Starting this month, Meta has announced that it will begin applying a 30% surcharge to boosted posts made from their Facebook and Instagram mobile apps on iOS devices.
Ouch.
This comes in response to a change in policy by Apple, making ads an ‘in-app purchase’ that incurs its 30% fee.
Meta is either required to adhere to Apple’s new policy, or remove Boosting posts from their apps altogether.
And instead of absorbing the cost, Meta has decided it will be passed on to advertisers.
For millions of small businesses, which constitute the majority of boosted post users, these changes could significantly impact this advertising option.
It’s also likely to irritate advertisers who aren’t familiar with the Apple surcharge or why it’s being applied.
As a workaround, Meta has begun directing users to boost their posts on a browser on Facebook.com and Instagram.com, either on a desktop or mobile, to avoid these additional costs.
“We do not want to remove the ability to boost posts, as this would hurt small businesses by making the feature less discoverable and potentially deprive them of a valuable way to promote their business.
We are committed to offering businesses flexible and convenient options to help them navigate this change and maximize the results of their ad spend. As part of our efforts to do this, we have invested in alternative ways to boost posts.
Specifically, advertisers can access Facebook.com and Instagram.com on both desktop computers or a mobile web browser to boost their content. When doing this, they will have all the same features as boosting posts from the iOS apps, except now they will avoid the Apple service charge.”
They’re also recommending adding prepaid funds to accounts, which can then be used across platforms without incurring Apple's service charges.
While the new payment process begins in the U.S., it will expand to other markets through the year. However, the desktop workaround is immediately available worldwide.
Meta's recommendations reflect its ongoing dispute with Apple. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, has previously criticized Apple's in-app fees as monopolistic, highlighting the impact on competition and revenue for creators and small businesses.
It’s a tricky sell. Will advertisers blame Apple for the fee, or feel that Meta should foot the bill? Only time will tell.
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