Boosted Post or Meta Ad: Which is Better for You?
When it comes to advertising, there are many options to choose from. Don’t let it confuse you! In this blog, we break down the difference between a formal Meta Ad, and what you would see as a boosted post on Facebook. Read on to learn more!
Meta and Facebook: How are they related?
Facebook was once known as the overarching company connecting the social platforms of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and now Threads. It changed the name of the parent company to Meta. So Facebook now just exists as a social media platform. Meta did this in order to pursue avenues further than just the world of social media. Meta wants to dip their toes into the world of virtual and alternate reality, gaming, and much more that we will be seeing soon.
Read more about Facebook’s name change to Meta in our blog!
What is a Boosted Post?
While scrolling through your Facebooks feed, you may have come across a post from an account you are not currently following. This post, under where their name is will have a little bit of text that reads, “Sponsored”.
This means that the advertiser paid to make sure this post shows up in front of you. The more money applied to the boosted/sponsored post. The more people that will be able to see it!
It is important to note that a boosted post is the same as a sponsored post. As they can be referred to as both around the online world.
A boosted post like this is great to increase general brand awareness. If you are boosting a post that is interesting, eye-catching, and new to your audience, it may help your company get in front of new eyes! This is a good opportunity to show just a bit of who you are and what you offer so you can get more eyes on your business.
A sponsored post is also good for engagement with a specific post. If your post comes across their feed, they may be more inclined to interact with it, giving you more engagement and interaction that could lead to conversions.
What is a Meta Ad?
Made with the Meta Ad manager, running an ad through Meta allows for you to have a series of images and copy that can be posted in various ways across all the platforms that Meta has ownership over. For the most part the focus is on Facebook and Instagram.
While you can have a sponsored or boosted post on Facebook and Instagram, running an ad or an ad campaign through Meta can allow you to have visibility on both platforms simultaneously.
An ad campaign is a series of ad posts that all focus on one thing. The posts of an ad campaign could all focus on a new product or upcoming event.
Based around the goals of your business, a Meta ad or campaign allows for more specific targeting, as well as the ability to learn more about your audience over time.
To read a deep dive into What Exactly Is A Meta Ad, check out our blog!
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Boosted Post
One disadvantage of a boosted post is less engagement when compared to an ad. While you may get some post interaction, you may not get as many people following your post to your actual website.
The advantage to a boosted post is that they are easy and quick to create. It takes about as much time as creating a regular post usually takes.
A boosted post is also great for reaching people that are connected to your current audience. This means friends of friends, followers, and other connections your audience may have.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Meta Ads
Unlike a boosted post, an ad or ad campaign takes much longer to create, especially depending on how long you want your ad to run. Ads are also normally much more in depth and carefully structured.
With a Meta ad, you will also be more likely to get better results.
Ultimately, it depends on what your needs are and what your goals for your business may be that will help you choose whether a boosted post or a Meta ad is better for you!