Facebook. It’s the big bad giant of the social media world where more than 500 million people talk to their friends, post pictures, and share videos. The prospect pool is nearly endless. Users are literally handing out their personal information.
As an advertiser, it’s a gold mine of likes, wants, and interests. Your target audience is telling you who they are, where they are, and when they are there. But, how does your business reach these individuals in a space where algorithms are a complex web of who’s who and what’s what?
This is indeed the question. Facebook uses a variety of factors to determine the most relevant content for each individual user’s News Feed. These factors can include:
- Which profiles and pages the user has been viewing
- What content the user has currently shared
- What kind of content you, the Page administrator, are sharing
- How much engagement your status, picture or video has already received
- How much overall engagement your Page has
To make things easier for business, and in the interest of making a buck or two, Facebook introduced advertising. Since its inception, Facebook ads have changed and developed, but the general principle is still the same – you pay to get your business in front of more people.
The easiest way to advertise on Facebook is boosting a post. In the bottom right corner of a status of a Page you manage, you’ll see the words “Boost Post.” Side Note: Facebook is currently playing with their verbiage. You might also see the words “Advertise Post” or “Promote Post.”
What Does Boosting A Post Do?
A boosted Page post appears higher in News Feeds, increasing the opportunity customers and prospects will see your status, picture, or video.
How Does Boosting a Post Work?
In its simplest form, boosting a post is pushing a button, setting a budget and tracking your results.
However, Facebook also allows you to boost in a targeted format. Rather than boosting your status just to those who have already liked your Page, you can define a variety of factors, some of which include:
- Location (down to a zip code)
- Age
- Gender
- Language
- Relationship Status
- Education Level
- Schools Attended
- Undergrad Years
- Workplace
- Interests
It is this ability to target which is key. If your target audience is in a late-20s young professional living in Southern California, why do you want to pay to advertise to a 60-year-old grandma in Nova Scotia, BC?
How Much Should You Spend Boosting?
As with all marketing decisions, the dollar amount you spend boosting a post should be determined by your marketing budget. The smallest amount you can spend with Facebook on a single status boost is currently $5.
Whatever your budget allows, think of your initial boost campaigns as tests. Don’t dump your entire budget into one boost. Start small with very targeted boosts. Track the results. Make small tweaks to your next boost. Keep tracking.
Over time, this information will allow you develop a very educated approach to reaching your specific audience.
