Finding the Sweet Spot Between Organic and Paid Social

Growing your business on social media can feel like spinning plates. One post gets likes left, right and centre — the next, silence. Your reach looks great one month, then suddenly drops, leaving you wondering if anyone’s even seeing your posts anymore.

So, what’s the secret? Do you pour your time into organic content, or start investing in paid ads?

The truth is, the best social media strategies don’t rely on one or the other. They strike a balance between the two.

What Do We Mean by “Organic” Social?

Organic social covers everything that happens naturally on your social media accounts — without paying to boost it.

That includes your photos, videos, stories, updates and behind-the-scenes posts. It’s where your brand personality shines, showing people who you are, what you do, and why they should stick around.

Done well, organic social helps you:

• Build trust with your audience
• Keep your brand front-of-mind
• Encourage community and conversation
• Highlight what makes you different

But here’s the catch — social platforms love to change their algorithms. That means only a small slice of your followers may see each post. And reaching people who don’t follow you yet? That’s even harder.

So, how do you get in front of them? Unless your followers are constantly sharing your posts, organic alone can only take you so far. That’s where paid social comes in.

What About Paid Social?

Paid social does exactly what it says on the tin — you put budget behind your posts to reach more people, especially new audiences.

You’ll see them every day: sponsored posts, promoted stories, carousel ads and videos that look like regular posts, just from brands you don’t yet follow.

Paid social works brilliantly when you want to:

• Reach new audiences fast
• Launch a new product, offer or campaign
• Target specific customers by location, age or interests
• Get measurable results like clicks, sign-ups or sales

It’s quick, highly targeted, and delivers results fast.

But here’s the thing — paid ads only work if they lead somewhere worth landing. If someone clicks your ad and finds an inactive or inconsistent feed, you’ve lost them. That’s why your organic content still matters.

Think of it this way: paid social gets people through the door, organic content makes them want to stay.

How to Find the Balance

Wondering how to actually blend the two? Here’s how to make them work together:

1. Start with your goals
   What do you want to achieve — more followers, more leads, or wider brand awareness? Clear goals help you divide your time and budget wisely.
2. Keep your brand consistent
   Make sure your paid and organic posts feel like they belong together. Same tone, same style, same personality.
3. Turn top-performing posts into ads
   If a post does well organically, that’s a good sign it’ll perform well as a paid ad too. You already know your audience connects with it.
4. Track, test and tweak
   Experiment with different formats, audiences and budgets. Learn what works, then build on it.
5. Stay social
   Even when you’re running ads, keep showing up organically. Reply to comments, post updates and stay part of the conversation. That’s how trust grows.

Finding the right balance takes time and experimentation — but once you do, you’ll start seeing more consistent results.

Why Working with a Social Media Agency Helps

Managing posts, algorithms, analytics and ad budgets can easily turn into a full-time job. If you’re ready to take your social media to the next level, partnering with an agency can make a world of difference.

A good agency will plan your organic content, manage your paid campaigns and make sure everything works together seamlessly.

With full social media management, you’ll get:

• Consistent, professional content across all platforms
• Ads tailored to your specific goals
• Regular reports and insights that make sense
• More time to focus on running your business

If you’re looking for social media management in Hull, working with a team like Eyeweb means partnering with experts who understand your audience, your market and your goals.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re ready to find your balance between organic and paid social, we’re here to help.

At Eyeweb, we create digital strategies that combine creativity with real results. Get in touch today to start building a social presence that works smarter — not harder.