There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that promoted posts on Facebook are better than Facebook ads that appear on Facebook. There are a lot of pros and cons to both forms of advertising, yet promoted posts come out on top. Let’s explore why.
First and foremost, the reason that promoted posts are better than Facebook ads on Facebook is the number of people you can get to click on your post. The reality is, many people don’t even see the ads on the side of the Facebook page. They have become almost numb to all of the ads that bombard them on web pages. They barely acknowledge that there are any types of ads on the page and they rarely even truly look at them to see if they’re relevant to their needs or wants. With a promoted page, you are sure to get a lot more interest in the information. People are more likely to click on a link that is promoted by a friend or a page that they like than to click on a random ad that they rarely notice. This means that you are raising more brand awareness if you are a business trying to garner attention. There is a great flow chart over at Socialmouths.com. The comparison chart shows that one of the best pros about promoted posts is that more people are likely to open them. The whole reason that someone is going to promote a post is that they want a wide audience to see it. So, promoting it is going to accomplish this very thing.
Won’t It Cost Too Much?A misconception is that you are going to spend a lot of money on a promoted post and not get the exposure that you want. This is not quite true. When you are promoting a post, you are controlling your budget. You can choose how much money to spend because you are choosing how many people will be able to access the post. It’s much better to spend money on a post that you know is going to be clicked on versus the Russian Roulette of sidebar advertising. Being cost effective is a sign of successful advertising and marketing. Another reason to choose a promoted post over a Facebook ad is the flaw in the search system. Sometimes a person will search something because they are trying to gain information and not because there’s a true interest. A person searching puppy mills is often looking for information to shut down a puppy mill. Facebook sees this search and erroneously believes you want a puppy mill. Then you start to get targeted ads for puppy mills or store bought dogs. This can infuriate even the most laid back Facebook user. A person who has Liked your Facebook page will typically share the same opinions and outlooks. They are going to have a true interest in what you are advertising or promoting. Paying for a promoted post is a much better use of your budgeted money.
How Do I Choose?
If you have a lot of friends and followers, it’s an easy choice to make. You should choose the promoted posts. Over at CooperVision.com there is another good article that details the differences between promoted posts and Facebook ads on Facebook. The pros most definitely outweigh the cons due to price and the amount of interest that your promoted post is going to reach.