With over 1 billion users on Instagram, it can be tough competition getting your content out there. Hours upon hours are spent engaging with other accounts, with the aim of increasing brand awareness, gaining followers and increasing engagement.

But what happens when your post doesn’t quite perform the way you’d hoped? Many Instagram users simply reach for the ‘promote’ button, boosting an individual post in order to gain some traction.

Is that the best way forward? We’re about to find out!

Ads VS Boosting Posts: What’s the difference?

Boosted Posts

Put simply, boosted posts are a quick shove for low performing Instagram content. They allow you to choose where to send people:

Your profile - Good to gain follows.

Your website - Opportunities for leads.

Your DMs - Conversation starters.

You can then define your audience. If you’re feeling a little lazy, the ‘Automatic’ option allows Instagram to target those similar to your followers. This means you can get your content in front of fresh eyes!

> Did you know, users miss around 70% of the posts on their Instagram feeds!

Of course, you can also set up an audience of your own, whether you’re targeting small business owners, the big guys, or entrepreneurs. 

Next, your budget. As with Facebook, you can select your daily budget and the duration, too. Just confirm the details and you’re good to go.

Instagram Ads

Why choose Ads over Boosting Posts?

If you’re looking to create a marketing strategy that includes the use of Instagram, choosing ads over boosting should definitely be your go-to, and I’m about to tell you why.

5 reasons to use Instagram Ads

Audience Growth

Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. So what better place to get your message across?

Attention

Users spend - on average - around 50 minutes a day on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. 

Intent

The way we find out about products and services is changing. One study found that 60% of Instagram users learn about new products/services through Instagram. With 75% taking action after seeing an Instagram post.

Targeting

Instagram ads use Facebook’s advertising system, giving you control over your target audience’s location, demographics, interests, behaviours and even more.

Results
According to Instagram, which looked at more than 400 campaigns globally, ad recall from Instagram ads was 2.8 times higher than Nielsen’s norms for online advertising.

So, should you be using Instagram ads? Absolutely.

Instagram ads are an incredibly powerful tool. However, don’t throw yourself in just yet as there are lots of things to consider.

Demographics

Is your target audience really on Instagram? If you’re running a clothing brand, it’s most likely yes! But if you’re an accountant, maybe not… It’s worth exploring competitors on the platform and whether your target audience is using Instagram daily.

Topics

Is your audience talking about your industry/service/product on Instagram?

Making it visual 

Creating visual content that resonates with any audience is no easy task. But it can definitely be made easier when your topic/industry is already being spoken about.

Think photography and graphic design over huge chunks of text!

Getting Started With Instagram Ads

There are multiple ways to get stuck into Instagram ads.

• Within the Instagram app

• Facebook Ads Manager

• Power Editor

• Instagram Partners

• Facebook’s Marketing API

If you decide to go right into Facebook Ads Manager, you’ll be met with multiple options to set up your Instagram ad. Here are the general steps to follow:

• Choose a marketing objective

• Name your ad campaign

• Define your audience, placements, budget and schedule

• Create the ad itself or use an existing post

Still Considering The Boost?

Not feeling Instagram ads? No problem! It can feel a little daunting getting started with ads, especially if you’re not familiar with running campaigns.

While we’re all about the ads over promoting a post, there are definitely pros and cons. If you’re keeping an eye on vanity metrics, promoting the odd post can help your content get the boost it needs. It could be due to the algorithm giving you trouble or your posting schedule falling behind - Nevertheless, the odd promotion won’t do any harm!

Get in touch with our team and kickstart your Instagram ads today.