If you are launching or growing your small business online, one of the first questions you will face is whether to spend money on ads or work on organic reach first.

It is a good question. The answer is not as simple as choosing one or the other.

Alright, let’s sort this one out, because these two terms get thrown around like they’re the same thing. And on the surface, they sort of are. But if you’re trying to grow a business and want to look like you know what you’re doing, you should understand how they actually work together.

So here’s the simplest way to think about it.

Your mailing list is the crowd.
Your newsletter is the message.

One is about who’s listening. The other is about what you’re saying.

Big brands tend to play a broad game. They want to be seen everywhere, by everyone. That means their SEO efforts often focus on general keywords that cover large regions or even the whole country.

But people searching on Google are usually looking for answers close to home. When someone types “coffee shop near me” or “accountant in Brisbane,” Google wants to serve up businesses that are actually nearby and relevant.

Starting a business already feels like you’re juggling knives. Add social media to the mix and suddenly it’s like someone lit the knives on fire.

You’ve probably got the accounts, or at least the idea that you should set them up, but actually getting them working, looking decent and not becoming another “I’ll do it later” tab? That’s another story.

Here’s the honest truth: Social media setup is one of those tasks that seems simple but quietly eats hours. And unless you’ve already got a plan, it gets overwhelming fast.

Think of your website as your digital storefront. Unlike your actual business hours, it runs 24/7. It shows people who you are, what you offer, and why they should trust you, all without you having to say a word.

That’s powerful. But only if it’s working for you, not against you.

A dodgy or neglected website doesn’t just look bad. It hurts trust. It says you're not ready, not paying attention, or not taking things seriously. And whether that’s fair or not, people make that judgement in seconds.