your Facebook Ads, rather than the quick “Boost Post” method for the best results. Have more questions on Facebook Advertising and how it fits with your goals? Read on:
5 Ways to Not Waste Money on Facebook Ads
Tips to Grow your Facebook Fan Page

If the Facebook Ads Manager is too overwhelming for you, or you want help determining your best Facebook Advertising Strategy, contact the Social Media team at Vivid Image! We have helped dozens of companies to strategize and reach new customers with Facebook Advertising, with budgets ranging from $25 to $5000 – we can help you too!