In marketing and communications, earned and paid media are cornerstones, and owned media is the foundation. Each of them, especially together, help engage your audience with your brand. Focusing on owned media is important because you’re directly in control of owned media with regards to the creation, hosting and distribution of material.
So how do you get started with your owned media? We’ve said it before: have a strategy. First, do a quick analysis of where you are. What owned media are you already using, if any? What are you missing? Owned media includes things like your branded web site, landing pages and blogs and email marketing campaigns. It’s also important to determine what content you have about your business and services, as well as your product and knowledge of your industry. Based on your analysis, you can start filling in the gaps.
If you don’t yet have a web site, this is a great time to start. Web sites not only help your existing and potential clients find you, but they provide a place for you to control your message (more on that next week!). Blogs and landing pages on your web site accelerate this process. Remember, it’s important that the content you’re creating, and sharing is relevant to your message and audience. Our article, 5 Reasons Why Content is King, can help you better understand the world of content creation.
Secondly, the use of photos and videos in marketing continues to be on the rise and is the leading preferred method of information consumption. Statistics show that video and photos boost conversions and sales! This a wonderful type of content that can easily be created and shared out – on your web site, blog, e-newsletters, in presentations and beyond! You don’t necessarily have to hire an accomplished videographer to capture your message. Cell phone videos and photos go a long way these days. We have a whole list of free tools you can utilize to create visual content: 10 Tools and Tactics to Grow Your Business
Lastly, consider launching an email marketing campaign like a company newsletter. You’ll need to collect email addresses to form a list of recipients to start. Then, like your blog and web site, create exciting content that your audience can connect with.
If you’re feeling behind or overwhelmed by what you need to accomplish to get owned media moving or simply don’t have the budget at this time, take it one step at a time. Start with content creation. Develop your messages and information about your business and setup your social media accounts. Create a content calendar and post regular, quality content, photos and videos. This will get you into a routine for when your web site and e-newsletter are up and running.
It’s important to remember that something is better than nothing and you have to start somewhere. So, make owned media a priority and build from there. The best part about owned media? YOU are in control.