Why You Should Never Boost Posts (And What to Do Instead)

Boosting posts might feel productive—but it’s one of the easiest ways to waste your ad budget.

Facebook and Instagram constantly prompt business owners to “boost” posts. It’s tempting—it’s quick, simple, and looks like marketing. But boosting is not real media buying. It bypasses the powerful targeting, testing, and optimization tools in Meta Ads Manager.

According to Meta’s own data, ads created through Ads Manager have significantly higher conversion rates compared to boosted posts, simply because they allow control over placements, audiences, and objectives.

Boosting also encourages vanity metrics—likes, reach, views—instead of actions that impact revenue. You’re paying for attention, not conversions.

What to do instead? Use Ads Manager to set a clear objective (like purchases or bookings), create multiple ad variations, and track what actually moves your business forward. It’s a few extra clicks—but could save you thousands in the long run.