Social media has become an essential marketing tool for businesses of all sizes, and small businesses are no exception. In recent years, many small businesses have turned to boosting social media posts to increase their reach and engagement with potential customers. However, without a well-planned ad strategy, this practice can quickly become a money-wasting endeavor.

Boosting posts gets pricy

Boosting a social media post is a way to pay for additional reach and engagement for a post that has already been published. It’s a quick and easy way to get your message in front of more people, but it’s not a substitute for a well-thought-out ad strategy. Unfortunately, many small business owners don’t realize this and end up wasting money on boosted posts that don’t generate the results they need.

So, how much money is wasted by small businesses boosting social media posts without an ad strategy? The answer varies depending on the business, but the numbers can be significant. Let’s take a closer look at why.

1. When boosting, it’s challenging to target the right audience.

Boosting a post without targeting a specific audience is like throwing money into the wind. You may get lucky and reach a few potential customers, but the majority of your boosted post’s impressions will be wasted on people who have no interest in your product or service.

2. Boosted posts are not optimized for conversion.

When ad strategies are planned by professional marketers, the end goal of the campaign is always at the top of their minds. Optimizing to drive conversions (like gain more sales, get more leads, drive new revenue, etc), is critical for ensuring you see a return on your ad investment.

A well-planned ad strategy takes into account the entire customer journey, from awareness to conversion. Without a plan in place, you may end up driving traffic to your website or social media page, but fail to convert those visitors into paying customers.

3. Boosting can drain your ad budget…fast!

On the surface, boosting posts may seem like an affordable advertising option, but the costs can add up quickly. Honestly – the placement of that “boost” button is just good marketing in and of itself. It’s convenient, easy and seems like a good way to get more eyeballs. However, the more you boost, the more you pay, and if you’re not generating any return on your investment, then you’re essentially throwing money away.

Let’s make money from your paid ads

So, what can small businesses do to avoid wasting money on boosted social media posts? The answer is to develop a well-planned ad strategy. This strategy should include:

1. Setting specific goals and objectives for your advertising campaign.
2. Identifying your target audience and creating ads that speak directly to them.
3. Designing landing pages and optimizing your website for conversion.
4. Monitoring your campaigns’ performance and adjusting your strategy as needed.
5. Investing in ad formats beyond boosted posts, such as Facebook Ads or Instagram Ads, that offer more robust targeting and ad optimization features.

By following these steps, small businesses can ensure that their advertising budget is being used effectively and efficiently. While boosted posts can be a useful tool for reaching potential customers, they should not be relied on as the sole advertising strategy for your business. Instead, take the time to develop a comprehensive ad strategy that is designed to achieve your business’s specific goals and objectives. This approach will help you make the most of your advertising budget and avoid wasting money on ineffective boosted posts.

And – you know what? – we can help with that! Not only can the Banana Fana Fo team guide you in creating stand-out graphics and content for your social accounts, but we can help you to optimize ad strategies and improve targeting so that you get the greatest bang for your buck. Let’s get started today.