FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM UPDATES: ADAPTING TO APPLE IN-APP PURCHASE (IAP) CHANGES

BY HEIDI MCIVOR ALLEN

If you’re someone who frequently uses the Boosts Posts feature on these platforms’ iOS apps, you’ll want to pay close attention to the updates and implications we’ll be discussing. These changes have significant implications for advertisers and businesses leveraging social media marketing, particularly on mobile platforms, so let’s explore what you need to know to navigate these shifts effectively.

“When you change one thing, you have the ability to change EVERYTHING.”

WHAT ARE BOOSTED POSTS?

Boosted posts serve as an easily accessible advertising tool for businesses, allowing them to swiftly promote content without the need for setting up a complete campaign in Ads Manager. This feature is especially popular among small businesses, which may rely on boosted posts as their primary advertising method across Facebook and Instagram.

CHANGES TO HOW ADVERTISERS CAN BOOST CONTENT

Beginning later in February 2024, when utilizing the Instagram or Facebook iOS app to Boost a post, billing will be handled via Apple. Apple will retain a 30% service charge on the total ad payment, excluding any relevant taxes. It’s important to note that this service charge goes to Apple, not Meta.

Users will also undergo a different payment process for boosting posts. Instead of being charged after the post runs, they must now prepay and add funds to their account. If prepaid within the iOS app, an Apple service charge applies. However, if done via desktop or mobile browsers, no fees occur, enabling boosting from any tool without extra charges.

This new process, including the Apple service charge, begins in the US and will extend to other markets later. Advertisers can globally boost content via Facebook.com or Instagram.com without the Apple service charge.

WHAT DO THESE CHANGES MEAN FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

As a component of IAP, advertisers will now be required to prepay the entire cost of a boosted post upfront, instead of receiving daily billing (as is currently experienced when boosting a post on Instagram and Facebook). Any prepayment made via the iOS apps will be billed through Apple, which will retain a 30% service charge on the total ad payment amount, minus any applicable taxes.

ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO AVOID THE APPLE SERVICE CHARGE?

Here are various methods to bypass the Apple service charge when boosting your content moving forward:

Boost your content from Instagram.com or Facebook.com, accessible via your desktop computer or preferred mobile web browser. This mirrors the iOS app experience and doesn't trigger the extra Apple service charge.
Deposit prepaid funds into your ad account through payment settings using a desktop computer or preferred mobile web browser. Once deposited, you can utilize these funds to boost posts from any platform, including the Facebook and Instagram iOS apps, without incurring the Apple fee. For further details on prepaid funds, please refer to our Help Center article.

HOW PARTNERING WITH MCIVOR MARKETING CAN HELP YOU AVOID THESE CHARGES

When you partner with a marketing agency like McIvor Marketing, we help you avoid these charges. We run your ads from Business Manager in the backend of Meta, surpassing the app store charges from the front end. There are so many wins when you run ads through McIvor Marketing. We can help you target your ads to the right people which will create better results; higher engagement rates, more leads, etc.

Contact McIvor Marketing today to get started with paid ads and watch your business succeed!

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