5 Key Benefits of Organic Marketing vs. Paid Ads

You know the saying, "Easy come, easy go"? That's paid ads in a nutshell.

Let's preface this by saying there are clear use cases for PPC, PR, and other paid programs. And, of course, organic marketing isn't "free" — it'll still cost you time and resources.

But for the long-term growth and success of your business, organic marketing should be your primary focus.

What is organic marketing?

Organic marketing is the art of driving traffic, leads, and sales without paying for ads. It's a long-term marketing strategy that focuses on building strong relationships with your current and potential customers through valuable, relevant content and customer engagement tactics.

Examples of organic marketing include:

• Creating high-quality content for your blog
• Engaging your audience on social media
• Launching a customer advocacy program
• Email marketing to your subscriber list
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Creating and distributing user-generated content across your marketing channels

Although organic marketing comes in all different flavors, the core theme is the same: you're investing time and effort into building relationships with your audience, rather than just throwing money to attract them.

5 reasons to prioritize organic marketing in your strategy

1. You'll lower your CAC and CPL.

Across the board, your cost per lead (CPL) is as much as half when you use organic marketing compared to paid campaigns.

In B2B SaaS, for example, the average paid lead costs $310.

The average organic lead? $165.

By extension, your CAC is also significantly lower. But there are other factors that contribute to a lower CAC throughout the sales cycle:

• SEO makes it easier for your customers to find content that leads them toward a purchase.
• Customer advocacy (testimonials, reference calls, etc.) are normally the determining factor in the decision-making process.
• The content you publish for organic marketing purposes doubles as a sales enablement tool.
• Lead nurturing through email marketing increases your conversion rate.

So, the residual impacts of your organic marketing efforts are a shorter sales cycle and a higher conversion rate — both of which reduce the overall cost of acquiring a customer.

2. It's a lot more sustainable.

The main benefit to organic marketing is that it's a long-term strategy.

Yes, you won't see immediate results like you would with paid ads. But organically generated traffic and leads are more reliable and sustainable over time.

Once you've established a solid organic marketing foundation, your efforts will continue to drive results without the need for constant investment.

3. It's also more reliable.

B2B and B2C buyers alike use the internet to research and make purchase decisions. And they're becoming increasingly savvy at ignoring or blocking out paid ads.

In fact, just 8% of buyers see an ad and automatically think its claims are true.

Compared to the information they find organically on Google or through other people, those ads don't stand a chance when it comes to making an actual buying decision.

When you see an ad like this…

…it might grab your attention. But it sounds over the top. 

But when you find reviews on their website or organic search?

You tell us what’s more believable.

4. It makes your brand more authentic.

People like to buy from companies they like and trust.

That's why 89% of people end up buying from a company they follow on social media. And it's why 92% of buyers are hesitant to try a product with no reviews or testimonials. 

Organic marketing allows you to showcase your brand's personality, build trust with your audience, and form a community around your product.

For example, by integrating UGC into your sales cycle, you're doing more than just making your brand more trustworthy.

Customers who see their content repurposed on your feed will automatically feel more connected to your brand. And others who see it will know right away that you're the type of company that values its customers.

Plus, they'll get to see how others use your product.

5. It works, even when you don't.

Arguably the most valuable benefit of organic marketing is the fact that, once you've built a strong foundation, it continues to work for you even when you're not actively putting in effort.

The social media following, search engine presence, and customer relationships you build stick with you forever.

Of course, it isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. Assuming you pursue organic marketing with consistency, you'll rely on paid media less and less as time goes on. When you launch new products and features, you can bring them to market right away.

And your reputation becomes your best salesperson.