Paid social: your first $100

The first instinct of most new marketers is to build an elaborate funnel with custom audiences, retargeting pixels, and split tests. Skip all that. Your first $100 in paid should answer exactly one question: "Which of my organic posts are so good that paying to show them to more people is worth it?"

The "boost-your-best" strategy

Every week, look at your last 7 posts. The one with the highest engagement rate (likes + comments + shares ÷ impressions) is your candidate. Put $15–$25 behind it. Run for 72 hours. Record what happens.

Repeat for a month. You now have 4 data points about which of your posts paid amplification works on. You'll notice a pattern — usually it's your "Inspire" or "Offer" pillar posts that convert best when boosted. You've learned this for a rounding-error budget.

Targeting for boosts

Keep it simple. For boosts:

• "People who engage with your page" — warmest. Usually the highest ROI.
• "Interests matching your niche" — one or two specific interests, not ten. "Vegan baking" beats "food".
• Location filter — only if you serve a geographic area. Otherwise don't filter by geo.

What to NOT do with your first $100

• Don't build lookalike audiences. You don't have enough source data.
• Don't run conversion-optimized campaigns. You don't have the pixel history.
• Don't A/B test copy on ads. Test organic first.
• Don't hire an agency yet. You can't evaluate one until you've spent at least a few hundred yourself.

Measuring a boost

After a boost ends, compare:

• Cost per engagement (spend ÷ engagements)
• New follower count during the boost window
• Profile visits increase
• Any direct conversions (clicks to site, DMs)

A "good" boost result is highly category-dependent, but rough benchmarks for a small business: cost-per-engagement under $0.50, 30+ new followers per $25 spent, 2–5 meaningful DMs or link clicks.

Graduating to real campaigns

Once you've boosted 10+ posts and know which content types convert, you're ready for proper paid campaigns:

• Top of funnel: reach campaigns targeting cold interest audiences with your best "Educate" and "Entertain" posts.
• Middle: retargeting people who visited your profile or site, with "Social proof" and "Offer" posts.
• Bottom: conversion campaigns to warm audiences with direct offers and limited-time promotions.