September 14, 2025

Organic vs paid social media

When and how to use each effectively

Social media can be one of the best ways to grow your business, but here’s the question I get asked all the time:

“Should I be focusing on organic posts or paying for ads?”

And fair enough. It’s confusing. You scroll through your feed and see ads everywhere, yet people also tell you organic content is the only way to build trust. So, which is it?

The answer is both. Organic vs paid social media isn’t an either/or choice. They do different things, and when you use them together, that’s when social media actually starts working for your business.

What organic social media does for your business

Organic is the slow burn. It’s the posts you share without putting money behind them. The behind-the-scenes update. The quick tip. The “here’s what we’ve been helping clients with this week” post. It’s where you build trust and show the human side of your business.

Organic posts are not about instant results. It’s about being consistent so people know you’re there, you’re reliable, and you know your stuff. Over time, that builds presence.

Now, I’m not going to sugar-coat it. Organic reach isn’t what it used to be. Nowhere near it.

Remember the good ol’ days when you could post something and most of your audience would actually see it? Those days are gone.

These days, you’re lucky if 2% of your followers see it. (If you’re getting above that, then snaps to you – you are doing awesome!). If you feel like no-one’s seeing your posts, it’s not just you, the algorithms are stacked that way.

What’s important to remember is that organic still matters. Without it, paid ads don’t land properly. Most paid ads will take people to a landing page or your website, but plenty of people will click around and check your socials too. If they find nothing of value, trust drops fast. Organic is your foundation.

What paid social media does for your business

Paid is the fast track. It’s what gets your content in front of more people, quicker. Ads, boosted posts, campaigns, call it what you like, it’s still about paying the platforms to push your stuff further.

For the record, I rarely recommend boosting posts. It feels easy, but it’s much more limited than paid ads and often it’s equivalent to throwing money down the toilet. You will get better results running proper ad campaigns where you control the audience, placements, budget, and objective. Plus you can test and measure and adjust your ad campaigns on the fly – making them much more effective.

Paid works brilliantly when you want to:

Reach people who don’t know you yet but fit your ideal client profile.
Promote something specific, like a launch, event, or offer.
Get more eyes on a post that’s already performing well organically.
Drive action, like clicks through to your website or sign-ups.

But, and it’s a big but, paid only works if your organic is solid.

Ads can’t fix bad content.

If no one cares about your posts organically, throwing money at them won’t magically change that.

When to use organic vs paid

Think of organic and paid as partners. Organic is your regular conversations, the trust-building, the stuff that shows who you are. Paid is the spotlight you switch on when you need to reach further or faster.

So, use organic all the time to stay present and nurture your audience. Then add paid when you’ve got something worth amplifying.

For example, say you’re a local accounting firm in Albury Wodonga. Your organic posts might be where you share tips, celebrate client wins, and show your personality. But when you’re hosting an event, launching a new service, or want to reach more locals, that’s when you’d run paid ads.

How much should you spend on paid social media?

This is the bit that makes people nervous. How much should you actually put into ads?

Honestly, start small. You don’t need thousands of dollars. Even $50–$100 behind a strong post can get you in front of more of the right people. Once you see what works, you can scale up. The key is to test, learn, and build from there.

Mistakes to avoid

I’ve seen a few traps that businesses fall into with organic and paid:

Posting randomly without a plan: If you’re just posting whenever you think of it, without a clear strategy, it’s unlikely to build trust or results. Social media needs direction, not guesswork.
Boosting posts instead of running campaigns: Boosting might feel easy, but it’s limited. You can’t target properly, and the reporting is basic. Proper ad campaigns give you control, better targeting, and better outcomes for your spend.
Ignoring the data: Whether organic or paid, you need to look at the numbers. What’s working? What isn’t? Otherwise, you’re just throwing things out there and hoping for the best.
Expecting instant sales: One ad isn’t going to suddenly flood your inbox with clients. Organic takes time, paid is faster, but neither is magic. Both need consistency and patience.
Forgetting about the client journey: Ads that drive to a landing page won’t convert if the page isn’t clear or your socials look empty. Organic presence and a smooth client journey make the paid spend worthwhile.

The sweet spot

The best results happen when you use organic and paid together. Organic builds the trust. Paid helps you reach more people. One without the other will always feel like hard work.

So, next time you’re wondering about organic vs paid social media and whether to post or pay, stop and ask: what’s my goal here? If it’s connection, organic is your go-to. If it’s reach or conversions, add paid to the mix.

Ready to make social media work for you?

If you’re tired of posting into the void or second-guessing what to share, that’s where I come in. I help businesses build strong brand presence through organic social media. If you need help creating organic social content, (the kind that creates connection and trust with your ideal clients), then let's talk.

And if you haven’t already, make sure you check out my blog on building brand presence on social media. It’s the perfect place to start if you want your socials to actually mean something for your business.

Organic vs paid social media FAQs

What is the difference between organic and paid social media?

Organic is unpaid content you share to build trust and presence. Paid is when you put money behind posts or ads to reach more people.

When should I use organic vs paid social media?

Use organic consistently to build trust and connection. Use paid when you want to reach new audiences, promote something specific, or drive results faster.