Owned media is a term used to describe channels that you directly control such as social media, community forums, your website, blogs, newsletters, and even your product itself. It is usually used in contrast to earned media, which refers to media relations that results in “earning” a placement in a news outlet.
- Owned channels allow you to tell your brand story in all its glory.
Unlike earned media, owned channels allow you to tell your brand story in full, using whatever words, phrases, and tone you feel will resonate with your target audience and teach them whatever they need to know. Most importantly, you don’t need to rely on a third party to tell your story or worry about your words being taken out of context by a reporter. You tell your story your way. - Reinforce your brand’s unique visual personality.
Having a great product or service alone is rarely enough to secure or grow your position in the market. Investing in a strong brand architecture is a must for any company looking to achieve sustained success. A strong brand identity (logo, typeface, color palette, website design, and so on) will distinguish your company from competitors, and promote trust and credibility, shaping audience perception from the very first interaction. Your owned content channels then become the arena from which this exceptional brand can be amplified. - Get creative with how you message to your audience
Audiences are being fed more content today than ever before. Making your message easily heard and understood can be challenging. Sometimes earned media is the best route. Other times, messaging needs to be broken down into smaller bites or presented in different formats. By utilizing everything from text to photos and video to infographics, you can unleash the full creative identity of your brand to make yourself memorable and reach the widest swath of users. - Drive audience engagement and grow trust
Owned channels provide a mechanism for two-way communication between you and your audience. By maintaining a strong, consistent, and positive line of communication with your community, you’ll be well-placed to cultivate connection, foster retention, and inspire advocacy. Holding a megaphone is no longer enough to grow your brand. You also need to listen to and engage with your target audience. - Data-driven decision making
Your owned content channels are a valuable source of data and insights, which can be used to better understand your audience. Combining the science of analytics and the art of creative execution, you can continuously try new approaches, assess performance, adapt and evolve. You can work out what channels your audience segments are most engaged with and exactly how you should message each individual audience.
