Side by side
Organic
- Free to publish
- Reaches mostly followers
- Builds trust and proof
- Results grow slowly
Paid
- Costs per click or view
- Reaches people who never followed
- Targets an area and audience
- Results start within days
What each is best for
| Job | Better with |
|---|---|
| Showing real work and personality | Organic |
| Answering questions and building community | Organic |
| Reaching new people in your area | Paid |
| Promoting a time-limited offer | Paid |
Why you need both
Ads send people to your profile or website. If the profile looks empty or stale, many leave. Organic posts give them reasons to trust you. Ads then put money behind the posts that already work.
Good example. A salon posts real client transformations several times a week, then runs ads on the best two to people within five miles.
Bad example. A salon runs ads to a profile with three posts from last year. People click, look and leave.
Read how organic and paid social work together. For ads, see our Facebook and Instagram ads.