Organic vs. Paid Social Media Growth: What’s Best for Your Business?
We’ve seen the shift to the online world when it comes to marketing and advertising. While traditional advertising is still relevant, digital marketing has become essential for businesses of all sizes—from household names to solo entrepreneurs just getting started. I’m right there with you!
But let’s be honest: navigating social media can feel overwhelming, especially as a small business owner. You find yourself asking:
“Where should I invest my time and money?”
“Can I really build a community organically?”
“Would paid ads even make a difference?”
Let’s break down organic growth vs. paid growth on social media, explore the benefits of each, and help you determine what strategy fits your business and resources best.
Organic Social Media Growth
This is where most of us start off! You create your business profiles, post some content… then what?
Consistency, connection, and community is the heart of organic social media growth. It takes time, but the relationships you build through authentic engagement are often deeper and more meaningful. It’s all about:
Creating quality, valuable content
Engaging intentionally with your audience
Participating in relevant conversations
Staying consistent and on-brand
Over time, this approach builds trust, brand loyalty, and a steady stream of ideal followers. Researching keywords, following trends, and analyzing your insights can help you dial in your strategy.
Pro Tip: Organic growth is a long game. Don’t get discouraged if it’s slow at first—it’s more about building a foundation than chasing instant numbers.
Paid Social Media Growth
Paid growth is exactly what it sounds like: putting money behind your content to amplify its reach. When done strategically, it can significantly speed up growth and drive targeted traffic to your page, offers, or products.
With paid ads, you can:
Reach specific, highly targeted audiences
Get measurable results quickly
Promote launches or time-sensitive campaigns
Retarget people who’ve already engaged with you
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even influencer partnerships offer flexible options for budget and targeting. Just remember: while paid growth is faster than organic, it still requires time, testing, and tweaking to truly work.
Quick Comparison: Pros & Cons
ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH
PROS
Builds trust and credibility
Takes time to see results
Low or no cost
CONS
Changes to the algorithm may impact reach
Sustainable, long-term audience loyalty
Labor-intensive (consistent engagement and content creation)
PAID SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH
PROS
Immediate results* and measurable ROI
Requires monetary investment
Highly targeted audience reach
💡Note: “Immediate results” doesn’t mean instant ROI. Ads need time to perform, gather data, and find the right audience. It’s just faster than building organically.
CONS
Audience engagement may be less genuine
Flexible budget and ad options
Ads need to be continuously optimized
So... Which One Should You Use?
✅ When to Focus on Organic Growth
Perfect for:
New businesses building brand awareness
Brands centered on storytelling and community
Businesses on a tight marketing budget
Key Strategies:
Use authentic storytelling to connect with your audience
Establish a consistent brand voice
Post regularly and intentionally engage
💰 When to Focus on Paid Growth
Perfect for:
Businesses ready to scale
Launching products or seasonal campaigns
Reaching new or highly specific audiences
Key Strategies:
A/B test different ad creatives
Retarget warm audiences (Hello pixels!)
Use analytics to optimize the performance of the ads
The Best Strategy? Combine Both!
If you’re reading along and feel like both of these scenarios feel right to you, you may be asking if it makes sense to use both organic and paid strategies in a hybrid approach to grow your social media. The answer is a big ole YES. In fact, it’s a really powerful strategy. It balances credibility with visibility. STarting off with organic content helps to build relationships and a foundation of an audience. Then paid ads amplify that reach to new, similar audiences. If you’re already crushing the organic growth game, the best way to capitalize on it can be to repurpose your top-performing content into ads. You can also use insights and analytics from your organic engagement to help strategize for your paid ads.
Ready to Gear Up for Growth?
Whether you’re just getting started or ready to level up with paid campaigns, remember this: you don’t have to do it alone. At LoyalLeigh, we specialize in helping small businesses grow utilizing strong organic content and smart ad management.
👉 Need help setting up your ads?
👉 Curious about how to make both strategies work for YOU?
Let’s connect and make it happen. 💬
Your growth is my goal—and I’m cheering for you all the way.