Facebook Ads vs Instagram Ads: 6 Key Considerations For Budgeting

Optimizing Your Advertising Strategy on Facebook and Instagram: A Case-by-Case Approach

With the rebranding of Facebook to Meta, advertising options on both Facebook and Instagram are expected to remain unchanged. Public hearings have shed light on the company's shortcomings, prompting hopes for improvements. While user engagement and campaign performance on these platforms justify increased marketing budget investment, advertisers need to consider when to advertise on both platforms simultaneously and when to focus on just one. Here are six key considerations to guide your decision-making:

Audience Reach: Unlock Up to 25% More Reach

As a vast majority of Facebook users are also on Instagram, there's potential for up to 25% more reach by running ads on both platforms. However, use the Audience Size estimator tool to gauge the actual incremental reach. If the difference is within 10%, it's not recommended to run ads on both platforms, as the minimal gains may not justify the additional effort in managing and reporting.

Ad Format: Leverage Each Platform's Unique Strengths

Instagram offers evolving ad formats, making it ideal for visually impactful ads aimed at inspiring and engaging users. On the other hand, Facebook excels in "lower funnel" strategies, particularly for conversion-oriented campaigns. Consider running only on Instagram for highly memorable impact or short-form videos, while Facebook is more suitable for transaction-focused campaigns.

Audience Consideration Stage: Tap Into User Intent

Facebook and Instagram attract users in different stages of the marketing funnel. Instagram encourages upper-funnel behavior with browsing and high engagement, while Facebook supports lower-funnel actions like purchases and sign-ups. Tailor your strategies accordingly, using Instagram for upper-funnel efforts and Facebook for lower-funnel campaigns. For mid-funnel strategies, a consistent approach on both platforms suffices.

Supporting Text Content: Match Content to Platform

Instagram is primarily visual, and while some supporting text is accepted, Facebook is better for ads requiring more text information. If your ad needs substantial text, both platforms can work, but if more than two sentences are used, Facebook is the better choice.

Organic Efforts: Develop Synergies for Better Results

Both Facebook and Instagram ads are associated with your profile and organic feed. To enhance user experience, increase organic activity leading up to the paid social campaign. If your organic presence is weak on one platform, consider focusing your ads on the platform with a stronger presence.

Resource Allocation: Optimize Each Platform

Strong understanding and expertise on each platform are crucial for performance and analysis. If your team lacks specialized resources with time to manage each platform, avoid stretching your efforts too thin. Focus on either Facebook or Instagram to achieve better optimization.

Keep an eye out for new ad formats and capabilities as Meta continues to evolve. In the meantime, use these six criteria to determine whether to run ads on both Facebook and Instagram or concentrate your efforts on one platform. Tailoring your approach based on these considerations will lead to a more refined and efficient advertising strategy.