Boosted Posts vs. Running Ads: Which Drives Better Results?

    When your business is considering putting money behind your posts, Instagram offers two primary methods for increasing your reach and engagement: boosting posts and running ads. Both options have their unique advantages and drawbacks. Let's dive into each method to help you decide which one suits your business needs best.

    Boosting Instagram Posts

    Boosting Instagram posts is a straightforward way to amplify đź’« the visibility of content you've already posted on your profile. Essentially, it allows you to promote an existing post to a wider audience.

    How Boosting Works:

    • Goal Selection: Choose what you want to achieve, whether it's more engagement, website visits, or increased brand awareness.
    • Audience Targeting: Define your target audience based on location, demographics, interests, and behavior.
    • Budget and Duration: Set a daily budget and decide how long you want the boosted post to run.
    • Placement: Your boosted post will appear as a sponsored post in the feeds of your target audience.

    Advantages of Boosting Posts:

    1. Reach New Audiences: Boosting helps you reach potential customers who might not find your brand organically, which is especially useful for new businesses.
    2. Capitalize on High-Performing Content: If a post is performing well organically, boosting it can extend its life and engagement beyond your current followers.
    3. Ease of Use: Boosting is quick and doesn’t require the same level of planning and strategy as creating an ad campaign.

    Disadvantages of Boosting Posts:

    1. Limited Targeting: You can only target one audience per boosted post, limiting your ability to test different demographics simultaneously.
    2. Basic Objectives: Boosting focuses on simple goals like engagement and website visits, not more advanced metrics like conversions.
    3. No A/B Testing: Unlike ads, you can’t test different variations of a boosted post to see which performs better.

    Running Instagram Ads

    Creating Instagram ads through the Ads Manager is a more sophisticated approach, offering a broader range of customization and targeting options.

    How Instagram Ads Work:

    • Diverse Formats: Choose from various ad formats like video, carousel, slideshow, and single image.
    • Advanced Targeting: Utilize Facebook’s comprehensive targeting capabilities, allowing for more precise audience segmentation.
    • Multiple Placements: Ads can appear in various placements, including Instagram Stories, the Explore page, and Facebook’s ad network.
    • Detailed Analytics: Access in-depth metrics to track the performance of your campaigns in real-time.

    Advantages of Instagram Ads:

    1. Enhanced Targeting: With advanced targeting options, you can reach highly specific audiences based on detailed demographics, interests, and behaviors.
    2. Comprehensive Analytics: Monitor your campaign’s success with detailed insights, helping you understand engagement, conversion rates, and ROI.
    3. Greater Customization: Tailor your ads to different audience personas and campaign goals, optimizing your strategy for better results.

    Disadvantages of Instagram Ads:

    1. Complexity: Creating and managing ads requires more time and expertise compared to boosting posts.
    2. Higher Costs: While potentially more effective, running ads can be more expensive due to the advanced targeting and analytics involved.
    3. Limited to Visual Content: Instagram’s visual nature means it might not be the best platform if your brand relies heavily on text-based content.

    Boosted Posts vs. Ads: Which is Better?

    Choosing between boosting posts and running ads depends on your business goals and resources.

    • Boosted Posts: Ideal for quick, easy visibility boosts and engaging a broader audience with minimal effort. Best for short-term goals and extending the reach of already successful posts.
    • Instagram Ads: Better suited for long-term, strategic campaigns that require precise targeting and detailed analytics. Perfect for businesses with specific conversion goals and the resources to manage more complex campaigns.

    Instagram is a powerful tool for businesses when used effectively. Boosted posts offer convenience and quick engagement boosts, while Instagram ads provide depth and precision for long-term success. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each method can help you make informed decisions to maximize your social media marketing efforts. 🤍

    Back to blog