Facebook, Instagram to charge Apple for posts 'boosted' via iOS apps

Pay up more: Meta Platforms on Thursday has sought a 30 per cent service charge from businesses purchasing a "boost" for their posts on the iOS versions of Facebook and Instagram.

Levying the additional charge on app store operator Apple, it added that advertisers can boost their content on Instagram and Facebook through a browser, but need not pay Apple service charges. 

Apple had come up with updated App Store guidelines in 2022. Meta will start implementing the changes this month in the United States, it said, adding that other markets will have to pay up the service charge later in 2024. 

A Meta spokesperson did not comment on if there would be any material impact from the change.

"We are required to either comply with Apple’s guidelines, or remove boosted posts from our apps," Meta said in a statement.

"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."

Advertisers boosting posts on iOS will be billed by Apple and not Meta as part of the change, and will need to pay in advance rather than after the ads run.

Boosted posts is a Meta product offered to businesses who are looking to promote their content on apps like Facebook or Instagram. These do not require a campaign through Ads Manager, which is Meta's advertising tool for brands to buy and create ads.

(With Reuters Inputs)