If you run a small business, you've almost certainly seen the little blue "Boost post" button. It's tempting. You've written a post you're proud of, Facebook tells you it's performing well, and for a few pounds you can show it to more people.
So you boost it. The likes go up, a few people comment, and then nothing. No enquiries, no bookings, no sales. Sound familiar? You're not doing anything wrong. The boost button just isn't built to do what you need it to do.
What the boost button actually does
When you boost a post, Facebook and Instagram usually show it to the people most likely to engage with it. That means people who like, comment and share. That's lovely for your ego, but those people aren't necessarily the ones who will buy from you.
Boosted posts also come with limited targeting options and no real plan for what happens next. Someone sees your post, gives it a like and scrolls on. There's no clear next step and no easy way to get in touch.
What a proper campaign does differently
A campaign set up properly in Meta Ads Manager works in a completely different way:
- It's built around a goal. Instead of chasing likes, you tell Meta you want leads, bookings or sales, and it finds people likely to take that action.
- It targets the right people. You can focus on people in your area, of a certain age, with relevant interests, or people who have already visited your website.
- The ad is made to be an ad. Short, clear and speaking directly to your ideal customer's problem.
- There's an obvious next step. A simple form, a booking page or a landing page that makes it easy to say yes.
- You can track what it brings in. So you know exactly what each lead costs you.
A real example from a local gym
A recent client had been boosting posts to promote their new PT course, with very few leads to show for it. We stopped boosting, built a proper campaign with one short video ad and highly targeted messaging, and ran it for seven days.
They spent £108, got 18 leads, and 6 of those people signed up to the £1,950 course. That's £11,700 in sales from a budget most small businesses could manage, at around £6 per lead.
How to get started on a small budget
- Pick one clear offer. A free consultation, a taster session or a limited launch price works far better than "find out more about us".
- Know exactly who it's for. Write your ad as if you're talking to one person with one problem.
- Choose the right objective. In Ads Manager, choose leads or sales rather than engagement.
- Start small and test. A modest budget over a week is plenty to see what's working before you spend more.
Is boosting ever a good idea?
It can be. If a post is already doing well and you simply want more local people to see it, a small boost can help with awareness. Just don't expect it to fill your diary. For leads and sales, a proper campaign wins every time.
