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Writer's pictureColeen Haines

The Difference Between Boosted Posts and Facebook Ads

I’ve used both, but here’s a quick read to decipher the two.


You can reach some of your goals by boosting a post and others can be reached by creating a Facebook ad. The following guide explains the ways boosted posts are similar and different and when you should use either.


What's a boosted post?

A boosted post is a post to your Page's timeline that you can apply money to so you can boost it to an audience of your choosing. This is the simplest way to advertise on Facebook. Boosted posts differ from Facebook ads because they are not created in Ads Manager and don't have all the same customization features.


When you boost a post, it'll show up in your audience's Facebook Feed as an ad. You can also select Instagram as an ad placement for your boosted post, if your accounts are linked (Facebook owns Instagram). You can choose a post that's already present on your Page's timeline and boost it by following only a few steps.


What are Facebook ads?

While boosting a post is still considered an ad, Facebook ads are created through Ads Manager and offer more advanced customization solutions. There are many advertising objectives to help you reach your specific goals and the audiences you are trying to reach with a specific campaign or ad.


Where a boosted post may initially optimize for Page follows, comments, and more, Facebook ads can optimize for app installs, website conversions, video views, etc. When using Ads Manager you can choose different ad placements, like Facebook Feed side ads, Messenger ads, Instagram stories, and more. You can also manage those ads through the Ads Manager mobile app, and you can also create a more-specific targeted audience.


When to use Facebook ads vs boosted posts

It's important for any agency, municipality, business, etc. to identify exactly what they're hoping to achieve with an ad. For example, if you want audience engagement on your Page or to develop your brand awareness, boosting a post is a great way to maximize visibility and grow your audience. To create more advanced ad types and campaigns, use Ads Manager.


Are you currently boosting posts or buying ads on Facebook, Instagram, or anywhere else? Do you feel overwhelmed by using that part of social media? Your Town Media Training is always happy offer help with getting a new page going, increasing audiences, helping you produce better posts to gain for brand identification, and more! Give us a shout, and let’s start working together! See what others are saying about Your Town Media Company!






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