It’s a digital jungle out there when it comes to advertising your business, and getting lost in the weeds of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and your competition is the last thing you want.
To stay competitive, you’ve got to be willing to invest in your ad game. But once you’ve developed a post or campaign, what’s the best route to making sure you get the best bang for your buck?
To boost or to advertise? That is the question.
Let’s break it down a bit.
Unlike poor Hamlet, that question is a far less dire version of the original. But it’s still an important one if you want your advertising to pull in new business and reinforce your brand voice with existing customers. First off, lest we make assumptions, let’s do a brief recap on what each option even is.
Boosting: Boosting is a quick way to promote a post already on your profile (e.g., a high-performing Instagram or Facebook post). It’s a simplified ad option with limited targeting and objectives. It’s great for increasing engagement, getting more visibility on a popular post, and driving awareness, not necessarily conversions.
Paid Ad: A paid campaign is built in Ads Manager (Meta, LinkedIn, etc.) with more advanced tools that allow for more precise outcomes. It enables specific targeting (interests, behaviors, lookalike audiences), A/B testing, multiple objective options (conversions, website traffic, lead gen, etc.), and custom calls to action. Paid ads are effective for creating funnel campaigns and driving not only traffic but also sales.
So what should you pick?
Boosting is a great option when you know you’ve got a winner; something with solid engagement that could really go the extra mile if you throw a little cash behind it. Boosting is cheaper upfront, but because it lacks the precision of a paid ad, your ROI is likely to be lower in the long run.
Boosting gets people in the digital door, but your paid ads are what keep them coming back. If your goal is awareness, boost away. But if you’re after conversions, a well-thought-out ad campaign is the way to go.
Think of boosting like a microwave and paid ads like the oven – microwaving is great for short bursts and quick meals, but you’re not going to stick a turkey dinner in there. Deciding which one to use depends on your goals: Are you after quick hits like traffic or awareness, or long-term wins like leads or conversions?
If you’re still not sure, we at The Relish Jar are well-versed in both marketing tools and would be happy to not only determine which to use but help craft and monitor whichever campaign you end up going with.