We’ve all seen it and been tempted to click on it. Heck, some of us have probably already clicked out of curiosity. We’re talking about the “Boost Post” button on your Facebook page.

So what exactly does this little blue button do? It helps you reach your current and prospective clients on Facebook with your most valuable content. Boosted posts can help you generate traffic to your website or landing pages, and can increase your engagement and likes, if done correctly. Here are some help tips to get you started.

Only Boost Posts With Original Content

That latest report that 14% of the population is uninsured is a good one, but driving traffic to AAA’s website with that report is not going to benefit you and your business! If you are going to boost a post, make sure that it is original content and links back to your website. Promoted posts are a good way to reach clients with specials you are running and new products available to them, but it’s only worth the money if it is going to help you in the long term.

Drive Traffic to Your Lead Capture Tools

Boosted posts are an excellent way to generate traffic to the lead capture tools on your website. Whether you are an insurance agent trying to cross-sell products or a loan officer selling the importance of a refinance, boosted posts are beneficial. Anytime you are paying for marketing; it’s always important to have a clear way for people to move to the next step. Be sure to make it as easy as possible for visitors to fill out the form, and make sure they know what they will be getting by providing their information. Having some security notice on the lead capture page to reassure them their information won’t be sold can also be helpful.

Experiment With Different Audiences

When you boost a post, you will have a few different options of audiences. An Audience determines who Facebook will show the “boosted post” to the following audiences.

• “People Who Like This Page”- This is one of the easiest and most straight-forward options, but it may not always give you the best results. The boosted post will show to people who have already liked your page. Since these are most likely current customers, this is an excellent way to promote a referral program because it is going out to people who already know how great your company is.
• “People Who Like This Page and Their Friends” – This option will let you target people who have liked your page and their friends. This strategy will be helpful when you want to promote your products or a special you are having but don’t want to spend money targeting people, total strangers. If one of your current followers interacts with the post, their friend will see that John Smith commented, and this may start a dialogue and open up the opportunity for a recommendation.
• “Custom Audience” – This is an attractive way to reach a new audience. This option will allow you to boost the post to people by location, gender, age, and interests. You will be able to choose whether you want to include or exclude the people who currently like your page. If you are going to boost to a custom audience, it’s critical that you have a great call to action and clear outline of what is in it for them.

Have a Compelling Call to Action

Be sure to tell your audience what’s in it for them and how to move forward. “Visit our website to see how much you can save” is a lot more enticing than “Fill out your information to get started.” People like to see that they will be getting something in return, so you want to make sure to outline why they will need to click on the link you are providing. Whether it’s a quote from a refinance to get rid of PMI or a guide to the top 10 ways to save money on auto insurance, be sure it’s clear what they will be getting.

Choose Your Budget Wisely

It may be tempting to boost one post and use your entire budget for the month, but that may not be the best idea. Try splitting up your budget and aim for boosting one post each week so that you can continue to stay in front of the audience you choose throughout the month. Organizing your budget will require a little planning ahead, but you should be linking back to your website at least once a week.

So there you have it, boosting a post is that simple! This marketing tactic is a great way to get into Facebook marketing since you are using a post you would have shared regardless. Still confused or need some help creating a post worth boosting? Our marketing experts are here to help! We also provide full-service options where we will do the posts for you, and all you have to do is hit boost!