Facebook has been testing the service in New Zealand, where it tries out a lot of new features, and has gradually introduced it in more than 20 other countries.
Facebook says promoting a post will bump it higher in your friends' news feeds.
The company has long declared on its front page that it's "free and always will be." And it still is - unless you want more friends to see what you have to say.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)