Remember the old days when a single witty tweet could send your brand viral overnight? Or when a perfectly timed Facebook post would explode with shares and engagement?
Unfortunately, those days are long gone. Right now, we’re dealing with shorter attention spans and much more unforgiving social media algorithm gods. It’s a battlefield out there, with brands fighting tooth and nail for every scrap of user engagement.
So, what’s a brand to do to cut through the noise? Pay to play, or stick to organic social media growth?
If you’re curious about which tactic to focus more on for your business, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of organic versus paid approaches to help you determine the ideal blend for your business.
There’s Speed in Paid
Ever wonder why organic content doesn’t have as much reach as it used to in the old days? There’s a reason for that and it has much to do with simple economics.
Let’s be honest: social media giants such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are also in the game to make a profit. These companies need advertising revenue to thrive. As such, they have systematically deprioritized organic content in favor of paid ads, which explains the dwindling organic reach for most platforms.
But for businesses, there’s an upside to paid advertising on social media. First, it allows them to laser-focus ads on specific demographics, locations, and more. This also means that with paid marketing, you can instantly put the right content in front of the right target audience. Second, with ads, you can quickly see results in as little as a few days. It also allows you to continuously optimize and scale your top-performing ads.
While cost may be a downside to paid marketing, if you can factor in the return on investment (ROI), the expenditure often justifies itself.
So, does this mean you should leave organic marketing for paid advertising?
Our answer is no, and here’s why.
Organic Reach for Long-Term Growth
Organic social media may not be as powerful as it used to be, but it doesn’t mean brands should ignore it entirely. We believe that brands should invest in organic social media now more than ever. Why? Because it offers something that paid advertising can’t buy—authenticity and genuine relationships with your audience. Not only that, but an effective organic strategy helps sustain long-term growth. While paid ads provide an initial boost, good organic content keeps your brand top-of-mind. It can even help you build an engaged follower base.
The key here is creating authentic, audience-centric content that provides real value. And while it’s true that organic social media takes more work than paid advertising, it’s also true that the brands who invest in it reap significant rewards.
Is It Better to Do Both Organic Social Media and Paid Marketing?
The short answer is yes.
The most effective approach doesn’t pit paid against organic but combines both into an integrated strategy. Use paid advertising to amplify your best content and get it in front of new audiences. Then, engage those audiences with organic posts, promotions, and nurturing campaigns.
With this balanced approach, we’re confident that you’ll be able to reach new audiences and strengthen your connections with your existing ones.
Striking a balance between these two tactics may take some trial and error, but the rewards are well worth the effort. If you need assistance crafting and executing an integrated paid and organic social strategy, consider contacting our social media experts at Blossom Marketing. We’d love to help you crush your goals, amplify your brand’s voice, and unlock the full potential of your digital presence.
Thanks for reading!
