
Benefits of Organic Social: Insights from Cherie Clonan of The Digital Picnic
If you’re looking for ways to grow your business without draining your budget, organic social media might be just the answer. Cherie Clonan, CEO of The Digital Picnic, recently shared some incredibly valuable tips on how businesses can thrive by investing in free, organic content. With so many businesses focusing on paid ads, Cherie’s approach is a refreshing reminder that building genuine connections with your audience can be both simple and effective. Let’s take a closer look at how you can make organic social media work for you.
What is organic social media and why should you care?
Organic social media refers to the free content you post on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It’s all about creating fun, engaging posts that connect with your audience without spending any money. Cherie sums it up perfectly: “Organic is anything that’s free. It costs time, energy, and brain space, but not money.”
For businesses on a budget, organic social media is an invaluable tool to build authentic relationships with your audience and showcase your brand’s personality. It’s about investing your time and energy into building trust, and the best part? It costs nothing but can bring massive rewards.
Why organic content is good for your business
Organic content is the heart of real connections. For businesses trying to make an impact without a big marketing budget, it’s a golden opportunity. Cherie believes, “The best paid ads happen when you invest time and energy into organics.” By focusing on organic content, you’re laying the foundation for stronger relationships and more meaningful engagement with your audience. When you invest in organic social media, you’re not just putting out posts, you’re building a community, engaging with followers, and showing the human side of your brand.
Steps to create a winning organic strategy
Ready to make organic social media work for you? Here are Cherie’s top tips for creating a strategy that will help your business thrive:
- Set Clear Goals: Know what you want to achieve. Whether it’s growing your following, increasing website traffic, or building brand awareness, having clear goals will help you stay on track.
- Understand Your Audience: To create content that resonates, get to know your audience’s interests and pain points. When you tailor your content to what they care about, you’ll keep them coming back for more.
- Focus on the Right Platforms: Don’t spread yourself too thin. Cherie recommends choosing the platforms where your audience hangs out the most. “I’d rather go all in and do it really well than spread myself thin,” she says.
- Engage First, Post Second: It’s not just about posting content, it’s about building conversations. Share stories, insights, and tips that spark engagement. Cherie reminds us, “Engage first, post second.”
- Analyze and Improve: Use tools like Sprout Social to track your performance. Keep an eye on what’s working and tweak what’s not. It’s all about learning and improving as you go!
Organic + Paid = A Winning Combo
While organic content is powerful on its own, combining it with paid social media can amplify your results. A strong organic presence makes your paid ads more effective and less costly. As Cherie explains, “When you invest in organic content, those paid ad costs will come down considerably.” It’s the perfect mix to supercharge your business growth!
Challenges to Watch Out For
One of the main challenges with organic social media is measuring its success. While the results aren’t always easy to track, Cherie emphasizes, “Not all results can be reported on organically, but they can be felt.” Building trust, loyalty, and a strong community takes time, but the long-term benefits far outweigh any short-term hurdles.
Organic social media isn’t just a trend, it’s a powerful way to connect with your audience and grow your business. By putting in the time and creativity, you can create an online presence that resonates with your customers and helps your business stay ahead of the curve.
If you prefer to watch or listen, you can check out the full webinar session here. You can also connect with Cherie on LinkedIn.