What each tool is useful for
| What you get | Boost a post | Ads Manager ad |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Promote an existing post[1] | Create and edit ads; manage budgets and schedules[8] |
| Useful when | You want a quick engagement promotion[2] | You need more campaign controls and A/B testing[3][8] |
| Work to plan for | Choose the post, audience, budget and result you want | Set up the campaign and review performance while it runs[8] |
Check inquiries and sales alongside engagement
Reach, likes and clicks answer different questions from calls, quote requests and sales. Decide what you will count before paying to show the post.
- Record ad spend and qualified inquiries for the same date range.
- Track which inquiries became customers. Comparing two weeks of total phone traffic does not establish that an ad caused the difference.
Keep a first test small enough to interpret
Ads Manager supports A/B tests of creative, audiences and placements.[3] For a first test, I would change one thing so the result is easier to interpret.
- 1Pick a goal, like calls or quote requests, and write down what counts as a result.
- 2Make two versions of the same offer that differ in a single thing: the photo, or the first line.
- 3Give both versions the same budget and duration.
- 4If one version performs better on your defined result, test it against another version.
If neither version produces enough results to compare, record the test as inconclusive. A few clicks are not a reliable reason to declare a winner.
A daily budget is an average, not a daily ceiling
Meta says it may spend up to 75% above a daily budget on one day, while limiting weekly spend to seven times that budget.[4][5]
A lifetime budget instead sets the amount for the entire run of an ad or campaign. Daily spend can vary within that total.[6] Choose it when the total campaign spend is the constraint you need to control.
Set the budget and review date before launch
Meta recommends setting enough budget to run for at least seven days so it can learn from performance.[7] This is planning guidance, not a promise that a campaign will become profitable in a week.
- Write down one result the campaign should produce.
- Choose a daily average or a total lifetime budget you can afford.
- Test the destination and tracking before launch.
- Set a review date and compare spend with qualified inquiries and sales, not just engagement.