Ever wondered what kind of difference paid advertising VS organic advertising really makes? Is there really one way that’s more effective, or is it a case-by-case type of deal where the product or service makes the deal?
Advertising is a tricky business. I’m sure you’ve been there. And finding a perfect formula for internet marketing is like trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. But that’s why I’ve decided to really dig down deep and find out what’s really making a difference in the online advertising world. And I’m inviting you to join me. Ready to get started?
“Does It Really Depend on The Product Or Service?”
When it comes to advertising, there’s usually always some kind of strategy behind your ideas and actions in the online world. Whether it be a new social media schedule, some kind of newsletter, a new weekly blog post with a corresponding video or even some kind of tutorial, for marketers like you and I, there’s usually always going to be a plan. And executing these plans is going to be a pretty high priority on our never-ending list of things to do for our businesses.
So does the way we go about advertising change depending on the product or service?
I’m going to say absolutely it does. Why? Because you wouldn’t market security systems the same way you market food and drink. Think about it for a moment: if you’re looking for a high-level security system, your first stop is probably going to be a search engine. And you’ll probably type in some keywords, find something you like, (and nine out of ten times this something is on the first page) and purchase it. Alternatively, you may go searching on Amazon or some other online market place. However, if you’re looking for a restaurant, you’ll probably open up maps or perhaps you weren’t actively searching for it, but then you scroll past an ad on Facebook or Instagram and find yourself drooling over a chicken salad or a juicy burger. Making sense? In this case, organic advertising would greatly benefit the company selling security systems. And paid advertising would be greatly benefitting to the restaurant selling that amazing food. This doesn’t mean you wouldn’t do both- absolutely you should. It just means that the priorities for each product or service is going to be different. And it takes creativity, lots of thought and knowledge of your particular industry to create a strategy that works for you.
The Perks of Paid Advertising
Paid advertising definitely has some things organic advertising will only ever dream of being able to offer, (of course this is true of both) and a few of those things are because organic advertising takes so much time and effort.
With paid advertising, all you have to do is invest a little money and creativity and you’re well on your way to marketing success. Whether that be through Google Ads or social media, paid to advertise and even paid links to get a more organic result can be very beneficial for a growing company.
In addition, paid advertising doesn’t take nearly as much creative effort as organic marketing. While it may cost you a little more depending on the avenue you travel, the saved time and energy can be spent elsewhere growing your business. And for a lot of companies, this trade-off is well worth it.
The Perks of Organic Advertising
You knew this was coming too, of course. The thing is, organic advertising will always have a little power over paid advertising when it comes to creativity and relevancy. Earning yourself a top spot in Google also comes with it a sort of pride that can’t be easily stamped out. I mean, unless Google runs an update that you totally weren’t expecting and throws your whole organic marketing scheme out the window.
Just like with paid advertising, there are ups and there are downs. But organic gives you an opportunity to market to a specific audience in ways that paid to advertise just won’t ever be able to beat. It gives you an opportunity to create an environment online where potential clients find your company because it’s exactly what they were looking for, not because it popped up with the other paid Google ads at the top of the search engine. With organic advertising, conversions are much more likely and you won’t be paying for clicks that don’t convert.
Of course, as we said before, organic advertising can be a major drain on time and your creative brain, but we think the effort you put into it makes all the difference. And trust me. It may take time, but it will show.
The Final Word
Both organic and paid advertising have their place in the marketing world. This is for sure.
Our friends over at SociallyIn.com created a post all about the positive and negative sides of paid VS organic search, which you can feel free to check out if you’d like to dig a little deeper.
But in the end, this is what you need to remember: don’t play the advertising game for immediate results. Even when it comes to paid advertising. You have to play for the grand finale. Play like your life depends on clicks and conversions from relevant audiences. Create your strategy as if you are the client looking for your product. Mix the best of both paid and organic advertising into a strategy that works for YOU and doesn’t listen to the people who tell you to do it their way. If anyone knows your product, it’s you, right? And that’s why when it comes to your marketing strategy, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Do ask plenty of questions, but you also can’t be afraid to be the one calling the shots. Mix that paid and organic advertising and creates something you can count on. Sure, you might fail a couple of times. Maybe several times. But sometimes you have to fail before you can succeed and failure is always the best teacher. Nobody ever learned from getting it right all the time.
I say all of this to say this: Organic Advertising and Paid Advertising both have a lot going for them. And there’s a lot you can do and use when it comes to each of their personal talents. So don’t limit yourself to just one way of getting the job done. Explore, learn and create. And when you’re done creating the strategy that worked for you, I’d personally love to hear about the journey that brought you to your glorious destination. Good luck!
