Ready to Advertise But Don’t Know Where to Start? Self-Serve, Agency, or Boutir Ads — Here's How to Choose the Right One

As online store competition intensifies, "advertising" is no longer an optional strategy but a necessity for business growth. However, with a variety of advertising methods available, many store owners find themselves uncertain:

Is it better to run ads on my own, or should I hire an agency to manage them? What sets advertising through Boutir apart from other methods? What are the differences in terms of budget, effectiveness, and ease of operation among these options?

This article will break down three common advertising methods and help you identify the best choice for your business needs!

‍

Overview of Three Advertising Methods

Currently, the most common advertising methods for online stores are divided into three main approaches:

1. Running Ads Independently
   Store owners manage the ad platform themselves (such as Facebook Ads Manager, Google Ads, etc.), setting objectives, targeting audiences, budgeting, and designing ad materials. This approach offers high flexibility and cost control, but it requires a certain level of advertising knowledge and time investment.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   Store owners delegate the advertising work to a professional agency. The agency usually develops an advertising strategy, creates materials, and optimizes performance, with the store providing basic information and materials. This method saves manpower but involves higher costs and contractual commitments, as well as some communication overhead.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   Boutir offers an integrated advertising platform where store owners only need to set up a few details, and the system automatically syncs product information with advertising channels (such as Facebook and Instagram) while matching suitable formats and placements. This method is easy to operate, has a low entry barrier, and is particularly ideal for businesses testing the market with a small budget.

‍

Budget Considerations: Investment Differences

When considering advertising methods, budget is undoubtedly one of the key concerns for store owners.

1. Running Ads Independently
   With self-managed ads, store owners can set their daily budget, which typically ranges from HKD $30 to $120. This method offers flexibility and is ideal for those wanting to test the market with minimal investment. However, if the store owner lacks expertise, they may experience poor returns relative to their spending.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   Agencies generally require a higher minimum budget. Most agencies require a monthly minimum of HKD $6,000 to $10,000, often with a contract lasting at least six months. This approach suits businesses with a larger marketing budget and those seeking long-term brand exposure.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   Boutir's advertising platform also allows flexible daily budget settings, starting from HKD $30 to $120. There’s no long-term commitment, and budgets can be adjusted as needed, making it ideal for new businesses or those testing new products in the market.

‍

Product Updates and Management Efficiency

For stores frequently launching new products or updating product information, the efficiency of updating ad content is an important factor when choosing an advertising method.

1. Running Ads Independently
   When managing ads independently, store owners need to manually update ad content whenever new products are added or product details change. This process can be time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when there are many products.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   Even when working with an agency, store owners still need to provide updated information for the agency to adjust the ads. Communication and modifications take time, meaning new products or promotions may not be reflected immediately, leading to potential delays.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   With Boutir, product data is automatically synchronized with the ad system when updated in the store backend. This means ads are updated automatically, without additional work, greatly improving management efficiency—perfect for stores with frequent product updates or flash sales.

‍

Ad Material Creation and Human Resources

The creation and management of ad materials directly impact ad appeal and conversion rates.

1. Running Ads Independently
   When running ads independently, store owners are responsible for all ad materials, including images, videos, copywriting, and format adjustments. Each platform has different requirements for ad sizes and formats, meaning store owners must spend time learning and creating materials, which could affect ad performance if not done correctly.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   Agencies assist with adjusting materials to meet platform standards. However, the store still needs to provide original materials such as product images, brand elements, and basic copywriting. If materials are insufficient, it may delay the ad launch and affect the campaign’s effectiveness, so store owners still need to allocate some resources for material preparation.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   With Boutir, store owners don’t need to create or manage materials. The system automatically generates ads using store product data (such as images, titles, and descriptions), adapting to different platform requirements (e.g., Facebook, Instagram). This significantly reduces the workload on material creation and allows store owners to focus more on product management and customer service.

Performance Evaluation and Data Insights

Effectively evaluating ad performance is crucial for optimizing budget allocation and improving return on investment.

1. Running Ads Independently
   When managing ads independently, store owners can directly view key metrics such as impressions, click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS). However, with so many data points and technical terms, store owners without specialized knowledge may struggle to interpret the data, which can affect optimization decisions.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   Agencies usually provide simplified reports and optimization suggestions. While store owners can get an overall sense of ad performance, they rely on the agency’s professional judgment and lack the ability to dive into the details, leading to a more passive approach to understanding data.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   Boutir’s advertising platform displays core, easy-to-understand metrics, particularly ROAS. Store owners can quickly assess the return on each dollar spent on ads without needing to analyze complex data, making it ideal for those who want a simple way to monitor ad effectiveness and adjust strategies swiftly.

‍

Pricing Structure and Hidden Costs

Understanding the pricing structure and potential hidden costs of each advertising method is essential for store owners to plan their advertising budget effectively.

1. Running Ads Independently
   When running ads independently, store owners only pay for the actual ad spend, with no additional management or service fees. However, there are hidden costs in terms of time and learning. Store owners must invest significant time in mastering ad setup, data analysis, and material creation, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential losses if they lack experience.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   In addition to the actual ad spend, store owners must pay the agency’s service fee, usually ranging from 10% to 15% of the ad budget. Agencies may also charge for additional services, such as modifying ad materials or launching impromptu campaigns, increasing overall promotional costs.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   Boutir charges a 15% service fee based on the actual ad spend, which includes system operations, product syncing, and format adjustments. There are no additional costs for learning ad techniques or paying for design or management services, making it particularly suitable for merchants with limited resources who want to focus on running their store.

‍

Recommended Store Owner Types

Different advertising methods suit different types of store owners based on business scale, resources, and promotional goals:

1. Running Ads Independently
   This method is suitable for store owners with some knowledge of advertising operations who are willing to invest time in managing ad accounts. These owners want full control over their budget and ad settings, and have a basic understanding of data analysis to adjust strategies. It’s ideal for building brand exposure or expanding sales for more experienced stores.
2. Hiring an Advertising Agency
   This method is suitable for medium to large businesses with higher marketing budgets who want to establish long-term brand presence. These store owners prioritize professional management and stable results, allowing them to focus on core operations while outsourcing advertising management.
3. Advertising Through Boutir Platform
   This method is especially suited for small to medium-sized stores with limited budgets or those testing new products. These store owners prefer flexible use of funds, easy ad setup, and the ability to test the market without committing to large, long-term campaigns.

‍

Conclusion and Recommendation

Here’s a comparison table of the three advertising methods:

‍

Based on the comparisons above, each advertising method has its own advantages and is suited to different scenarios. When choosing, store owners should consider their available resources, business goals, and the time and effort they are willing to invest:

• If you want full control over your ad campaigns and have the knowledge and time to manage them, running ads independently offers the highest flexibility, with costs that can be adjusted as needed.
• If you have a larger marketing budget and want to build a long-term brand image or achieve professional ad management, outsourcing to an advertising agency allows you to focus on core business growth while experts handle the ad strategy.
• If your budget is limited or you want to quickly test the market and reduce management pressure, the Boutir Ads Platform is a great choice. It enables automatic product promotion in a simple, efficient way, allowing you to quickly launch ad campaigns.

In today’s highly competitive market, advertising is not just a tool to drive traffic but a key strategy for business growth. By selecting the right advertising method, making the most of your resources, and adjusting your strategies as needed, you can continue expanding sales and enhancing your competitiveness in a fast-changing market.

‍

‍

Got questions? Feel free to contact our customer service team:

FB Messenger ／ WhatsApp ／ Email

‍

Service Hour：

• Monday to Friday：10:00 – 23:00
• Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday：12:00 – 18:00

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍