What Is the Difference Between Boosting Posts and Running Ads?

Understand the crucial differences to know when to click 'Boost' and when to use the powerful Ads Manager.

You've created a great post and Facebook or Instagram tempts you with a simple blue button: 'Boost Post.' It seems easy, but is it the best way to spend your advertising dollars? Not always. Understanding the difference between boosting a post and running a full ad campaign through the Ads Manager is crucial for any business.

Boosting a Post: The Basics

Boosting is a simplified form of advertising. It's designed to be quick and easy. You take an existing post on your page and pay to show it to more people. You can select basic targeting options like location, age, and interests.

• Goal: Primarily for engagement (likes, comments, shares) and reach.
• Simplicity: Can be set up in a few clicks directly from your social media page.
• Limited Control: You have very few options for choosing ad placements, objectives, or detailed audience targeting.

Running Ads with Ads Manager: The Pro-Level

The Ads Manager (like Facebook Ads Manager) is a powerful, comprehensive tool that gives you full control over every aspect of your campaign.

• Goal: Highly specific objectives, such as website conversions, lead generation, app installs, or video views.
• Advanced Targeting: You can create custom audiences (e.g., people who visited your website), lookalike audiences, and use detailed demographic, interest, and behavior-based targeting.
• Full Control: You control everything, from ad placements (e.g., Instagram Stories, Facebook feed, Messenger) to A/B testing different ad creatives and copy.

So, When Should You Boost?

Boosting can be effective for getting more eyeballs on an important announcement, promoting an event, or increasing the reach of your best-performing organic content. It's a good tool for simple brand awareness and engagement.

When Should You Use Ads Manager?

If you have a specific business goal beyond simple engagement, you should always use the Ads Manager. It's essential for driving sales, capturing leads, and achieving a measurable return on investment (ROI).

Conclusion: Use the Right Tool for the Job

Think of boosting as a hammer—it's a simple, useful tool for simple tasks. Ads Manager, on the other hand, is a full toolbox. While the hammer is sometimes all you need, you can't build a house with it. To build a successful, scalable advertising strategy, you need to learn how to use the full range of tools at your disposal.