In the world of e-commerce, it’s easy to see organic social media as an afterthought to paid advertising, especially when budgets are tight and time is precious. But in my experience, organic social media isn’t just another channel—it’s your ultimate testing ground for what can work brilliantly in your ads.
I want to share some recent insights from my own e-commerce brand and podcast about using organic content to build more effective ad campaigns. With some simple strategies, you can make your organic efforts do double duty, uncovering the top content for paid campaigns that actually reach and engage your audience.
To Listen to the Podcast Episode on this topic - head to Spotify, Apple Podcast, YouTube or here on my website and tune in to episode 105. Listen Here
Why Organic Social is Still Key
Let’s tackle a common myth: *organic social media is dead.* This simply isn’t true. When I look at client analytics, organic social consistently drives high-quality traffic to their sites. Not only do visitors from organic social stay longer, but they also interact more deeply with the content—clicking around, exploring products, and generally spending more time on the site.
These engaged users, as Google Analytics shows us, are also the ones who complete valuable actions. While organic may not always be the biggest revenue driver, it is absolutely a crucial engagement driver. That’s why combining organic with paid advertising isn’t just effective—it’s necessary for creating a powerful, resonant brand presence.
Step 1: How to Use Organic Posts to Find Winning Content
Think of your organic social media feed as your testing ground for paid ads. Here’s how I go about finding content that performs well in ads by evaluating organic posts in Facebook Insights:
Filter for High-Performance Posts
Start by looking at your most engaging posts from the last 90 days. I usually filter by *reach* or *engagement metrics* (likes, comments, and shares) because these reveal what resonates most with my audience. Look for posts that outperform others and think about why they’re effective.
2. Choose Evergreen Content
Select posts that can stand the test of time—something “evergreen” that won’t feel dated or irrelevant. For instance, a post related to a long-finished sale might have performed well, but it wouldn’t be suitable for a new ad campaign.
3. Stay Aligned with Your Audience
Ensure the post you choose speaks directly to your ideal customers. Avoid posts that are loosely connected to your brand or products; the best ads will reflect your core value proposition and resonate with your target audience.
Step 2: Transform Your Organic Content into an Ad
Once you've selected a top-performing post, it’s time to turn it into an ad. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Edit the Post for Ad-Friendly Formatting
Go to the original post and add some polish. For example, add emojis, clean up the copy, or include a clear call to action. This subtle refresh can make it more effective in an ad context.
2. Use Existing Content in Ads Manager
In Ads Manager, create a campaign and, instead of creating a new ad, use the “Use Existing Post” option. This allows you to select the edited post you’ve polished, saving you time and effort while leveraging proven content.
3. Choose the Right Objective
Make sure the objective you select (e.g., Engagement, Traffic, Conversions) aligns with the content type. A meme or quote post, for example, might work well in an engagement campaign, while a product video could be great for a traffic or conversion campaign.
Examples of Success: My Own Campaigns
I’ve tested this method across both my podcast and my e-commerce brand, and the results have been consistently positive.
- For the Podcast:
I selected a video post from my organic feed and turned it into a *Traffic ad* to drive visitors to a landing page. It’s already my top-performing ad in terms of engagement time on my website—proving that organic insights can create paid results.
- For My E-commerce Store:
I chose a top-performing post with high organic reach that directly targeted my ideal customer, then ran it as a *Post Engagement ad* to build a warm audience in preparation for Black Friday. The ad reached over 8,000 people and resulted in hundreds of interactions at just $0.10 per engagement, plus dozens of page likes and shares, creating a valuable audience pool to retarget during big sale events.
Building Momentum with Engagement Campaigns
Another benefit of running an engagement campaign is the chance to build your community. Ads that generate reactions, comments, and shares allow you to invite new people to like your page, growing your follower base and setting up future organic success.
If you’ve been on the fence about investing time in organic social, let this be your push! Creating a robust organic calendar not only builds your brand’s visibility but also gives you valuable data to fuel your ad campaigns. When you already know a piece of content resonates with your audience, you can confidently invest in promoting it further.
Ready to Try It?
Start by scheduling a few more posts this month and track their performance. In 30 days, go back to see which posts did best and experiment with using them in ads. I promise, this strategy can drive real results. And if you’ve tried this approach or have questions, please reach out—I’d love to hear about your experiences!
Remember, organic social isn’t dead. Paired with paid ads, it’s your best asset for growing a loyal, engaged audience who will connect with your brand long-term.
Listen to the episode Here
Watch on YouTube Here
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