Frequently asked questions
What is Spread?
Spread turns one message into a real ad on Facebook and Instagram. You write it, pick the area it should reach, and set a budget; we review it, set it up, and run it for you. It is built for people and small businesses with a single message to get out (a lost pet, a local service, a community notice), not for agencies or large advertisers.
How much does it cost?
You choose your own budget. The minimum depends on where your ad is shown: $25 in the United States, MX$300 in Mexico, and €25 in Belgium. Spread's fee is $2.50 (MX$45, €2.50) plus 7.5% of your budget, and the rest is spent delivering your ad on Facebook and Instagram: on $25, that is $4.38 for the fee and $20.62 for your ad. On $100 it is $10 and $90. The fee covers reviewing your ad, setting up the campaign, and payment processing. Prices include VAT where it applies. There is no subscription and nothing to maintain: you pay per message.
When am I charged?
When you submit, we place a hold on your card for the amount of your budget. You are only charged once your ad is approved and starts running. If it is not approved, the hold is released and you pay nothing.
Where will my ad appear?
On Facebook and Instagram (feeds, stories, and other placements), or on just one of them if you prefer, shown to people in the area and age range you chose. Your ad also gets its own page on Spread, which is where the ad points, and you can choose to list it on the local board as well.
What is allowed?
Anything that fits our rules and Meta's advertising policies, and your message can be in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, or German. What we can't take is listed in the rules by country.
How long will my ad run?
You pick the duration when you set your budget, and we suggest one that fits it. Your ad stops by itself at the end, and you can follow how it is doing from your results page at any time.
What if my problem is solved early?
If your message has done its job before the time is up (the dog came home), you can stop the ad from your results page. The part of your ad budget that was not spent can be refunded; the fee is not, since the review and setup happened either way. The exact rules are in our Terms.
What if my ad is not approved?
We tell you by email, with the reason. You are not charged: the hold on your card is released. From your results page you can edit your message and resubmit it, and if the decision was made automatically, you can also appeal it.
Who can see my contact details?
The contact you enter for your ad (a phone number, WhatsApp number, email, social media link, or website) is public: it is how people respond to your message, and it appears on the ad's page. The email address you sign up with is never published; we use it only to reach you about your ad.
I saw an ad that shouldn't be there. How do I report it?
Every ad's page has a report link at the bottom: tell us why the ad should not be there, and a person will review it. Leave your email address if you would like to hear what we decided. You can also write to us at hello@spreadmymessage.com. Every ad is reviewed before it runs, but no review is perfect.
How do I reach Spread?
Write to hello@spreadmymessage.com. A person reads every message and answers in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, or German. For privacy questions or requests about your data there is also privacy@spreadmymessage.com; our Privacy Policy explains your rights.