Launching a product: organic build-up or paid push?

Key takeaways

For a product launch, use organic social to build anticipation over four to eight weeks, through teasers, behind the scenes and a waitlist, then paid social to guarantee reach in launch week. Organic tells you who is interested; paid makes sure enough people see the launch at the right time. Launches that rely on organic alone are a gamble.

• Organic build-up: 4 weeks or more of teasers and behind the scenes.
• Paid push: concentrated spend in launch week.
• Retarget engagers and waitlist sign-ups first.
• Keep posting after launch to sustain sales.

Should a product launch use organic or paid social?

A product launch should use both. Organic builds a warm audience and shows which features excite people; paid ensures the launch reaches enough people in the days that matter. Organic alone cannot guarantee launch-week reach; paid alone launches to strangers who have no reason to care yet.

• Organic social media vs paid advertising: which to choose?
• Best social media platform for a product launch

What should organic do before launch?

Before launch, organic should share the story, show the product being made, answer questions and invite people to a waitlist or early access list. Track which teasers get saves, shares and sign-ups: they become your launch ads.

• Weeks 1 to 2: the problem the product solves.
• Weeks 3 to 4: behind the scenes and sneak peeks.
• Weeks 5 to 6: waitlist and early access invite.
• Final week: countdown and launch date.

• Waitlists and pre-orders: sell to followers before launch

What should paid do around launch?

Around launch, paid should retarget people who engaged with teasers or joined the waitlist, then reach new audiences similar to them. Concentrate budget in launch week and the week after, using creative proven in the build-up.

• Retarget people who engaged with your organic posts
• Product launch social media costs

What rules apply to launch offers?

Launch offers, early-bird prices and countdowns must follow the CAP Code's rules on promotional marketing. Deadlines must be genuine and conditions clear. The ASA expects paid social content to be identifiable as advertising.

• When does an organic post become an ad? UK rules

What happens after launch week?

After launch, keep organic going with customer reactions, use cases and reviews, and taper paid to retargeting and best-performing ads. Many launches fade because everything stops after week one.

• Organic posts keep working, ads stop: the longevity gap

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a skincare start-up launched with a big paid budget and no build-up, and sales were slow. For its second product it ran six weeks of organic behind the scenes content and a waitlist, then retargeted waitlist sign-ups at launch. Launch week sales were higher at a lower ad cost.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Launch checklist

• Start organic build-up four to eight weeks out.
• Set up a waitlist or early access list.
• Note which teasers perform best.
• Retarget engagers and waitlist first at launch.
• Check launch offers meet CAP Code rules.
• Keep posting and retargeting after launch week.

• Building a community: can paid social help?
• Promoting an event: organic posts or paid social ads?

Next step

Count back eight weeks from your launch date and plan one organic post a week leading up to it, with a waitlist invite by week five and launch-week ad budget set aside.