Paid Traffic: The Crack Pipe of Digital Marketing

Crack is an extremely powerful and dangerous drug. Despite being highly harmful to the human body, it can initially produce desirable effects such as increased energy, hyperactivity, a sense of well-being, and heightened alertness. This is explained by psychiatrist Dr. Dartiu Xavier da Silveira, a specialist at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) and director of the Program for Orientation and Assistance to Dependents (Proad), in an interview with the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.

However, according to the expert, there are also severe side effects, such as increased heart rate, high blood pressure, hallucinations, episodes of depression, panic attacks, and paranoia.

In the same way that crack compromises the human body, paid traffic has become the new “addiction” for business owners and marketing agencies. It generates not only seemingly positive effects — such as a temporary increase in leads, artificial growth in demand, the illusion that the business is healthy, and in some cases, a spike in sales — but also serious consequences: increased financial costs, reliance on constant ad spending, loss of critical insight, and the weakening of organic results (those achieved without paid promotion).

It’s important to stress that paid traffic is not the villain here. It is a legitimate marketing tool, and when properly planned, it can deliver meaningful results. However, poor usage has turned this tool into a true “crack pipe” for entrepreneurs and agencies. Instead of investing in building a strong website with a focus on sustainable, long-term organic performance, many opt for shortcuts that simply inflate marketing expenses without fixing the structural issues. The result? A business owner who becomes highly dependent on paid traffic — just as an addict relies on the next hit.

To build a website that generates consistent organic traffic, it’s essential to invest not only money but also time and, most importantly, high-quality content. It is this content that, over time, will attract visitors naturally and strategically. During this process, there’s nothing wrong with using paid traffic as support — as long as it's done with conscious planning and clear objectives.

Because of the misuse of this tool, many agencies have become true “digital dealers,” handing over the pipe to business owners in exchange for money — thereby contributing to the destruction of business autonomy and sustainability, and harming the reputation of the digital marketing industry as a whole.

When is the right time to use paid promotion? It should be reserved for specific situations: seasonal sales periods, transitional phases (such as during a website redesign before organic results pick up), or highly competitive markets where most players are investing in paid media.

The indiscriminate use of paid traffic has led to dependency, poor delivery of real results, and, ultimately, rendered agency work ineffective and discredited in the eyes of clients.

At Vasconcelos Marketing & Communication, our commitment is to think medium and long term — building strategies that strengthen your website and social media presence with quality content designed to deliver real organic results.

📩 Contact our team today and learn more!