You might have seen that little button that says “Boost Post” at the bottom of your Facebook Business Page. Have you ever clicked on it?
- Yes
- No
- Maybe once after a glass of wine, and only because those persistent little Facebook notifications made me do it.
No matter what you answered, your boosting could probably use a boost. Facebook Advertising is a cost-effective way to get your content in front of a larger audience. However, without proper targeting, it’s like throwing a handful of feathers out the door of an airplane, hoping one lands on someone who cares.
Follow these steps to get the most bang for your buck:
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Add a button and link
Link to your business homepage to increase general traffic. If you’re posting about a specific product, announcement, or event, link directly to the detail page for the product, announcement, or event. Use this free URL builder to create a special link that shows up in Google Analytics. Just type the link (www.myhomepage.com) in the URL section, type “Facebook” under Campaign Source, and “CPC” (for cost-per-click) under Campaign Medium. Now you’ll be able to tell what people do on your website once they click on your boosted post!
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Choose your audience through targeting
By default, posts are often boosted to people you like and your friends. In the Audience section, select “People you choose through targeting” and click Edit to build an audience. Now you can target people based on their age, gender, or location. Scroll down to include or exclude people based on their demographics, interests, or behaviors. Click Browse to see the different targeting options available (there are more than you could possibly imagine) or start typing to get a list of targeting suggestions. A good place to start is targeting people who have expressed interest in your competitor’s websites, or have hobbies that relate to the post that you’re boosting.
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Run the promotion on Instagram
Though engagement on Facebook itself has dropped over the past year, engagement on Instagram is higher than ever. Check the box under Instagram to run your boosted ad there as well. Don’t forget to click the previews on the top right for Desktop News Feed, Mobile News Feed, and Instagram to make sure your post survives its journey through mobile phone and app land.
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Set a budget and duration that corresponds to your reach
Set a specific end date by clicking in the box where it says “Run this ad until.” Set a specific budget by clicking the dropdown arrow next to the default budget and selecting choose your own. See that little blue bar where it says Estimated People Reached? For best results, make your audience smaller and your budget bigger until that bar is almost filled up all the way to the end.