Facebook is the world’s largest social media network, and it’s free to use. However, businesses and nonprofits recognize that truly harnessing the power of Facebook might mean paying for its services.
Boosted posts and paid ads offer opportunities to stay connected and relevant with followers while reaching new audiences. Both options are effective.
Executing a successful social media strategy requires a combination of paid and organic tactics. Priority Marketing’s Social Media Marketing Team provides strategic consulting services that help clients achieve results. Social media success can increase brand awareness, media recognition, web traffic, online sales, donations, foot traffic, volunteers and more.
Facebook is an integral part of many social media strategies. Clients often ask about the difference between boosted posts and paid ads. Below is a breakdown:
Boosted Facebook Posts
Businesses and organizations typically post news updates, photos and videos organically on their social media pages. However, Facebook users don’t see every post from their favorite businesses and charitable organizations. That’s because Facebook’s algorithm prioritizes content from people rather than pages.
To overcome that hurdle, businesses and organizations can pay to boost an existing post, which allows it to reach more people.
There are a multitude of reasons that a business or organization would put money behind a Facebook post. Boosting a Facebook post can help:
- Build brand awareness
- Drive audience engagement
- Promote an event or special announcement
- Increase the reach of organic posts
Boosting costs as little as $1 a day and ensures that posts will reach a larger audience than organic posts. Page managers can select the audience they want to reach based on geography, age and other factors.
READ MORE: 7 ways to conquer Facebook’s algorithm
Facebook Ads
Facebook ads are created specifically through a digital advertising campaign. Ads still appear in a Facebook user’s news feed and often contain photos, videos and graphics, as well as website links.
When creating a Facebook ad, determine the audience and set a specific goal. Strong images help stop Facebook users from scrolling, and compelling copy helps convey the message. Facebook ads offer more targeting options compared to boosted posts, allowing brands to create highly customized audiences.
Every advertising campaign has an objective, including Facebook ads. Some common objectives include:
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- Increasing overall brand awareness
- Expanding audience reach
- Boosting website traffic, video views or app downloads
- Sparking user engagement
- Generating leads and conversions
- Increasing catalog sales and in-store foot traffic
Facebook ads should be monitored consistently and optimized to ensure the ad budget is meeting its intended goals. A/B testing allows users to offer different creative options, and Facebook will automatically serve the better-performing ad to additional people.
READ MORE: How to create engaging social media content for your business
Why Facebook
Facebook is the world’s leading social media platform with more than 2.8 billion active monthly users. On average, Facebook users spend more than a half-hour each day browsing the social network.
As part of an integrated marketing campaign, Facebook offers tremendous opportunities to reach the masses. Boosting posts and advertising can be effective strategies for businesses and organizations. It’s especially important for those looking to increase brand awareness and stay top of mind while engaging with new customers.
READ MORE: What social media handles and blue checkmarks say about your brand
Do you want to strengthen your brand through social media marketing? Please give us a call today at 239-267-2638 or send an email to info@PriorityMarketing.com.
