A Guide to Owned Media. What It Is, Examples, and Building Your Owned Media Strategy
Marketing has lost control of our ability to impact pipeline.
The primary reason is that we’ve spent the last several decades renting access to our audience through social media, content, and search networks, or paying for access through search marketing and other digital advertising channels. Within the B2B context, we’ve spent years trying to “automate” marketing, such that we’ve lost touch with our profession’s original charter – to build trust between brands and audiences.
How can we regain control of our impact? And by doing so, go back to basics in order to build an impactful and efficient GTM strategy that creates value for our audiences, prospects, and customers?
The answer is Owned Media – a strategy that we’ve all read about in textbooks, but have deprioritized in practice. We put this guide together to help serve as a new definition for Owned Media, and a playbook that you and your team can employ to either start or scale your Owned Media strategy.
What You'll Learn:
1. Why Owned Media is the most sustainable way to impact revenue in B2B marketing.
2. Explore a diverse range of Owned Media approaches and uncover their potential for reaching your target audience.
3. Build a strong Owned Media strategy by incorporating essential elements to ensure sustainability.
4. Discover the advantages of direct communication and the importance of owning the relationship with your audience.
Table of Contents
What is Owned Media?
Let’s start with a quick definition. What exactly is Owned Media?
Owned Media is a category of marketing channels that a company has complete control over. This includes websites, blogs, and email newsletters, as well as events and conferences.
But Owned Media is less about media and much more about relationships – a strategy that enables a company to “own” the relationship with their audience such that they can distribute communications to them directly, not relying on third-party vendors or algorithms to facilitate the delivery of that message. A relationship is considered “owned” when a member of an audience subscribes directly to the brand by opting-into communications.
Owned Media is one aspect of a company's total marketing strategy, which also includes paid media (advertising) and earned media (publicity gained through promotional efforts that are not paid for, like public relations activities or word-of-mouth marketing via social media or organic content discovery). But the renewed focus on Owned Media has been primarily driven by growing inefficiency in these channels.
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Paid media is inefficient. Paid media is often the largest line-item within the marketing program budget, and the one most often scrutinized by Finance. And not without good reason – according to recent data from RulerAnalytics, only 0.8% of paid search traffic result in a phone call. For companies investing in paid media at scale, finding efficiencies has become harder and harder.
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Rented distribution lacks control. We rent audience attention by using third-party algorithms on social media networks like LinkedIn or Twitter, content networks like YouTube or Spotify, and search engines like Google or Bing. Our distribution is governed by algorithms we don’t control. These networks are incentivized to keep engagement on their platforms – throttling your reach, suppressing links off-property, and hoarding your followers.
Companies who embrace an Owned Media strategy can become their own channel for content distribution into their audience. By doing so, distribution costs are effectively reduced to $0, thus making Owned Media an incredibly efficient marketing program. Also, companies can ensure that the reach into their audience is not throttled or suppressed.
But beyond the dollars and cents, companies who lead with Owned Media are able to build a much more authentic relationship with their audience, establishing thought leadership in the market that they serve, and creating loyalty that will convert into sustainable customer relationships.
However successful Owned Media execution requires effort in creating high-quality, engaging content (optimized for humans rather than algorithms) that leads to building a strong subscriber base.
We’ll cover these topics and more throughout this guide.
Owned vs. Earned vs. Paid Media
If you looked up Owned Media in a marketing textbook, chances are you would find it referenced alongside the other two primary marketing strategies in Paid Media and Earned Media. Let’s break each of them down to better understand how Owned Media fits in.
What is Paid Media?
Paid media refers to any form of marketing that you pay for to promote your business, products, or services. This includes traditional advertising (like TV, radio, and print ads), digital advertising (like PPC, display ads, and social media ads), and sponsored content.
Paid media is like having a megaphone for your brand's message. It's when you pay for content to be placed directly in front of target audiences. But with ad spending projected to reach nearly $680 billion in 2023, keep in mind that it's a long-term and expensive investment.
Think of it as purchasing space on someone else's platform to showcase your content. Whether display ads, sponsored social media posts, or paid search results, paid media maximizes your reach, grabs attention, and drives traffic to your business.
What is Earned Media?
Earned media refers to publicity gained through promotional efforts other than advertising, such as public relations, organic social media engagement, customer reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and coverage in news outlets. It's essentially any exposure your brand receives that you didn't directly pay for or create yourself.
When your customers become your biggest fans and cheerleaders, spreading the word about your brand organically, that's earned media. It can manifest as social media shares, blog features, or online conversations. Also known as word-of-mouth marketing, earned media is the genuine validation and recognition made through memorable customer experiences and delivering on your brand promise.
The Difference Between Owned, Paid, and Earned Media
Think of earned, owned, and paid media as three pillars of support that uphold a solid foundation for a complete digital marketing strategy, with each one providing its own stability and strengths:
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Owned media puts you in the driver's seat, with total control over channels.
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Paid media fuels your brand's reach through strategic advertising, expanding your audience.
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And earned media is a testament to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the buzz generated through positive word-of-mouth.
Where Owned, Paid, and Earned Media Overlap
So what happens when you use owned, paid, and earned media in your marketing strategy?
Your owned media takes the lead, becoming the epicenter where paid and earned media converge. Leveraging paid media allows you to unleash the potential of your owned content, targeting precise audiences and intensifying visibility.
In turn, earned media becomes the catalyst that amplifies your brand's impact, as satisfied customers and influential voices organically champion your business on your owned media platforms.
In other words: businesses can significantly increase the effectiveness of paid and earned media by first strengthening their owned media marketing.
Benefits of Owned Media
The tides are turning as more companies recognize the transformative potential of adapting a media company approach. In an era where consumers demand authenticity and meaningful connections, Owned Media channels offer unique advantages.
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Content Ownership.
Probably the most obvious. With Owned Media, you have complete control over the content you create and share. You can craft a compelling narrative that aligns with your brand values, effectively communicate your USP, and differentiate yourself from competitors. -
Trusted Distribution.
You no longer have to rely on a third-party algorithm to get your message delivered to your audience. With Owned Media, you can ensure that your content is delivered directly to your audience without risk of suppression. -
Cost Efficiency. Unlike paid media strategies, you no longer have to pay in order to distribute your content to your audience – making Owned Media one of the most efficient marketing strategies a company can deploy.
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Defensible ROI. Since all engagement data is first-party (meaning you as the brand have access to understanding who within your audience is engaging with what content), you can quickly attribute the value of that engagement on revenue outcomes rather than inferring it using web analytics software.
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Long-term Value.
Unlike paid media that requires continuous investment, Owned Media assets such as a website or blog provide long-term value. By consistently producing valuable content, you can attract and engage your audience over time, creating lasting connections that build your authority. -
Flexibility and Agility.
Owned Media allows you to adapt quickly to market changes and customer needs. Whether it's updating your website or launching a new product, you have the flexibility to control and tailor your messaging in real-time. -
Relationship Building.
Owned Media allows you to cultivate meaningful customer relationships. By providing valuable content and personalized experiences, you can establish trust, loyalty, and brand advocacy.
Types of Owned Media
The two primary attributes of Owned Media are channels and content – here are a few examples of both:
Channels
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Website: The digital surface or property that sits between your brand and your audience. Historically, companies have used their “blog” or “resource center” as the central hub for content. With your website, you control the user experience and showcase your brand's expertise. Diversifying your online presence beyond third-party platforms minimizes platform risk and maintains a stable foundation for digital marketing efforts.
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Email: Email directly connects your audience, allowing you to distribute content directly without risk of suppression. It consistently demonstrates higher engagement and conversion rates compared to other channels.
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In-Person Events: Hosting an IRL event – whether a conference, tradeshow, or field marketing programs – creates a valuable channel to distribute content to a captive audience. Unlike the other channels, events also become powerful content creation opportunities for marketing teams.
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Physical Mail: While digital channels take the spotlight, don't underestimate the impact of snail mail. You create a tangible connection that sets you apart by sending your audience newsletters, merch, or other direct mailers.
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Branded Apps: A branded mobile app offers a USP to your audience, whether it's granting access to exclusive content, providing valuable tools, or delivering personalized experiences.
Content
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Articles: Written content is still a primary content format. One of the big differences in modern Owned Media practices is a focus on editorial articles rather than SEO articles, or said another way, content written for humans and not algorithms.
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Videos: Unlike sharing videos on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, self-hosted videos keep viewers focused solely on your content. There are no recommendations or external ads that divert attention away from your message.
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Podcasts: Podcasts are gaining popularity. They provide an opportunity for intimate connection and long-form storytelling, enabling a deeper level of engagement. With self-hosting, you retain complete ownership and flexibility to distribute it across the platforms of your choice.
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Webinars and Digital Events: These platforms offer a chance to share your expertise, spark insightful discussions, and establish connections with attendees, amplifying engagement and fostering valuable networking opportunities.
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Ebooks and Whitepapers: Share your expertise and industry knowledge through in-depth guides, ebooks, or whitepapers that offer valuable insights. By making these resources available for download on your website or through targeted campaigns, you can solidify your brand's reputation as a thought leader and demonstrate your authority.
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Online Courses and Training Programs: Cultivate industry knowledge with educational courses or training programs tailored to your market. Showcase them on your website to deliver substantial value to your audience.
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Community Forums and Online Groups: Creating a community forum or online group facilitates interaction, nurtures brand loyalty, and fosters a strong sense of belonging among community members.
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Memes: Engaging your audience relies heavily on visually appealing content. You can effectively convey your message with impact by utilizing captivating images, infographics, and illustrations.
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Merch: Brands who are successful with Owned Media are able to be in on the inside joke with their audience. Selling or giving away merch is a great way to create that powerful sense of belonging with your audience. Note that merch is not SWAG – the latter being focused on the brand, while the former is focused on the audience.
You may have noticed that social media platforms and video hosting sites like YouTube are notably absent. Why? Because these are not owned media channels, despite popular belief.
Even though you do control the content you post, you are still building on rented land. Because of this, brands and influencers are realizing that relying solely on social media platforms can expose your business to risks and algorithm changes beyond your control.
A better way to use social media is as a distribution channel to drive traffic to your Owned Media platforms, where you have total control and can provide a consistent user experience.
Getting Started With An Owned Media Strategy
C-level executives increasingly recognize the significance of owned media due to its value, impact, and cost-effectiveness. But getting started requires more than just churning out and promoting content.
To gain buy-in, you must present a solid framework outlining your strategy. Here's where you can start:
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Audience Insights: Conduct thorough research to understand your target audience's demographics, interests, and pain points. Showcase these insights to demonstrate the potential impact of owned media in reaching and engaging your ideal customers.
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Content Mix & Distribution: Outline a well-balanced content mix of things like blog articles, whitepapers, ebooks, and case studies. Showcase how each content type aligns with different stages of the buyer's journey. Identify the owned media channels you plan to leverage, such as your website, email lists, self-hosted podcasts, and videos. Then adapt the content to suit different formats and channels to maximize impact.
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Metrics and Measurement: Develop SMART goals with a robust measurement framework encompassing KPIs relevant to your business objectives. Identify how you will track metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, engagement levels, and lead quality.
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Attract your initial audience: Leverage your existing customer base, email lists, and social media followers to kickstart your owned media presence. Encourage engagement, ask for feedback, and create content that adds value to their lives.
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Optimizing your owned media SEO to improve discoverability.
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Promoting your content through social media and engaging with relevant communities.
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Collaborating with industry influencers, thought leaders or complementary brands to extend your reach and tap into their existing audiences.
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Embrace external voices: Explore how influencers, creators, and people outside your company can influence your owned media strategy. Collaborate with them to co-create content, host webinars, or feature them as guest contributors to bring fresh perspectives and widen your audience.
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Regularly review your strategy: Owned media strategies should be dynamic and adaptable. While there's no one-size-fits-all approach, you should evaluate your plan regularly to ensure it's meeting your goals. Quarterly, semi-annual, or even annual reviews are standard, along with times of significant changes in your industry. Stay on top of emerging trends, technologies, and content formats to remain relevant.
Examples of Owned Media in Action
Now that we know what owned media is and how to use it, let's take a look at how some leading companies have executed their owned media strategies in the wild:
Morning Brew (Email Newsletter)
Morning Brew's expertise in utilizing email for its owned media strategy lies in its ability to captivate readers from the moment they open their inboxes. Their newsletters are concise, punchy, and packed with insightful business content. By striking the right balance between informative and entertaining, Morning Brew has become a trusted source that keeps readers eagerly awaiting the next email.
PopSugar (Website)
PopSugar's immersive website serves as a one-stop destination for all things lifestyle and entertainment. By providing high-quality content that combines informative articles, eye-catching visuals, and interactive elements, PopSugar engages its audience and creates an addictive online experience. They tailor their website to diverse interests, which effortlessly captivates and connects with their audience.
Barstool Sports (Self-Hosted Videos)
Barstool Sports has carved out a niche by delivering raw, unfiltered, authentic content. They've honed their expertise in creating compelling content that captures people's attention. With their edgy and unapologetic style, Barstool Sports delivers an entertaining perspective on sports and pop culture with videos that have become a go-to source for fans seeking bold content.
Hello Sunshine (Community)
Hello Sunshine's purpose is to champion women's stories and perspectives across various forms of media. They leverage their community platforms, such as Reese's Book Club, Unicorn Space, and Fair Play, to attract individuals who value diverse perspectives, authentic connections, and a sense of belonging.
Owned Media Metrics and KPIs
How you determine your metrics and KPIs largely depends on the strategies at play. But there are consistent benchmarks to focus on when measuring paid, owned, and earned media performance.
Here are some tips and key metrics to evaluate:
Measuring owned media performance
Tracking owned media performance depends on the specific channel. Each channel has unique metrics that offer relevant insights into its performance. By tailoring your tracking approach, you can comprehensively understand their individual performance.
For example, AudiencePlus provides various tools to measure owned media performance. It allows you to gain insights into the content that genuinely captivates your audience at individual and account levels, enabling you to make informed decisions. The Audience Engagement Score is a unique value, a crucial indicator of audience health, and a leading metric for your sales pipeline.
Metrics to track owned media
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Site Traffic
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Page Views
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Bounce Rate
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Unique Visitors
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Email Open Rate
Measuring paid media performance
Gauging the effectiveness of paid media boils down to tracking ROI. Data analysis using advertising platforms and web analytics tools provides valuable insights into campaign performance and cost efficiency.
Metrics to track paid media
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Cost Per Click
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Click-Through Rate
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Conversion Rates
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Return on Ad Spend
Measuring earned media performance
The goal of measuring earned media performance is to assess the impact and effectiveness of organic publicity. Tracking key metrics supplies valuable insights into how your brand resonates with the audience and public perception.
Metrics to track earned media
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Mentions
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Social Shares
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Impressions
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Engagement Rate
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Referral Traffic
Risks and Challenges of Owned Media
Having explored the numerous advantages of owned media, you might be wondering if there's anything it can't do.
The biggest challenge of using a predominantly owned media strategy boils down to one thing: time! It requires considerable resources and effort to produce high-quality and relevant content consistently. Additionally, vying for attention and visibility among fierce competition from other brands adds another layer of complexity.
Nevertheless, these challenges are not impossible to overcome with the right approach. Let's break it down:
Content Quality and Consistency:
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Assess: Are you producing high-quality and relevant content consistently? How can you maintain a consistent brand voice and messaging across various owned media channels?
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Approach: Develop a content strategy that aligns with your target audience's needs and preferences. Establish content creation guidelines, editorial calendars, and approval processes to ensure consistency.
Audience Engagement:
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Assess: How do you attract, engage, and monetize your target audience without losing trust? Are you effectively growing your audience and building a loyal community?
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Approach: Utilize tactics like SEO optimization, social media promotion, email marketing, and collaborations with influencers to expand your reach and engage your audience. Monitor analytics and gather feedback to refine.
Measurement and ROI:
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Assess: How do you measure the success and ROI of your owned media efforts? Can you effectively demonstrate the business value generated by your owned media investments?
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Approach: Define clear metrics and KPIs aligned with your marketing objectives. Leverage analytics platforms like AudiencePlus to track and measure the impact of your owned media on website traffic, engagement, conversions, and customer retention.
Platform Dependence:
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Assess: Are you relying too heavily on a single platform for owned media distribution?
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Approach: Diversify your owned media channels and platforms to reduce reliance on a single entity. Invest in building a robust website and email list, and explore other distribution channels that align with your audience's preferences.
Keeping Pace with Tech:
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Assess: Are you staying updated with evolving trends, new tech, and shifts in audience behavior? How can your owned media strategy be adapted to leverage emerging platforms and tools?
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Approach: Monitor industry trends, invest in research and learning, and leverage data and analytics to inform your decision-making. Embrace innovation and be open to experimenting with new technologies and approaches.
Investing In An Owned Media Platform
The frustration of being unable to prove the value of owned media can be a major headache. While Martech stacks have tools to measure paid and earned media, they often struggle to capture the impact of owned media.
This pain point arises because showcasing the ROI of the resources and efforts invested is challenging. It becomes even more critical with the changing landscape of data privacy regulations, as marketers need to find new ways to collect consumer information.
Without clear metrics and insights, the true impact of owned media on essential business outcomes like brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue generation is challenging to demonstrate tangibly. The lack of concrete evidence hinders budget allocation decisions. It may lead to frustration for your CFO, who seeks to understand the financial impact of owned media marketing on your company's bottom line.
However, AudiencePlus is paving the way to address these challenges head-on. As the only owned media software for marketers, it offers a comprehensive suite of tools that enables you to go beyond surface-level metrics like impressions and views.
One key feature that resonates with CFOs is the Audience Engagement Score. This metric indicates audience health and is a leading indicator for the sales pipeline. By mapping custom journeys by account or subscriber, you can illustrate how owned media contributes to lead generation, customer acquisition, and overall revenue growth. This level of visibility into the customer journey and its impact on the bottom line is invaluable when presenting your case to your CFO.
Get a demo of AudiencePlus today and be at the forefront of revolutionizing your owned media strategy.
