Paid Social vs. Organic Social What to Choose?

With the world’s rapid digital transformation, we have seen the evolution of social media over the years. For building platforms that connected people living in far distances, to provide an opportunity to engage with their customers, to become a platform where consumers are taken through the journey of a purchase cycle. Social media has come a long way. 

Social media platforms are now used as a designated marketing and advertisement channel. While earlier brands only relied on organic techniques to reach potential consumers, social media giants have introduced various paid strategies to increase reach and engagement. This has given rise to the new debate of “paid social vs. organic social.” Which one do we support? Let’s find out. 

What is Paid Social?

Digital Marketing

Very obvious from its name, paid social is when brands pay third-party social networking forums to boost their content to increase their chances of being seen by a bigger audience. This includes paid ads, sponsorships, and cost-per-click (CPC) techniques. In easier words, it is anything that uses the money to target a specific market.

Pros of Paid Social 

  • With the algorithm of social media websites changing every day, paid social activities provide brands with an opportunity to beat algorithms and reach audiences they are unlikely to connect with organically.
  • Social media users are now much more perceptive to advertisements they see online. This means they will be very receptive to your promotional campaigns. 
  • You can customize your specific market based on geographical location, gender, interests, age group, and other criteria. Moreover, you only pay for what you receive (e.g., cost per click)

What is Organic Social 

Unlike paid social, organic social refers to free content. Organic social media includes pictures, photos, videos, any content that all brands can share on their feeds. Any activity on social media done without a paid promotion is called organic.

Pros of Organic Social 

  • It is free. You don’t have to pay anything to reach your customers.
  • Allows you to build a trusting relationship between your brands and the customers who reached you organically.
  • It builds a community of people with similar interests and allows you to share your brand story with them. 

The Final Word

We cannot pick any sides when it comes to paid social vs. organic social. Both have their pros and cons. What matters for brands is to design campaigns that incorporate both techniques to increase their reach and, in turn, their sales.

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