Only about 7% of your Facebook followers see the posts on your business Page. That’s down by more than 50% over last year and it seems the number continues to drop as Facebook pushes business Pages to use paid advertising. The “Boost Post” button now appears prominently for Page Admins below every post. While we aren’t necessarily happy with this trend, the solution to a better performing Facebook Page is simple and cost effective. It’s important to remember that using Facebook is basically free, so it is inevitable that there will be a charge for certain services. Boosting a Facebook post is an easy way to ensure more of your current Facebook followers see your posts and it can cost less than $5.
Note: Creating an actual advertisement through Facebook allows for a full range of targeting and goal-setting options. We recommend only using those more advanced features for higher budgets or if you’re willing to spend time learning the advertising platform. This blog post only deals with the Boost Post feature which is sufficient for most business Pages seeking more engagement on their Facebook Page.
When you select “Boost Post” under a post you want to promote, a few options appear:
Audience
You have two options, selecting “People who like your Page and their friends” will allow more people who already Like your Page to see your post. It will also share your post with your follower’s friends. Selecting “People you choose through targeting” should only be used when trying to reach a national audience, because it doesn’t allow you to narrow your demographic to a specific location.
Maximum Budget
We have found that even a $5 boost can achieve great results. Your goal should ultimately be “paid organic”, which means that the content is good enough that people will Like it naturally once they see it. You’re paying for views, not Likes. Always create content that drives people to Like, Share or Comment. We suggest starting small and experimenting with the results.
More Options
Selecting this dropdown will ensure that the proper account is charged and that the post is boosted for the appropriate amount of time. If you post 1 or more times per week, then a single day boost may be all that’s needed for your post to gain organic traction. Again, start small and experiment. If this is your first time advertising on Facebook, you will be prompted to complete payment information before you are allowed to boost your post.
A final note about the approval of boosted posts: Facebook will take about 15 minutes to review your post and make certain it fits terms of service guidelines. One of the most common reasons posts are rejected is the 20% rule; If the post is a picture, the photo cannot contain more than 20% text. If your post is rejected, simply edit and resubmit for boosting.
