Why Paid Social Media Campaigns are the Engine of Growth

by Tony Polatty | Satgrass Marketing

Businesses know they need to show up on social media… but many don’t realize that posting regularly isn’t typically enough to grow. The reality is… 70% to 90% of marketing reach on social media comes from paid efforts.

If you're depending on organic reach alone to drive visibility, you're likely missing out on a massive amount of your potential customers. ESPECIALLY if you’re not creating some pretty top-notch content on a regular basis.

But don’t get discouraged… there’s a smart and affordable way to supplement your organic reach with paid strategies.

We help small businesses create balanced, effective campaigns that build brand trust and deliver results.

Paid Social Media is a Growth Engine

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are no longer “free” marketing tools in the way they used to be… Over the past few years, algorithms have shifted dramatically, limiting how many people actually see your posts unless you put a little money behind them.

Organic Reach:

  • Facebook: Often less than 5% of your followers see each post

  • Instagram: Slightly better, but still heavily pay-to-play

  • LinkedIn & others: Business posts typically underperform without budget

If you want consistent visibility, targeted reach, and scalable lead generation, paid campaigns are essential.

With the right paid strategy, you can:

  • Get in front of your ideal customers

  • Boost traffic to landing pages

  • Promote offers and events

  • Drive measurable results like form fills, phone calls, or sales

This is why we call paid ads a growth enginethey're what push your message farther and faster.

What Organic Content Does Best

This doesn’t mean you should stop posting organically - NOT AT ALL.

Organic content is still crucial for:

  • Building trust

  • Sharing your story

  • Staying connected with current followers

  • Showing authenticity and personality

Organic posts are like a handshake, a smile, or a behind-the-scenes story. They create a sense of connection and consistency… and when a new lead sees an ad, they’ll often click through to your profile. What they see there helps them decide whether they trust you or not.

We don’t believe in running paid advertising without a solid organic social foundation, website, etc… This article isn’t an excuse to neglect posting genuine content as often as possible.

Organic is your vehicle. Paid is your fuel.

The Smart Approach

The businesses that are going to see the best results in 2025 and beyond are the ones that blend organic content connection with paid campaign reach..

Here’s the simple model we use at Saltgrass Marketing:

  • Keep your feed active and consistent with branded organic content (2–3x per week)

  • Run targeted paid campaigns for specific goals (website visits, lead forms, etc.)

  • Use retargeting ads to stay in front of people who’ve already interacted with you

  • Monitor analytics so every dollar is spent strategically

This balanced approach lets you show up consistently, grow strategically, and build the kind of brand that people remember.

No matter what part your marketing journey you’re going through… we’re here to help you:

  • Understand what kind of content works best for your audience

  • Create custom results-driven ad campaigns

  • Keep your brand consistent, whether paid or organic

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