In the ever-evolving world of social media, it’s tempting to view organic and paid strategies as separate, even competing forces. But here’s the truth: they’re better together. When you blend the authenticity of organic content with the precision of paid campaigns, magic happens. For builders, this combination can turn casual scrollers into serious enquiries, driving tangible results for your business.
Let’s explore how these strategies complement each other, using a real-world example from one of our clients, Hampton Homes Sydney.
The Role of Organic Social Media: Building Trust, One Post at a Time
Organic social media is the heartbeat of your online presence. It’s where your brand’s personality comes to life, showcasing your stunning builds, behind-the-scenes moments, and the values that set you apart.
For builders, platforms like Instagram and Facebook are visual playgrounds where you can engage with your audience authentically, answer questions, and build a community around your brand.
At its core, organic social is about storytelling. It’s not just about beautiful images; it’s about creating content that resonates, engages, and builds trust. And when done right, your organic content becomes the secret sauce that feeds your paid strategy. One of the most powerful tools in your organic arsenal? Short-form video (SFV).
Short-form videos—think Instagram Reels, TikToks, and Facebook Stories—capture attention quickly and can showcase your work in dynamic, engaging ways. For builders, SFVs are perfect for highlighting project transformations, quick tours of your latest builds, or even showcasing testimonials in a lively, digestible format. These videos are not only great for organic reach but also become standout assets in your paid strategy.
The Power of Paid Social: Turning Engagement into Enquiries
While organic social sets the stage, paid social media—like Meta Ads—steps into the spotlight, amplifying your message to a wider, more targeted audience. Paid campaigns allow you to put your best content in front of people who are actively looking for what you offer. The beauty of paid social is its ability to zero in on specific demographics, behaviours, and interests, ensuring your message lands in front of the right eyes.
Paid campaigns featuring SFVs tend to perform exceptionally well because they’re designed to stop the scroll. They’re quick, engaging, and perfect for showcasing the quality of your work or delivering a compelling call to action in seconds. Optimising paid ads with short-form videos for website conversions means turning that interest into a click, a call, or a consultation booking. Paid social is your fast track to turning browsers into buyers.
How Organic and Paid Social Media Work Hand in Hand
So, how do these two powerhouses work together? Think of organic as the foundation—building a loyal audience, creating content that engages, and fostering connections.
Paid social is the accelerator, taking that foundation and propelling it to new heights.
The magic happens when you use data from your organic efforts to inform your paid strategy. High-performing posts and videos, the ones that get all the likes, shares, and comments, are golden opportunities. These posts have already proven their appeal, making them perfect candidates for your next ad campaign.
Case Study: Hampton Homes Sydney
Let’s talk about Hampton Homes Sydney, a client who we have started using this strategy with and are seeing incredible results.
We started by identifying their most engaging organic content on Instagram—think stunning coastal builds, happy client stories, detailed craftsmanship close-ups, and engaging short-form videos. By leveraging this content in Meta Ad campaigns, we optimised the ad for website conversions, ensuring that those stunning posts and videos weren’t just getting likes—they were driving real enquiries.
But we didn’t stop there. We also used this engaged audience as a remarketing pool throughout the rest of our Meta campaign. Essentially, anyone who interacted with Hampton Homes’ organic content became part of a targeted audience that saw more of their brand in paid ads, keeping them engaged and moving them closer to enquiry.
The Results? Since implementing this strategy three months ago, Hampton Homes Sydney has consistently received 3-4 website enquiries each month directly from their organic content. The key takeaway? Organic content isn’t just about engagement; it’s a powerful tool for driving direct action when used strategically in paid campaigns.
Steps to Integrate Your Organic and Paid Social Strategies
Want to replicate this success? Here’s how:
- Identify High-Performing Organic Content: Use insights and analytics to pinpoint posts and videos that resonate most with your audience. These are the pieces of content that should form the backbone of your paid strategy.
- Create Paid Campaigns Around Successful Organic Posts and Videos: Leverage these proven performers, especially short-form videos, in Meta Ads. Focus on ad formats that highlight your best visuals and make it easy for viewers to take the next step—whether that’s visiting your website or booking a consultation.
- Remarket to Engaged Audiences: Use the audience data from your organic interactions to create remarketing campaigns. This keeps your brand top of mind and nurtures potential leads who are already interested in what you offer.
- Continuously Optimise: Social media is dynamic, and what works today might need tweaking tomorrow. Regularly review performance metrics, test new approaches, and refine your strategies to keep getting the best results.
Why This Approach Works for Builders
For builders, a combined organic and paid strategy means increased visibility, higher engagement, and, most importantly, more qualified leads. Short-form video plays a crucial role in this by making your content more dynamic and shareable, bridging the gap between organic discovery and paid conversions. It’s a strategy that doesn’t just cast a wide net but also draws the right people into your funnel, nurturing them until they’re ready to make an enquiry.
Just like Hampton Homes Sydney, your business can benefit from this powerful synergy, making your social media efforts work smarter, not harder.
Ready to Drive More Leads?
At Sea Salt Marketing, we’re experts at blending organic and paid social strategies tailored for builders.
Let’s chat about how we can help you harness the power of your social media, especially with short-form video, to drive real results. Get in touch today, and let’s build something great together.
