Paid Facebook Posts Get 2x as Many Organic and Viral Impressions

Spending a little money on a Facebook ad buy can go a long way toward making a post go viral, according to a recent report by ShopIgniter.

The study found purchasing paid media on the social media network increases organic and viral impressions to posts by twice as much on average. This is on top of the traffic from paid impressions.

However, the analysis also found the impact of paid media varies significantly by post type.

For example, video, offer, and link posts all see marked lifts in organic and viral traffic when paired with paid media buys. On the other hand, status posts actually receive fewer organic impressions.

Engagement is a similar story—some Facebook post types see an increase in engagement rates when accompanied by paid media buys whereas others see a dip.

The average photo post saw a 195% jump in engagement with a buy, and the average offer post saw a 266% increase. In contrast, the average link post saw a 422% drop in engagement.

A few additional key findings from the study, which was based on an analysis of over 2,000 Facebook news feed posts from Q1 and Q2 2013, include:

• 51% of engagement on Facebook occurs via mobile devices.
• Status posts average 5x more organic impressions than any other post type.
• Social rich media ads on Facebook have an average conversion rate of 4.4%, on par with the best performing digital channels.
• Posts with rich interactive experiences have 6x lower negative feedback rates.

Given this varying effectiveness, buyers need to be savvy about what types of content they pair their Facebook paid campaigns with. Still, a buy combined with the right post type can dramatically boost natural reach, engagement, and viral potential.

Leverage the latest data on Facebook advertising to boost your engagement rates. Contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit mdgadvertising.com.

MDG Advertising is a full-service advertising agency and one of Florida’s top creative ad agencies. With offices in Boca Raton, FL and New York, NY, MDG’s core capabilities include branding, logo design, digital marketing, print advertising, mobile marketing, email marketing, media planning and buying, TV and radio, outdoor, newspaper, video marketing, Web design and development, content marketing, mobile marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. To stay on top of the latest trends in social media marketing, contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797. For more on the statistics that are helping marketers make the smartest moves in social media and mobile, take a look at “Facts and Figures Behind the Power of Facebook and Mobile.”