Organic Reach is Dead. Paid Social to the Rescue.

Once upon a time, you could post a cute photo of your Denver-based business on Instagram, and voilà—engagement, likes, and maybe even a few sales. Those days? Long gone. Now, organic reach is like trying to yell across a crowded bar: no one hears you unless you pay the DJ (aka, the algorithm) to lower the music.

According to Sprout Social, social media advertising spend is projected to reach $276.7 billion in 2025, with 83% of that ad spend total generated on mobile by 2030.

If your brand is still clinging to the hope that posting for free on Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn will drive meaningful results, it’s time for a wake-up call. Paid social is no longer optional—it’s the cost of doing business in 2025. And if you’re still not convinced, let’s break it down.

The Algorithm Doesn’t Like You Unless You Pay Up

Every social platform wants one thing: your money. Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn—they all reward advertisers because that’s how they make their billions. If you’re not paying for ads, you’re playing a losing game of “how many followers actually see my post?” (Spoiler: It’s single digits.)

Even if you have thousands of followers, Instagram will serve your content to only a tiny fraction of them unless you “boost” it. And that’s just the beginning. TikTok, the king of short attention spans, now favors brands that spend on Spark Ads. LinkedIn? Good luck getting in front of decision-makers without some well-targeted sponsored posts.

Social Media is Pay-to-Play. And That Can Be a Good Thing.

Before you groan about the death of free marketing, let’s flip the script. Paid social gives you control. With the right digital strategy (hey, that’s what we do), you can:

  • Target exactly who you want (no more guessing if your Denver audience will see your posts)
  • Retarget website visitors who ghosted your checkout page (we see you, eCommerce brands)
  • A/B test messages and visuals to see what actually works (instead of hoping for the best)
  • Track real data, not just “likes”

Would you rather spend hours making organic posts that reach 2% of your followers or put money behind ads that guarantee results? Exactly.

PPC is Your Best Friend (If You Do It Right)

We get it. Running paid social ads can feel like gambling with your marketing budget. But here’s the secret: when done correctly (with the help of, say, an expert in PPC like us), paid social is one of the highest ROI channels available.

Meta (Facebook + Instagram) ads are still a powerhouse. TikTok Ads are crushing it for eCommerce brands. LinkedIn Ads? Perfect for B2B businesses looking to reach decision-makers without cold emails that get ignored. The trick is the right strategy—not just throwing money at boosted posts and hoping for the best. Although you should probably boost your posts from time-to-time, too. But I digress…

Digital Strategy is What Separates the Winners from the Losers

Throwing money at ads without a plan is like trying to hike a Colorado trail with no map. In flip-flops. You need a strategy. A well-executed digital strategy includes:

  • Audience research: Who actually buys from you? What platforms are they on?
  • Creative that stops the scroll: Your ad needs to hook people in under 3 seconds.
  • Landing pages that convert: Ads are useless if your site isn’t optimized for sales (hello, eCommerce brands).
  • Testing and tweaking: The best campaigns evolve based on data, not gut feelings.

Lucky for you, that’s exactly what we do.

Bottom Line: Adapt or Get Left Behind

Paid social media is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a must-have for businesses that want to compete in today’s digital landscape. Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn aren’t handing out free engagement anymore. If you’re serious about growth, it’s time to invest in a real social strategy.

And hey, if navigating the world of PPC, SEO, and digital strategy feels overwhelming, that’s what we’re here for. Let’s turn your paid social from a money pit into a money-making machine. Let’s chat.