The “Boost post” button is tempting: two clicks and your post reaches more people. But for most business goals, Ads Manager gives far better results for the same money.
What boosting does
Boosting promotes an existing post to more people, with basic targeting and limited objectives. It is quick and simple, but it usually optimises for engagement such as likes, comments and profile visits.
What Ads Manager adds
- Objectives for leads, sales, WhatsApp messages and website actions.
- Detailed targeting, custom audiences and retargeting.
- Testing several ads at once.
- Placement control across Facebook, Instagram and more.
- Tracking with the Meta Pixel and conversions.
When to use each
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| More enquiries or leads | Ads Manager |
| Online sales | Ads Manager |
| WhatsApp conversations | Ads Manager (or a boost with a WhatsApp button, for very small tests) |
| Show a popular post to more followers | Boost |
| Announce an event to local people | Either |
The hidden cost of boosting
Likes feel good but rarely pay the bills. Many businesses spend thousands on boosts, see lots of engagement and no customers. If your goal is customers, choose an objective that measures customers.
Getting started with Ads Manager
It looks complicated at first, but you only need a few settings. Read how to set up Meta Ads Manager step by step.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Meta ads: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
