‘Where should I invest first?’ is a common question we get when discussing the benefits of organic traffic or paid ads. While it realistically depends on your goals, budget, and timelines, there’s a particular answer that we consistently recommend to businesses who want to grow sustainably.
Truthfully, even the most well-designed websites won’t perform if no one is visiting them. You need a traffic strategy to accelerate growth. With constant Google algorithm updates and the leap of AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT, web traffic is now coming from a wider mix of sources, from traditional SERPs to social media and email marketing.
Start by asking yourself: ‘Do I want speedy results and visibility or longevity and brand trust?’ More times than not, we recommend a 70/30 split; 70% organic and 30% paid for clients who are starting off. That’s because sustainable solutions like SEO often lead to sustained brand reputation. We’ll explain more about why soon.
Organic Traffic
Organic traffic refers to web users who naturally discover your website. While you can’t pay to guarantee top placement, strategic SEO allows you to influence where your site ranks in search results, allowing organic traffic to compound over time and build website authority without monetary costs.
The search strategy is dependent on channels like search engine results, a business’s supporting content, unboosted social media posts, backlinks and earned media.
Paid Traffic
Paid traffic is immediate and measurable. It offers quick visibility, making it ideal for campaigns or fast testing, but results only last as long as your budget.
You will see paid traffic coming from sources including Google Ads, paid social media campaigns, sponsored content, and display or banner ads on third-party websites.
Our Recommendation
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to search strategy. Every business objective is different. You can’t replace a strong organic foundation just as much as you can’t ignore the increase in paid traffic. So, what’s the best starting point? Both are in balance with each other.
Organic acquires weightier results in the long term, while paid does so in the short term. The trick is incorporating them into your strategy in a way that makes them support each other.
With the 70/30 split, you will ensure a sustainable search strategy no matter the size or goal of the business. It works with 70% focus on organic and 30% on paid search, which ultimately leads to strong, long-term results. The goal is to future-proof the brand strategy.
We recommend this approach to clients because of one thing: as your organic footprint grows, you can reduce paid spend, and you will still see growth.
Are you unsure where to start with your growth strategy? At Zimple, we help guide clients with a mapped-out approach designed to drive results and build momentum over time. Chat to our expert digital marketing team and we’ll help you build a traffic strategy that not only gets results now, but continues to grow with you.
