In a controversial move likely to frustrate many small business advertisers, Meta recently revealed plans to implement fees up to 15% on boosted posts promoted on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta claims these extra charges counterbalance the 30% in App Store fees that Apple pockets from in-app purchases like ad boosting. However, some critics argue Meta unfairly passing costs to merchants who can hardly afford more marketing expenses.
Why Boost Posting on Social Media?
For the uninitiated, “boosting” a post refers to sponsoring organic social media content to reach wider audiences by utilizing paid ad targeting tools and managed placement.
Boosting represents an accessible middle ground between passive unpaid posting and full-scale ad campaign creation. The technique helps small businesses, creators, and community causes gain traction.
How Much Are the New Boosted Post Fees?
While boosted post price hikes seem likely in the 10-15% range, Meta has not provided specifics around coming changes industry analysts expect implemented by Q2 2023.
Currently, the cost to boost an individual Facebook post runs around $10 per day with broader campaign options available. Instagram’s simplified promotion toggle starts at $5 daily.
Extra fees in the 10-15% ballpark mean an additional $1-1.50 daily for basic Facebook boosting. Instagram would see an uptick between $0.50 and $0.75 cents for single post boosting.
Why Meta Blames Apple’s 30% Cut
In statements defending the move to subscribers, Meta traces the need for boosted post fee hikes directly back to Apple’s longstanding App Store tax:
“Apple takes 30% from businesses across the board for in-app purchases like ads…”
– Meta Internal Memo
The iOS maker giant continues levying its steep 30% transaction surcharge on all digital purchases conducted inside apps hosted on the App Store. And that controversial “Apple tax” has faced no shortage of criticisms.
The Broader Apple vs. Meta Feud
Of course, the boosted post fees fiasco only constitutes the latest dust-up in a years-long boilng feud between the two tech giants.
Previously, Meta loudly objected to Apple’s iOS privacy changes allowing users to disable tracking. This purportedly cost Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire $10 billion in annual revenues.
The companies also clashed around App Store fair competition rules and sideloading policy. Suffice to say, no love exists between the recently struggling Facebook parent biz and hoarded-cash-rich Apple.
How Small Businesses Suffer
While mega-corporations Apple and Meta relentlessly vie for leverage, niche startups and entrepreneurs risk absorbing the collateral damage.
Extra fees for vital visibility tools like boosted social posts pile even more financial hurdles onto local restaurants, craftspeople, niche brands and community causes already surviving on slim margins.
“This announcement couldn’t come at a worse economic time for small businesses fighting rising costs across the board.”
– Amanda Robinson, Small Business Policy Advocate
Unfortunately, small merchants reliant Facebook and Instagram advertising possess little power resisting whatever charges the social media gorilla and Apple choose to levy.
Alternatives for Businesses Impacted
Until boosted post fees take effect later this year, impacted businesses have opportunities to adapt promotional strategies including:
- Seeking small business Facebook and Instagram ad credits and discounts
- Learning alternative organic visibility tactics on social
- Exploring lower-cost platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn
- Shifting budgets to Google, Bing, Criteo, and other non-Meta channels
- Partnering with influencers and micro-influencers
Staying nimble around emergent marketing expenses allows entrepreneurs to test cost efficiency in real time across platforms.
Are Apple and Meta Just Money-Grabbing?
Opinions sharply diverge around whether Apple and Meta unfairly exploit creators and merchants or simply operate rationally as far gigantic for-profit technology platforms.
In reality, the answer likely lies somewhere in the middle. But for the economic little guy, getting crushed between the wheels of warring tech industry titans trying to nickel-and-dime each other hardly softens the blow.
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