A 30-percent surcharge on boosts? If you boost posts through the Facebook or Instagram iPhone apps, listen up…

Later this month, Apple will implement a 30-percent charge on all boosts from the Facebook and Instagram iPhone apps. If that sounds like something you should try to avoid, that’s a smart reaction. Meta even encourages it.

Since Meta won’t absorb this cost, it will be passed on to you. And why in the world would you pay an extra 30 percent just to boost from an iPhone app? You’d also need to front that fee when you reserve your boost.

The mechanics of fronting the fee aren’t entirely clear. Presumably, it’s 30 percent of the cost of the entire campaign, from the scheduled start to the end date. I just can’t imagine anyone doing that.

So, no. This is crazy.

This fee won’t apply if you boost from the web or a non-Apple mobile device. Meta’s announcement makes no mention of the Ads Manager iPhone app, but it would make sense that you should avoid that as well. A focus on boosts only would be odd.

I’ll be curious to see how this new fee is called out. Will it be obvious that an additional fee will be charged? Will Meta do everything to try to discourage it and divert advertisers from that decision? I’d worry that some of the most vulnerable might otherwise agree to this without realizing what they’re doing.

As of this moment, it doesn’t appear that the charge applies.

Of course, it’s questionable whether you should be boosting anyway. You should create your campaignsThe campaign is the foundation of your Facebook ad. This is where you’ll set an advertising objective, which defines what you want your ad to achieve. More in Ads Manager, preferably on a desktop. But that’s not realistic for the typical small business with limited advertising experience.

That said, the boost is at least better than it used to be, as long as it’s used in moderation. Sometimes a boost is helpful when you’re on the run and need to promote something quickly.

Just don’t do it from your iPhone.