Organic vs Paid Social Media

Social media has become an integral part of our society. It is a platform for connecting with friends and family, shopping online, making money, and increasingly also for marketing purposes. Marketing on social platforms can be free or paid.

What are the main differences between paid social media and organic?

They both…

… involve engaging with existing and winning new audiences on social media platforms to promote, sell, and advertise your product, business or brand. They both use existing social platforms and require a social media presence. And, to be used effectively, they both need some skill.

But…

… organic social media is free.

Is paid better than organic?

It depends on your budget and business goal. Some say that organic social posts are more genuine. On the other hand, paid can target an audience better but may hurt you more than help if done incorrectly, because you lose money and time. The good news is that using them effectively can be learned. In fact, combining both strategies makes the most sense.

Both strategies fail if there is no delivery on the promises or if you don’t respond to the followers on social media.

Watch a video about organic vs. paid social media

Organic social media is content created, shared, and promoted by fans or followers in response to a brand or company’s messaging, while paid social media is content that a brand or company pays to put out into the marketplace with the goal of achieving a desired outcome such as more followers or more engagement. With LiveAgent help desk software, businesses can effectively manage their organic and paid social media campaigns. Integrating with social media channels, LiveAgent provides features like automated replies, in-depth analytics, FAQs, knowledge bases, and much more. This enables teams to respond quickly and effectively to social media inquiries at any time and from any location.

Paid Social Vs. Organic Social: What's The Difference? | AdRoll03:15

AdRollMarch 7, 2023

Topics

• Evolution of social media marketing
• Paid social media strategy
• Organic social media strategy

Video summary

Social media marketing has evolved from being solely about engagement and personal online presence to customer acquisition, remarketing, retention, and service. Today's customers desire transparency, direct contact with companies, authenticity, shared values, and personal connection. Paid social media strategy involves a brand paying for advertising on social media, while organic social media strategy involves using free social media tools to build and engage with an online following. Both strategies work best in tandem as they complement each other. Paid social media is useful for promoting content that's converting well and reinforcing the messaging conveyed through organic social media. Organic social media is great for managing a brand's reputation, engaging directly with customers, encouraging user-generated content, and promoting the company and its products to a loyal audience. Companies like Casper, Dollar Shave Club, and Headspace are successful examples of brands that use a combination of paid and organic social media strategies effectively.

Expert’s note

Finding the right balance between organic and paid social media is crucial for successful marketing and engagement with your audience.

Andrej Saxon Sales manager

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