Lately, as I’ve been talking to a few potential clients, the subject of them not having a website came up. A discussion ensued with each about the differences between owned media and rented media. And then my dear friend Nadia Vanderhall posted the image here, and it summed up my argument perfectly. So here’s the gist, to sum it up for those who are curious…
Owned media is just what it says – an outlet you own for marketing your business. Typically, it’s your website and your email list. Rented media is basically someone else’s outlet that you’re allowed to use to market your business. Think Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn – basically social media and a few others (like an employer’s website that “gives” you a page).
These potential clients had convinced themselves that since they had a Facebook business page and an Instagram account, they were set. But here’s why I argue against that and why this image is so on point:
When you depend on rented media, you’re depending on someone else to act in your best interest. You’re depending on the algorithms at Facebook and Instagram to show your posts to all of your followers (not the LOW percentage they start off with). You’re depending on those same followers to share your posts so that you’re seen by others for your audience to grow. You’re depending on your employer’s website (including your page) to be optmized, and for all pages to have indexing allowed (an expense many businesses don’t invest in…but that’s another story for another post).
But with your website, YOU own it. YOU set your own narrative. YOU decide what goes on there. YOU decide the search phrases you want to be found for and optimize for them. YOU look at the content by others that you’re sharing, see the gaps in what you want shared, and create your own content to fill them. Plus, you’re not depending solely on the search functions of sites that weren’t built to be search engines to show your information; you’re leveraging the power of ACTUAL search engines! (Much of this same information applies to email lists, but again, that’s another post altogether).
An elaborate website isn’t needed. While SBN Marketing doesn’t offer website design services, we can certainly help if you go the DIY route. We also work with some AMAZING designers, if you need a referral. Interested in setting your own online marketing narrative? Use the button below to to shoot us an email, and let’s chat!