Category: Advertising

  • Boosting Posts vs. Real Ads: What’s the Difference?

    If you run a business page on Facebook or Instagram, you’ve seen the blue button: Boost Post. Maybe you’ve pressed it. Maybe you spent €30 or €50, watched the numbers go up, and then… nothing. No calls. No bookings. No sales.

    You’re not doing it wrong. You’ve just discovered the difference between boosting and real advertising. Here it is in plain English.

    Boosting: paying for applause

    When you boost a post, you pay Facebook to show that post to more people. That’s it. More people see it, some might like it, a few might comment “Looks great!”

    The problem? Facebook shows a boosted post to people who are likely to react to it — because that’s what boosting is built for. Likes and comments. Not customers. And likes, as every business owner eventually learns, don’t pay the wages.

    Boosting is a bit like paying for a bigger crowd at your window. Lovely. But nobody’s obliged to come in.

    Real ads: paying for customers

    A proper ad campaign — set up in Facebook’s ad system rather than through the boost button — works differently in three important ways:

    1. You choose the goal. Instead of “show this to people,” you can tell Facebook: find me people who will send a message, fill in my form, visit my website, or buy something. Facebook then hunts for those people specifically. Same money, completely different result.

    2. You choose the audience properly. Boosting gives you rough options. Real ads let you get specific: people within 20km of your shop, people who’ve visited your website before, people similar to your existing customers.

    3. You can see what came back. With a real campaign, you can connect the dots: this ad cost €100 and brought in 12 enquiries. Now you’re not guessing whether it “worked” — you know. And you know whether to spend more or change course.

    So is boosting ever worth it?

    Occasionally, yes. If you’ve a post that’s already doing well organically — say, a job you’re proud of that’s getting shares — a small boost can push it further for local awareness. Think of boosting as a megaphone for a good moment.

    But if your goal is customers — bookings, enquiries, sales — the boost button is the most expensive way to get the least useful result.

    The honest maths

    Here’s what we tell people: €200 a month boosted randomly usually buys you likes. The same €200 in a properly built campaign, pointed at the right goal and the right people, usually buys you enquiries. Same spend. Different job.

    Been boosting and wondering where the money went?

    Our free Visibility Review includes a look at any advertising you’ve run — we’ll tell you honestly what it did, what it didn’t, and what we’d do differently. No jargon, no obligation.

    Get Your Free Visibility Review →
  • Facebook Ads vs Google Ads: Which One Is Right for Your Kerry Business?

    Facebook Ads vs Google Ads: Which One Is Right for Your Kerry Business?

    If you’ve decided it’s time to invest in paid advertising, the next question is usually: where? Facebook ads and Google ads are the two most common options for small businesses in Ireland, and the honest answer is that both can work, but they work in very different ways, and the right choice depends entirely on your business.

    Here’s a straightforward breakdown.

    How Google Ads Work

    Google Ads (also called search ads or pay-per-click) show up when someone is actively searching for something. If a person in Killarney types “plumber near me” or “wedding venue Kerry” into Google, your ad can appear at the top of the results.

    The big advantage is intent. Someone searching for what you offer is already looking for it : you’re not interrupting them, you’re appearing exactly when they need you. That tends to lead to higher conversion rates.

    The trade-off is cost. Because you’re bidding against other businesses for the same search terms, popular keywords can get expensive quickly. And if nobody is searching for what you offer, if you’re selling something new or niche, there’s no search volume to tap into.

    Google Ads work best for: Service businesses, trades, hospitality, anything with clear search demand like “accountant Tralee”, “B&B Kenmare”, “electrician Kerry”.

    How Facebook Ads Work

    Facebook and Instagram ads work differently. Instead of targeting people based on what they’re searching for, you target them based on who they are using clues like their location, age, interests, behaviours, and more.

    You’re reaching people who weren’t necessarily looking for you, but who match the profile of someone likely to be interested. Done well, it’s a powerful way to build awareness, drive traffic, and generate leads.

    Facebook ads also tend to be more visual and creative and a strong image or video is central to whether the ad performs. They’re excellent for building brand recognition over time, promoting specific offers or events, and reaching a local audience in a defined area.

    Facebook ads work best for: Retail, food and hospitality, events, ecommerce, anything visual, businesses trying to build an audience or promote something specific.

    So Which Should You Choose?

    For most Kerry businesses, the answer is start with Facebook unless you have a very specific service with proven search demand.

    Here’s why: Facebook ads give you more control over your audience, your budget, and your creative. The barrier to entry is lower, the results are easier to read, and for local businesses trying to build a presence, the ability to reach people in a defined geographic area, for example, a 20km radius of Tralee, is hugely valuable.

    Google Ads become more powerful once you have a well-optimised website and a clear understanding of what your customers are searching for. They’re also brilliant for businesses that get most of their work through search results like trades, professional services, and the like.

    Many businesses end up using both. They use Facebook to build awareness and stay front of mind, and Google to capture people who are actively searching. But if you’re starting out and working with a limited budget, pick one and do it properly rather than splitting a small budget across two platforms.

    Worth noting: TikTok ads are increasingly worth considering alongside both. If your audience skews younger or your product is visual, TikTok’s ad platform offers strong reach at a lower cost than either Facebook or Google right now.

    Getting the Most From Your Ad Budget

    Whichever platform you choose, the basics matter more than the platform itself. A clear goal, a well-defined audience, a strong creative, and a landing page that does its job all determine whether an ad campaign works, not which platform it runs on.

    You can see a full breakdown of what we offer and our pricing, or if you’d like an honest assessment of where your budget would work hardest, get in touch and we’ll talk it through.