This question may be too general to get a very detailed response. Organic or paid? Why is it either/or? Why not both?

what are your goals for the site?

When you say "organic or paid" the answer will always be organic(free), why pay for what can be had for nothing?

As a webmaster however it would be wise to at least investigate both individually. Organic is a no-brainer but can you make "paid" turn a profit?