Marketing Options: How to Choose Between Organic vs. Paid Social Media

Did you know that eight in ten consumers say they are more likely to make purchases on social media from brands that they are familiar with?

If you want to generate more revenue, it is essential to start advertising on social media. But it can be challenging to understand how to effectively do this.

Some businesses choose to embrace organic social media marketing, and others prefer to use paid options. Both have their own unique benefits and drawbacks.

This is why it's important to understand the difference between organic vs. paid social media before making a decision. To make things easier for you, we have put together a guide. Keep reading if you'd like to find out more.

What Is an Organic Social Media Strategy?

Organic social media is a component of a social media strategy that refers to the unpaid, natural reach of a brand's content on social media platforms.

It is the process of creating and sharing content on social media platforms without paying for advertising.

The success of organic social media relies on several things. This includes the quality and relevance of the content, the size of the brand's social media following, and the level of engagement with the audience.

What Is a Paid Social Media Campaign?

Paid social media is a component of a social media campaign that refers to the use of paid advertising on social media platforms to boost the visibility of a brand's content.

It allows businesses to reach a larger audience and target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.

Benefits of Organic Social Media

Contrary to what many business owners think, there are various ways to create effective organic social media campaigns. Here are some of the top benefits of doing this.

Raising Brand Awareness

Organic social media allows a brand to reach a wider audience without spending money on advertising. By consistently posting valuable content, a brand can attract followers and increase its visibility.

Powers Your Customer Care Strategy

Organic social media can be used as a customer service channel.

This gives customers the chance to reach out to a brand with questions or concerns. This can be a cost-effective way to build trust and loyalty with customers.

Authentic Content That Is Customer-Centric

Organic social media will allow a brand to gather feedback and insights from its audience. This can be used to create more authentic and relevant content. This can help to build trust and engagement with customers.

Generate Leads Quickly With Video Marketing

Organic video marketing on social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience. Video content is often more engaging than text or images.

Benefits of Paid Social Media

The majority of larger businesses choose to create paid social media campaigns. Here are several reasons why you might want to do this.

Targeting

One of the biggest benefits of paid social media is the ability to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors.

This helps businesses to reach the most relevant and engaged audiences, increasing the chances of conversions.

With paid social media, businesses can also retarget previous website visitors or customers, leading to higher conversion rates.

Lead Generation

Paid social media can be an effective way to boost lead generation for a business.

By using lead generation ads or forms, businesses can collect valuable information about their target audience. This might include contact information and demographics.

Reach New Audiences Quickly

Paid social media allows businesses to reach a large audience quickly.

By using paid advertising, businesses can increase their reach and visibility on social media platforms. This means that they'll reach new audiences and expand their customer base.

Measurable Results

Paid social media advertising is measurable, allowing businesses to track the performance of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

By analyzing the metrics such as click-through rate, conversion rate, and return on ad spend (ROAS), businesses can optimize their campaigns and improve their ROI.

Choosing an Advertising Campaign on Social Media

It can be difficult to decide whether it is best for your business to embrace paid or organic social media marketing strategy. Here are several things to keep in mind when you're designing a social media campaign.

Budget

Paid social media campaigns can be more expensive than organic campaigns, so it's important to consider the budget available for each. If budget is a concern, organic campaigns may be a better option.

Goals

Consider what you hope to achieve with your social media campaigns.

Paid campaigns can be more effective for driving immediate results, such as website traffic or sales. Organic campaigns may be better for building brand awareness and engagement over time.

Audience

Consider who your target audience is and where they are most active on social media. If your audience is on a specific platform, it may be more beneficial to focus on paid or organic campaigns on that platform.

Resources

Consider the resources available to manage and execute your campaigns. Organic campaigns may require more time and effort to maintain, while paid campaigns may require more budget.

Consider Embracing a Hybrid Approach

A hybrid approach, which combines both paid and organic campaigns, can also be effective.

For example, a business could use organic social media to build a following and engage with customers, and then use paid campaigns to drive website traffic and sales.

This approach can be a good way to reach a larger audience, increase brand awareness, and drive sales while building loyalty and trust with your customers.

Organic Vs. Paid Social Media

If you are struggling to decide between organic vs. paid social media campaigns, there are several important things to keep in mind.

It is possible to generate leads with organic social media without spending money. But your efforts will be much more effective if you choose to create a paid social media strategy.

Do you need help designing and implementing a social media strategy? If so, keep in mind that I can help you. Don't hesitate to schedule a meeting with me today!