How to use IG's 'boost post' option for viral success

When is it a good idea, and when is it a total waste of money?

One day, between cat videos and holiday snaps and repeat Reels of the latest viral pasta creation, you see a message from Instagram pop up.

”Want to boost your post?

Boosting, in Instagram terms, means paying to promote an existing piece of content to people outside of your audience. It’s like an ad, basically, except you don’t have to go to all the trouble of actually creating an advert. You can read their how-to guide to the process here.

But what posts are worth paying for boosting on? And does boosting actually work?

This has got to be one of the most FA’d of Q’s I get, and happily, for once, it’s one that has a super clear answer:

Only ever boost content that is already performing significantly better than your usual posts. Yes, boosting works - often dramatically well - but only if you’re careful in choosing which of your content to promote.

Because boosting a post will just give you more of whatever it is already doing. Boost something that’s getting poor reach and engagement and you’ll get more of the same. More sluggish growth, more frustratingly low numbers, only this time, you’ll be paying for the privilege.