Boosting a post is a quick way to put money behind a piece of content that’s already on your social feed. Let’s say you shared before-and-after photos of a bathroom remodel. If it’s getting good engagement, you can boost it so more people—beyond just your followers—will see it. Boosting is simple and great for getting more likes, comments, and basic visibility, but it offers limited targeting options.
Running a proper social media ad (through platforms like Facebook Ads Manager or Instagram’s Ads platform) is more advanced. You can specify detailed audience criteria—like location, age, interests, or even specific trade-related behaviours. You can also choose different campaign objectives, such as driving website clicks, collecting leads, or encouraging people to call you. Ads generally provide more robust reporting, so you can track cost per click or cost per lead precisely. If you’re serious about lead generation or brand awareness, a targeted ad campaign is usually more strategic than simply boosting a post.