Pay for Play: Your Guide to Success with Facebook Boosted Posts

facebook boosted postsGreat content on your business Facebook page deserves to be noticed. But even the best posts can get lost in the churning news feed. Wouldn’t it be nice, then, if there were a way to ensure your content rises to the top? It can, with a feature Facebook refers to as “boosting.” Here’s what you need to know to make it work for your business.

The Basics

Simply put, boosting your Facebook content means paying to have specific posts stand out from the clutter by placing them near the top of the news feed. In some ways, it’s similar to paying more for a newspaper ad to appear in a premium position.

When you boost a post, it’s pretty much a given that your audience will see it before scrolling fatigue sets in. This way, that great image of your customer wearing the cool new boots your boutique just put on sale won’t get usurped by aunt Millie’s cheesecake photos.

Control

The beauty of boosting is that you have complete control over which posts you want to boost and what content you want to spotlight. If your business is new, short promo videos that build excitement and define your brand can be shared. If you’re established, you can feature upcoming promotions.

Not only do you dictate the “what” when you boost, but you also control the timing. A post can be boosted instantly, for example, if you receive a glowing review from a food critic. You can also boost posts that appeared in the past, for instance, if you want to remind your audience of the great time they had at your grand opening.

What’s more, the posts you boost may also appear on Facebook partner, Instagram, increasing your reach to your audience there.

The Cost

Like any marketing tactic, boosted Facebook posts come at a price. But, it’s a figure that you can control by choosing the parameters. And it’s very reasonable, compared to other mediums.

If you have a few hundred in marketing dollars, you can easily run a test campaign targeting thousands over the course of a few weeks. Once you set your parameters, Facebook will keep you updated so you know when you’ve reached your goal.

As you get more comfortable boosting posts and zeroing in on what works for you, you might consider allocating more. The beauty of this tactic is you can tweak and refine until you’ve determined what works best.

Measurement

Facebook makes it easy to see how your boosted posts are performing. In a few clicks you can access a variety of analytics. For example, you can compare organic and paid reach and view demographic information about the people who have seen your content.

When you have questions or need insights, Facebook offers comprehensive support in its Advertiser Help Center. It covers the basics, answers commonly asked questions and helps you maximize your efforts. Perhaps the best part is, you can learn as you go without wracking up costs or relying on outside sources. It really is a hands-on medium you can take as far as you need to be successful.

If you’re putting time and energy into developing great Facebook content, do it a favor by boosting it as well. It may take your business higher than you ever expected.

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