A practical guide to boosting posts on Instagram: Learn how and why you should do it!

In your mind’s eye let’s imagine Instagram as a vast library and your content as a masterpiece hidden on a dusty shelf.

Boosting your posts places it front and center in the New Arrivals section, attracting you new readers and fans. It’s a social media marketing strategy to ensure your message reaches your target audience, sparking engagement and driving conversions.

Ready to turn your Instagram content into a bestseller on this in-demand, visual platform? Let’s explore how.

What does boosting a post on Instagram mean?

You know that feeling when you post something amazing on your company’s Instagram, but it seems like only your family and cat have seen it? A boosted post changes that. It’s a paid feature that puts your content front and center on people‘s Newsfeeds.

Here’s a quick breakdown. And don’t worry, we’ll be showing you this in step-by-step detail soon.

• You choose: Pick a post you want to supercharge.
• You set a budget: Decide how much you want to spend.
• You target your audience: Reach people based on their interests, location, and more.

So, instead of hoping your ideal customers stumble upon your post, a boosted post proactively introduces them to your brand with a power handshake. This targeted exposure can lead to a significant increase in engagement, attracting a wider audience, potential new followers, and an increase in your ROI.

What does a boosted post look like on Instagram?

Now that we know what it is, let’s show you some real-world examples that caught our eye.

 1 – Invideo

The Invideo sponsored post on Instagram Stories effectively targets content creators:

• Like all the examples we’ll review, it clearly displays “Sponsored” at the top left.
• It promotes tools for improving YouTube channels with a “Learn More” call-to-action button, encouraging users to explore service options.
• It uses high-quality visuals, the human touch with a man talking to you on the Reel, and concise messaging to quickly draw the viewer’s attention.
• It targets content creators looking to upgrade their video production capabilities, directly engaging the intended demographic.

2 – Dublin Express Coach

While the Invideo ad was featured in Instagram Stories, this boosted Dublin Express ad popped up in our main feed. This caught our writer’s eye a few hours after researching airport transport options, thereby showing the ad’s precise targeting.

• Strategic placement: Positioned in the main feed, the ad captures attention during leisurely scrolls, setting it apart from the speedier nature of Stories.
• Direct communication: With a bold call to “Book now” and the standout price point, it’s clear and straightforward, ensuring the message is front and center.
• Focused appeal: Aimed at attracting budget-conscious travelers, it offers a practical solution with a straightforward €8 one-way fare to Dublin Airport. (Our writer was gobsmacked by the €50 taxi fee quoted for the 15 km airport journey, so – again – this ad did a great job at finding its target.)

3- Temu Ireland 

Next, this boosted post from Temu Ireland caught our attention just as our writer was searching for ways to transfer old data CDs to their laptop. Again, the timing of this ad, featuring an external CD/DVD drive, couldn’t have been more precise for their needs.

• Engaged audience: Targets individuals needing to access or back up old media.
• High-quality visual content: The clear, detailed images effectively display the product’s features along with a clear “sponsored” text.

Pro Tip: Plan your boosted posts strategically alongside your organic content using a tool like Later or Planoly. Need a second pair of eyes on your strategy? Consider partnering with a digital marketing agency to maximize your Instagram impact.

Benefits of boosting a post on Instagram

Boosting allows you to strategically target your ideal customers, going beyond your current followers and ensuring your message reaches those most likely to engage.

We found some eye-opening stats for you on Social Pilot:

(Stat source)

The one that stands out to us here is that Instagram has almost 60% more engagement per follower versus Facebook. That means more likes, comments, and shares – the kind of engagement that truly connects you with your audience.

So how can we use this to our advantage with boosted posts?

Drive Conversions

Boosting goes beyond vanity metrics, focusing on achieving tangible outcomes. You can expect increased profile visits, website traffic, and sales.

Strengthen Your Brand

Boosting has long-term benefits too. Increased visibility leads to greater brand recognition and recall, paving the way for future growth and customer loyalty.

Meaningful Connections

With precise targeting, your boosted posts reach those most likely to convert. You can nurture relationships with people who genuinely resonate with your message, always keeping your audience in mind.

Does It Cost to Boost an Instagram Post?

Yes, of course – very few things in the marketing world are free. But the question is: just how much will it cost you?

This one sent us down a deep research rabbit hole, with multiple sources giving different facts and figures. So let’s leave it to the Google Gods to decide on the base figure.

Their winning snippet when asked this question tells us:

Budgeting like a Boss

Now that we have some numbers to work from, let’s figure out a spending strategy.

As a business owner, you know every penny counts – and luckily Instagram’s ad platform lets you set your own daily budget. No surprises, no overspending – just smart, controlled advertising costs. Think of it as a way to dip your toes in the water, see what works, and scale up when you’re ready.

Start small, track those results, and fine-tune as you go. If your organic posts are already getting love, a little boost can introduce them to a whole new crowd.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that boosting isn’t a magic trick – no amount of budget will give you a good ROI on a weak post, so choose wisely. Great content gets you the results,  boosting just helps it reach further.

Does boosting posts on Instagram work?

Short answer: yes, absolutely. But let’s dig into why that is.

Instagram benchmarks from a Social Insider study provide valuable insights into how different content types perform on the platform, offering a clear picture of where boosting might be most impactful.

Key Findings:

(Source for pic and stats)

• Reels Lead in Engagement: Reels continue to be the most engaging content format on Instagram, with an average engagement rate of 1.48%. This makes Reels a prime candidate for boosting, especially since brands have increasingly prioritized this format, with a 46% increase in Reels volume year over year.
• Impact of Size on Engagement: Smaller brands, those with under 5k followers, experience a 40.5% increase in audience size, showing that boosting can be particularly effective for brands looking to grow rapidly.
• Comments and Saves: For large brands, images generate the most comments, and Reels accumulate the highest number of saves. This indicates that boosting these specific types of posts could lead to more meaningful interactions, depending on your brand size and goals.

Instagram ads vs. boosted posts

Instagram Ads offer advanced strategies, allowing you to set specific advertising goals, create custom audiences, and target precise demographics. This makes ads ideal for reaching a larger audience with detailed campaign objectives.

In contrast, a boosted post is a straightforward way to promote a regular post to more users. It’s a cost-effective way to quickly increase visibility, but with limited targeting options compared to ads.

The bottom line: While Instagram Boost is simpler, it lacks the deep customization that ads provide, making it best for immediate, broad reach.

How to boost an Instagram post

We’ve discussed a lot of theory, now it’s time to finally hit that boost button. Let’s walk you through the post-boosting process:

1 – Open Ad Tools

In the Professional Dashboard, tap Ad Tools to begin.

2 – Choose a Post

Select a captivating post or video from your feed posts with high-quality, engaging content.

3 – Set Your Goal

Define your objective: more profile visits, website visits, or messages.

4 – Target Demographics

Use audience selection options to target specific demographics or your current audience.

5 – Set Budget and Duration

Establish a budget strategy and decide on the promotion duration. Ensure your spending meets the minimum spend requirement.

6 – Review and Boost

You’re good to go! Verify all details, then tap Boost Post. Remember to use Instagram insights to monitor performance.