Why You Need To Go Beyond The Boost Button To Grow Your E-Commerce Brand on Facebook and Instagram?

25.07.2023
7 min reading

Picture this: You’ve put your blood, sweat, and tears into building your e-commerce business over the past few months. You’ve dedicated countless hours, pouring your heart and soul into designing your website, sourcing products and creating captivating content. You have your website up and running and your Facebook and Instagram business pages set up, and you keep receiving those annoying notifications to boost your posts. Also, you believe that NOW is the time to get your brand in front of MORE people.

If it’s YOU, you might wonder how to get e-commerce clients, and paid advertising could be your most likely next step. The question is, are you ready to invest in paid ads? If the answer is yes, you have two options: click that boost button or run an ad campaign through the Meta Ads Manager. 

Mind you, while both are considered paid ads, they’re not the same. In this blog post, you’ll learn the difference between the two, why you might want to go beyond the boost button and the amazing arsenal of tools offered by Meta Ads Manager that could help you run ads just like any high-billing marketing agency!

Boost Vs. Meta Ads Manager – The Ultimate Face-off

As a savvy business owner with a Facebook account, you’ve probably received those tempting notifications urging you to boost a post. They often highlight your most popular content that resonates with your followers. And you must be wondering how to use Facebook for e-commerce. 

While boosting a post may seem like a small first step towards advertising on Facebook, it’s important to note that running a full-fledged advertising campaign through Facebook or Instagram using the Meta Ads Manager is quite different.

Let’s dig into the Face-off between the two– Boost button and the Meta Ads Manager.

(Note: Interestingly, they refer to Boosting as promoting a post on Instagram, but it essentially boils down to the same concept. )

What’s All The Ruckus About The “Boost” Button?

First, let’s see what the boost button actually offers. According to the Meta Business Help Center, the boost button is the SIMPLEST way to advertise on Facebook. To be more accurate, “A boosted post is a post to your Page’s timeline that you can apply money to boost it to an audience of your choosing.”

Boosting a post is like giving it a turbocharge. It transforms into an ad that pops up in your audience’s Facebook Feed as a “sponsored ad.” Plus, you can extend its reach to Instagram if you feel extra fancy. 

If you are using boosted Facebook posts for e-commerce or planning on doing so, here’s how it works:

First, you pick a post from your Page’s timeline that you want to give a boost. When you’re boosting the post, you need to share three important details:

  1. Who do you want to reach? A broad understanding of your target audience.
  2. How much dough are you willing to dish out? Your max budget for the entire campaign.
  3. How long do you want your ad to strut its stuff in people’s Feeds? 

Once you hit that “Boost” button, your selected audience will see your ad in their Newsfeed for the duration you set.

Simply put, boosting a post on Facebook is like greasing the gears of your content to get it in front of more eyeballs. You shell out some money to the platform to make your posts reach more people, with a tad more say in who gets to feast their eyes on your content.

The Meta Ads Manager–Gives Your Ads Wings:

While the “Boost” button offers a SIMPLE way to reach a wider audience, it may not be the most EFFECTIVE. It falls short when targeting specific goals and optimizing your campaigns. The Meta Ads Manager provides a comprehensive suite of tools that allows you to fine-tune your targeting, set clear objectives, and measure the success of your efforts. 

The Meta Business Help Centre suggests, “Where a boosted post may initially optimize for Page likes, comments and shares or overall brand awareness, Facebook ads can optimize for App Installs, website conversions, video views, shop orders and more.” 

Boosting a post is like adding a dash of hot sauce to your meal – you get some heat and a teeny bit of flavor. But it’s not the same as having a gourmet chef dishing out a perfectly tailored entrée with a full range of flavors and customization options; Meta Ads Manager is the gourmet chef for your ad menu! 

Comparing Boost Button with Meta Ads Manager:

Here’s a quick face-off between Boosted posts and ads generated through Meta Ads Manager. This will help you understand how to grow your e-commerce business in 2023 in the most effective way:

Boosted Posts vs. Ads Through Meta Ads Manager

Differences Boosted Posts Ads Through Meta Ads Manager
Purpose Expanding reach Achieving specific Objectives
The Ad Creation Process Quick and simplistic Creative flexibility
Ad Placement Main News feed exposure Strategic placement options
Objectives and Optimizations Focus on engagement  Targeted Outcomes
Budget and Duration Simple Settings Fine tuned control

So if you’re just interested in vanity metrics (likes/reactions, shares, and comments), by all means, go for that “Boost” button. 

But if you have REAL growth as your goal, you need to go beyond that.

Why Do You Need The Meta Ads Manager When You Can Simply “Boost”?

The “Boost” feature of the Facebook business page is so overrated and overhyped. Especially when business owners solely rely on it as their primary advertising strategy. Boosting a post is a quick and straightforward way to get more eyeballs. Still, it needs advanced targeting and optimization options like the Meta Ads Manager to bring you more sales and a higher ROAS (return on ad spend).

Now, for D2C brands and e-commerce business owners, simple likes, shares, and comments WON” T do! It doesn’t matter much if their product video is being shared widely ‘coz it’s quirky or people love the cute icons used on their post copy until or unless real customers are buying from them. 

Yeah, the “Boost” is getting you attention, but you gotta go for the right kinda attention that gets you sales!

Going for the “Boost” instead of a curated ad campaign via the Ads Manager could limit your true growth potential and campaign effectiveness. If you solely rely on boosting posts without a clear objective, strategy, or audience targeting, it will result in wasted ad spending and a tiddly(or zero) return on investment.

If you want your brand to grow on Facebook and Instagram, reaching the right audience is key. Now you must be wondering how to use Instagram for e-commerce. That’s where Meta Ads Manager comes in, a versatile tool for businesses aiming to connect with their target audience on Facebook and Instagram. With its wide range of features and targeting options, e-commerce businesses can create tailored ads that resonate with the individuals most likely to be interested in their products or services. 

You don’t need a fancy schmancy ad agency with technical mumbo-jumbo and secret tools to grow your brand. The Meta Ads Manager is your go-to for professional ad campaigns that drive results and have stellar returns on ad spend.

How Does The Meta Ads Manager Works Wonders For Your Growth?

To illustrate, imagine you run a business selling handmade jewelry. With Meta Ads Manager, you can precisely target individuals interested in jewelry by liking relevant pages or searching for “handmade jewelry” on Facebook. Furthermore, you can narrow down your audience based on specific geographic locations or particular interests they possess. 

The cherry on top is that Ads Manager enables you to track the results of your ad campaigns, empowering you to optimize future endeavors and maximize the return on your advertising investment.

Now, let’s delve into the significance of Meta Ads Manager and discover how it has the potential to revolutionize your brand growth. This will also give you an idea if you are wondering how to start a Facebook Ad Campaign. 

Targeted Advertising and Objectives:

When establishing campaign objectives, Ads Manager acts as your reliable compass, especially if you’re new to the advertising game. These objectives serve as clear guidance whether you aim to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or generate valuable leads.

By setting specific goals within Ads Manager, you gain the power to align your strategies and effectively measure your success without any third party (like a marketing agency) involved. Once you set your campaign objectives that align with your business goals, the Meta algo will show your ads to just the right audiences to help you achieve your goals.

Image source: https://business.facebook.com/

In the realm of targeted advertising, Meta Ads Manager emerges as your trusted ally.

It equips you to precisely target your business ads based on key parameters such as demographics, interests, behaviors, and location. This level of precision targeting enables you to connect with the right audience, amplifying the impact of your advertising campaigns. 

With Meta Ads Manager in your toolkit, you can bid farewell to generic approaches and benefit from personalized marketing tailored to resonate with your audience.

Image source: https://business.facebook.com/

Ad Placement:

You can decide where your ads show up with Ad Placement Control! You can take your brand to where your audience hangs out. In Ads Manager, you can choose the platforms and placements that work best for you. Want your ad to shine on Facebook? No problem! Prefer it to pop up on Instagram? You got it! 

Not only this, you can choose exactly where your ads will appear; some of the places you can choose for your ad to appear include:

  • Facebook News Feed
  • Instagram/Facebook Stories
  • Facebook Marketplace 
  • Right Column
  • Instagram Reels
  • Business Explore or Instagram Explore

This customization ensures that your ads are shown in the most relevant spots, motivating your audience to take action. Moreover, Ads Manager lets you exclude specific placements that don’t align with your goals or target audience. This means you can focus your ad budget on the most valuable locations, getting the most out of your investment.

This control puts you in the driver’s seat, helping you maximize your ad spend by focusing on the perfect spots to showcase your ads. It’s like having your very own advertising superpower. 

Ad Creativity and Customization: 

Meta Ads Manager allows you to strike a balance between creativity and professionalism. You’ll be able to craft visually captivating ads that will engage your audience. Ads Manager tools allow you to create stunning images, dynamic videos, and interactive carousels, all thoughtfully customized to represent your brand. 

The best part is that you’ll have full control to fine-tune every aspect. Your ads will align perfectly with your brand’s style and message. 

Image source: https://business.facebook.com/

Campaign Management and Optimization: 

Meta Ads Manager is your ultimate companion for managing advertising campaigns. The comprehensive platform lets you gain the power to monitor your ad performance, track key metrics, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your campaigns for better results. 

You can access valuable insights into your audience’s behavior, ad reach, engagement, and conversion rates using Ads Manager. These insights allow you to refine your strategies and improve your return on investment (ROI). Meta Ads Manager puts you in control, enabling you to fine-tune your targeting and make informed adjustments to achieve greater success.

Image source: https://business.facebook.com/

You can also use features to generate reports for different ad sets to compare and evaluate the best and the worst-performing metrics. 

Facebook Meta Pixel: 

Do you think that’s all? Now that you have explored Meta Ads Manager, it’s time to reveal the most lethal weapon in the Meta arsenal. The Meta Pixel, also known as the Facebook retargeting pixel, is a powerful tool for optimizing your return on investment. By easily integrating this code into your website’s backend, you gain access to opportunities to track and analyze vital performance metrics exclusive to Facebook. 

The standout feature of conversion tracking allows you to gain valuable insights into visitor behavior, monitor page visits, and assess the effectiveness of your campaigns. Armed with these insights, you can refine your marketing strategies, conduct A/B tests, and make data-driven decisions to guide your buyers through their journey effectively. This empowers you to maximize the impact of your Facebook advertising efforts and achieve optimal results.

E-Commerce Brands That Leveraged the Ads Manager for Growth– Case Studies:

Meta advertising has been embraced by a whopping 10 million businesses, with the majority being small to medium-sized enterprises.

The Farmer’s Dog:

Since the Ads Manager offers detailed customization and flexibility, The Farmer’s Dog boosted their online sales through Meta Ads. By incorporating a “Shop Now” button into their ad strategy, they experienced a significant 57% surge in online sales, directing traffic straight to their website’s order page. Hannah Theurer, Acquisition Manager at The Farmer’s Dog, considers Facebook a “core growth driver” for their brand.

AIRE:

AIRE Ancient Baths, a spa heavily relying on online bookings, experienced a remarkable threefold increase in sales within the United States. This impressive growth was achieved by emphasizing captivating and unique creative content and utilizing Customized Audiences composed of individuals who engaged with AIRE’s offerings.

Lalo:

By switching to ads that click to Messenger, Lalo witnessed a remarkable threefold increase in their conversion rate. This strategic move allowed them to deliver a personalized shopping experience to their customers, resulting in improved engagement and more sales.

Braccialetti Aua 

Braccialetti Aua, an Italian brand that creates beautiful celebration bracelets from silver and handmade colored glass, achieved a 14% increase in sales. They combined the Conversions API and Meta Pixel for their Facebook Ads. These tools helped them reach more customers and improve their advertising campaigns, increasing engagement and sales.

(Source: Facebook Meta Business)

Challenges of Using Meta Ads Manager:

Even though Ads Manager is the recommended tool to market your business and explore a boost in sales, here are some challenges that you might have to face if you are starting up.

Complexity:

Meta Ads Manager has a robust feature set, which can overwhelm beginners. It requires a learning curve to understand and leverage its capabilities effectively. Businesses may need to invest time and effort into training or working with experienced professionals to take full advantage of the platform and optimize their campaigns.

Algorithm Changes: 

The algorithms governing ad delivery and optimization within Meta Ads Manager can change frequently. You must stay updated with platform updates and adapt to their strategies accordingly. Algorithm changes can impact campaign performance, and businesses must continually monitor and adjust their campaigns to maintain effectiveness.

Ad Fatigue and Ad Blindness: 

As more businesses advertise on Facebook and its platforms, there is a risk of ad fatigue and ad blindness. Users may become accustomed to seeing ads and start ignoring them, reducing the effectiveness of campaigns. To combat this, businesses must focus on creating unique personalized ads that reach their audiences when they need them the most. 

The Truth Behind Advertising Agencies’ Tools

How to set up paid ads for e-commerce stores? If you’re an e-commerce brand, you might have considered onboarding a slick advertising agency to handle all your advertising woes at some point in time. 

Most people think those fancy ad agencies have special secret tools up their sleeves to make their ad campaigns work. You’d be surprised to hear that this is just a bunch of trumped-up assumptions.

Let’s bust some myths together about the tools advertising agencies have:

Myth 1: 

Advertising agencies possess secret tools unavailable to others.

Reality: 

Advertising agencies primarily leverage tools like Ads Manager to run ad campaigns on Meta apps like Facebook and Instagram. These tools are accessible to everyone, including e-commerce business owners and individuals looking to promote their content.

Myth 2 : 

Advertising agencies have exclusive access to specialized features for campaign management.

Reality: 

The tools used by advertising agencies, such as Ads Manager, provide a range of features available to all users. These features include audience targeting, ad creative customization, budget control, and performance analytics. Anyone can harness these capabilities to manage their ad campaigns effectively.

Myth 3:

Only advertising agencies can succeed with ad campaigns on Meta apps.

Reality: 

Success on Meta apps is not exclusive to advertising agencies. E-commerce business owners and individuals can achieve positive outcomes by utilizing tools like the Meta Ads Manager. With a strategic approach, an understanding of target audiences, and effective campaign optimization, anyone can drive engagement, reach, and conversions.

Myth 4: 

Advertising agencies possess insider knowledge that guarantees superior results.

Reality: 

While advertising agencies may have industry expertise, their tools are available to all users. Success with ad campaigns on Meta apps depends on compelling ad content, targeting the right audience, optimizing campaigns based on data insights, and continuous experimentation and refinement.

Myth 5: 

Only advertising agencies have the resources to run effective ad campaigns on Meta apps.

Reality: 

Running successful ad campaigns on Meta apps is not solely reliant on agency resources. E-commerce business owners and individuals can achieve impactful results by leveraging user-friendly tools like Ads Manager, setting specific objectives, and aligning their ad strategies with their business goals.

Myth Dispelled: Advertising Agencies Have No Secret Tools – Anyone Can Run Ad Campaigns on Meta Apps!

As a small business owner, you need to get more sales e-commerce ads that are effective. Utilizing tools like Ads Manager empowers e-commerce business owners and individuals like you to effectively manage your campaigns, engage with your target audience, and achieve your marketing objectives. The key lies in understanding the tools available and implementing strategic and creative approaches to maximize campaign performance.

The Limitations of the “Boost” Button – to Click or Not to Click?

Boosting a post is like a quick sprinkle of fairy dust to give your content a little push, but running a full-blown advertising campaign on Facebook or Instagram through Meta Ads Manager is like unleashing a marketing powerhouse. 

Before deciding whether to click that “Boost” button, here’s a list of questions you need to consider. This list will help you assess the functionalities of Meta Ads Manager that you’ll be missing out on, should you do so.

  1. What Do You Want Your Ads To Do? The algo streamlines boosted posts to reach more people, that’s it. Ads via the Meta Ads Manager have specific goals like driving traffic, generating leads, or making sales.
  2. How Do You Want To Create Your Ads? Boosting is simple – you use your normal posts. But ads let you create from scratch with captivating formats, images, videos, carousels, and engaging copy.
  3. Where Do You Want It to Be Seen? Boosted posts only hit the newsfeed, while ads have a whole universe of placements like stories, videos, search results, and more.
  4. Do You Want To Optimize Your Ads? Boosted posts focus on reach and engagement, while ads offer a wide range of objectives and advanced optimization options based on your buyers’ journey that you can map out through Meta Pixels and Conversion API.
  5. How Do You Want To Schedule And Budget Your Ads? Boosted posts have basic budget settings, while ads give you total control over budget, scheduling, and targeting options.

So, while boosting gets the job done quickly, running ads puts you in the driver’s seat of a fully loaded marketing machine. 

It’s a Wrap

Facebook and Instagram advertising is a dynamic duo that can supercharge your eCommerce business. These social media powerhouses offer unparalleled opportunities to reach and engage with your target audience, boosting traffic, sales, and brand recognition. But as we discussed: You don’t have to rely on pricey marketing agencies to conquer these platforms. You have the power to take charge of your own marketing destiny!

So, if you’re ready to take your business to new heights, it’s time to explore the untapped potential of Facebook and Instagram advertising. Delve into the depths of the Ads Manager, where you can unleash your creativity, target specific audiences, and truly amplify your brand’s reach. Say goodbye to simply boosting or promoting posts and say hello to a comprehensive advertising strategy that propels your business toward unprecedented success.

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Why You Need To Go Beyond The Boost Button To Grow Your E-Commerce Brand on Facebook and Instagram?

25.07.2023
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