Direct Answer
Organic traffic comes from unpaid sources like Google search results, AI engine citations, and direct visits. Paid traffic comes from ads (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok). Organic traffic compounds over time and stops costing per click; paid traffic delivers immediate volume but stops the moment the budget pauses.
Voice answer (≤30 words)
“Organic traffic comes from unpaid sources like search and AI citations. Paid traffic comes from ads. Most businesses need both.”
Most service businesses spend 60–80% on paid in the first year and shift toward organic by year three as SEO compounds.
Direct traffic (people typing your URL) is organic but signals brand strength — track it as a brand-marketing KPI.