Episode 270: Organic Social vs Paid Ads What's Actually Working Right Now (And Why Most Brands Get It Wrong)

Most brands are doing organic social completely wrong and it's costing them growth.

In this episode, Zach Dampier breaks down what's actually working with organic social right now… and how to use it alongside paid ads without burning out or chasing the wrong metrics.

If your organic content feels like an afterthought or just a weaker version of your ads, this episode will completely reframe your strategy.

"Organic and paid are not competing for your resources. They're doing completely different jobs in your customer's journey."- Zach Dampier

You Will Learn:

Why organic social is not just "free ads" (and what it should be instead)
The real role of organic content in your customer journey
How to create content that builds connection, trust, and loyalty
The biggest mistake brands make when measuring organic performance
Why follower count can actually hurt your growth if you're not careful
When to prioritize paid ads vs. organic (and how to scale both together)
The 3-phase framework to build a sustainable organic strategy
How to turn organic content into a paid traffic flywheel
Simple ways to make organic more measurable (without overcomplicating it)

Links & Resources

Smart Marketer – https://www.smartmarketer.com/
The Smart Marketer Show – https://smartmarketer.com/smart-marketer-show/
OmniSend – https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend
Use code SMART for 50% off your first 3 months

Timestamps (Chapters)

00:00:15 – Introduction: Why Organic Social Feels Like an Afterthought 00:00:53 – Sponsor: Why Ezra Uses OmniSend for Email & SMS 00:01:56 – Organic vs Paid: The Core Misunderstanding 00:03:42 – The #1 Mistake Brands Make with Organic Content 00:04:27 – The Real Job of Organic vs Paid Ads 00:06:05 – What's Actually Working: Real Organic Content Examples 00:07:42 – Why Authenticity & Storytelling Drive Engagement 00:10:14 – Vulnerability, Trust & Building Real Brand Connection 00:11:04 – The Problem with Chasing the Wrong Metrics 00:11:52 – Why Your Social Metrics Might Be Misleading 00:13:32 – The Truth About Follower Count (And Why It Can Hurt You) 00:15:41 – Reels vs Carousels: What's Working Right Now 00:17:25 – The Metrics You Should Actually Track 00:18:15 – How Organic & Paid Work Together (The Right Way) 00:19:08 – When to Focus on Paid vs Organic (Early-Stage Strategy) 00:21:24 – Organic as "Meta Insurance" Explained 00:23:13 – Turning Organic Content into a Paid Flywheel 00:24:50 – Making Organic Measurable with Tools Like ManyChat 00:25:43 – The 3 Phases of a Winning Organic Strategy 00:27:32 – Final Takeaways: Long-Term vs Short-Term Growth

Call to Action (CTA)

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