Your very short (yet very definitive) guide to social media boosting

A good digital marketing strategy demands a game plan for a strong social media presence. Nowadays, it’s rare for any brand to exist without an online page or store.

Social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have become more than just platforms where you can connect with peers or see your favorite content.

Social networks have now evolved into marketing juggernauts that many brands use to bolster revenue. And one way brands do that is through boosting.

What is boosting?
In simplest terms, boosting is a way to expand your audience.

You do this by paying social channels to escalate your presence online by showcasing your content to your target audience. This may be in the form of boosting a particular post or boosting your page itself.

A boosted post appears as a sponsored post on a target user’s feed. The boosted post layout is so seamless that it fits right into users’ timeline. In addition, a boosted post also contains a call to action button that your target audience can tap to engage with your content.

Boosting has now become a staple in any digital marketing strategy because of how effective it is in reaching audiences. Plus, it’s so easy to implement, you don’t even need special training or certifications to handle it.

On goals and audiences

Generally, a sponsored post asks you what your goals are: do you want to increase traffic to your site? Do you want to receive queries from your audience? Or do you want to direct users to your social media profile? These are just some examples of questions about your goals.

You will also be asked to specify which people you want to target for your post. Audience segments are usually classified into characteristics like demographics and interests.

Your goals and the particular audience you set influence when and where your posts appear.

A short example

Say you’re a brand that sells dog beds. You have a clearance sale coming up and you want consumers to know about it.

For your goals, you’d want to choose one that redirects your ad viewers to your online store. This helps streamline the consumer’s buying journey: they see something they like and they’re provided with a quick way to see if they want to buy it.

For your audience, you’d want to target those who are interested in pets. You can base this from what you know about your consumers. Specifically, you can target based on age, relationships, work, and education. You can also target based on buying behaviors, location, and interests.

Social media networks that offer boosting or sponsored post options also give you the power to narrow down your targets and goals. This is to make sure you get the most out of the ad budget you’ll shell out.

4 straight to the point tips for Effective Social Media Boosting

We’ve told you what sponsored posts are and we’ve given you an example. But we’re not letting you go without providing some boosting best practices, of course!

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
   Boosting is a great way to connect with more users, but it’s not a holy grail for amplifying your social media presence.

   This is to say- a well-rounded social media strategy requires a balance between organic and paid content.

   Through organic content, you’re building a solid relationship with the followers you already have. Engage them in exciting and relevant posts. Provide new information about your products and brand to help your consumers get to know you better.

   Organic and sponsored content working hand-in-hand covers all fronts: you’re encouraging loyalty from your existing consumers and you’re opening doors for new ones.

2. Set your realistic goals
   You’ve heard about how easy it is to boost posts so you’re probably rearing to set up your first sponsored one.

   Hold that thought!

   Before you go about boosting content, take time to establish your social media marketing goals. And we’re not talking about the ones you set for a particular sponsored post.

   What we mean is to particularize both short-term and long-term directions for your strategies. This is so you won’t dip blindly into boosting, which can wreak all kinds of havoc both on your digital marketing plans and your budget.

   Remember that boosting is just one tool of many in your marketing arsenal. Analyze how it can supplement your existing strategies; figure out where it fits in.

3. Consider your budget carefully
   You can’t expect to reap great benefits in a one-time, big-time sponsored post. Actually, boosting takes patience and number crunching.

   From the goals and post schedule that you’ve created, consider how much money you can set aside for boosting. It’s important you deliberate on this decision carefully to make sure you get the biggest ROI for your buck- especially if you’re planning to invest in a longer boosting schedule.

4. Not all social media channels are created equal
   Though it’s tempting to boost posts in all social media channels you can, that might actually set you back.

   Before you go about sponsoring posts on a particular platform, think about this: are the users you want to target even use that channel?

   Different social media networks house different types of people. For example, most business executives and leaders don’t hang out on TikTok. If you’re aiming to launch a B2B ad campaign, you’ll get better impressions if you sponsor posts on sites like LinkedIn.

   To put it simply, you want to boost a post in a channel where your target audience is likely to see and engage with your content.

Not sure where to start? We got you

If boosting is a new frontier to you and your business, don’t fret. Here at iTworks Global Solutions, we’re more than ready to help you with all things boosting, social media, and more.

We’ll help you both navigate the social media landscape and learn from it- which is to say, we’re not here to just tell you what to do. iTworks Global Solutions aims to teach you how to master the digital marketing game.

Schedule a call with us and we’ll build you a strong online presence brick by brick. Should you have any questions or clarifications, drop us a line via any of our official channels.