In the world of social media marketing, two of the most common ways to get more eyes on your content are through boosted posts and ads. Both can be effective, but is one strategy truly better than the other? Here we’ll examine the pros and cons of each to help you determine which method may work best for your business.
What are boosted posts?
A boosted post is an organic social media post that a page owner pays to “boost” to reach a wider audience. For example, on Facebook you can choose to boost any post you make on your Facebook Page so that it shows up in more users’ feeds outside of just your current followers. The post looks the same as a regular post, it just gets additional exposure.
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The main benefits of boosting posts are that it allows you to get your content seen by more of your existing audience on social media, while appearing in their feeds organically like any other post. It also tends to be less expensive than running full social ad campaigns. However, the reach is somewhat limited compared to other paid options.
What are social media ads?
Social media ads are paid placements that appear in users’ feeds or on page margins in the platform interfaces. These help you get your content, products, offers, etc. seen by new audiences who may not already follow your brand organically. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and others all offer various ad options.
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The advantage of social ads is the ability to precisely target exactly who sees your content based on demographics, interests, behaviors and more. They allow you to reach completely new audiences to grow your follower base. However, ads can come across as more promotional to users and be pricier than organic approaches.
Key Differences
While both boosted posts and social ads can be effective, there are some key differences between the two strategies:
- Audience – Boosted posts reach your existing followers and their connections. Ads reach new audiences outside your current follower base.
- Cost – Boosting posts is generally less expensive per reach/impression. Advertisements usually have higher costs and minimum spends.
- Appearance – Boosted posts look like organic content while ads are clearly labeled promotional content.
- Objective – Post boosts increase engagement among current followers. Ads bring in new followers and get clicks.
When are boosted posts better?
Here are some of the cases when it likely makes more sense to boost existing posts rather than run social media ads:
- When engaging your existing audience is the primary goal
- When you want content to appear organic in followers’ feeds
- When you have a limited marketing budget
- When you already have a strong branded following on social platforms
- When you want a soft-sell, low-pressure approach
Boosting is ideal for further engaging those who already know and follow your brand. It likely won’t help grow your audience significantly, but it can be a cost-efficient way to get more eyes on your content and increase engagement metrics like reactions, comments and shares.
Examples of when to boost posts
- Boosting a post about an upcoming product launch or sale to current followers
- Boosting new branded content to drive engagement among fans
- Boosting a post showcasing customer social proof or reviews
- Boosting a relevant seasonal post to maximize holiday exposure
When are ads more effective?
On the other hand, social media ads tend to have greater impact in these cases:
- When your goal is to reach new audiences
- When you want to drive traffic to your website
- When you have the budget for larger paid campaigns
- When you don’t already have an established branded following
- When you want to scale quickly and aggressively
Ads allow for precise targeting beyond just your existing followers and their networks, so they work well for raising brand awareness with new demographics. They also give you full control over spend and investment returns.
Examples of when to use ads
- Running an engagement campaign to get new followers
- Promoting content/offers targeting lookalike audiences
- Retargeting visitors from your website with ads
- Promoting a lead generation offer or contest
- Launching a new product line to new segments
Best practice tips
When determining whether to boost posts or use ads, keep these best practices in mind:
- Test both methods and compare results/metrics if budget allows
- Analyze your audience makeup and objectives to determine ideal strategy
- Use each method for what it’s best suited – engagement vs. reach
- Don’t just default to boosting every post – be strategic
- Monitor the return from both approaches and optimize
- Use ads to build up your follower base, then leverage with boosts
Conclusion
In summary, boosted posts and social media ads each have their unique advantages. Boosted posts tend to be better for increasing engagement among existing followers, while ads are superior for reaching completely new audiences. The best approach depends on your specific goals and audience makeup.
Test out both strategies to see what works best for your brand. You may find value in utilizing both boosted content and advertising campaigns together as part of a comprehensive social strategy. Analyze the results and continue optimizing your efforts to maximize your social media marketing ROI.