Owned Media | Glossary

What Is Owned Media?

Owned media is privately owned media content created, controlled, and published by a company. The content is usually digital, although some companies create journals or hard-copy newsletters. Websites, publications, and videos are examples of owned media used to attract new customers, serve current ones, raise the company’s profile, and distribute marketing items. Social media profiles are not true examples of owned media since these online platforms have some control over user content.

Owned media differs vastly from earned or free media. Earned media is created by third parties that make content about companies and individuals. It also differs from paid media, such as online and television advertising. Owned media includes private network news, newspapers, interviews, editorials, blogs, and forums.

Advantages of Owned Media

Owned media has its own distinct characteristics. Your company’s owned media offers several advantages over earned media.

Customer Bonds

You can use your media to create stronger bonds with your customers, offering them updates about your services, highlighting satisfied customers, and introducing new products. You can use multiple channels to connect with your audience on a regular basis.

Control

Owned media’s biggest advantage is control. When you put out content on your forum, you own the message. You can present the information you want in the most favorable light. No one else can alter your content as they can with earned media. That’s not to imply that your information is incorrect, just that you can share your point of view without restriction.

You also control the timing of owned media"s publication. Information about your company is released when you want it to be without any surprises.

Cost Effectiveness

Owned media saves you money because it is less expensive than paid media. The cost of advertising on most media platforms is high, and you cannot control the rates. With owned media, you can post as much content as you want on your existing forums and promote your products extensively without additional cost.

Disadvantages of Owned Media

No one type of media can meet all your company’s needs. While owned media can effectively present your message, it has some limitations.

Resource Investment

Creating and maintaining owned media requires time, money, and expertise. Just keeping your website up-to-date can be expensive. Producing publications and videos is labor-intensive and demands technical knowledge. You must compare the cost against the potential ROI before deciding how many resources to invest in these efforts.

Message Reach

The reach of owned media depends factors like the size of your audience and the power of your distribution operation. While this reach can certainly grow over time, you need to manage your expectations in the short term and work toward long-term results.

Measuring Results

Determining paid media’s effectiveness is difficult and requires sophisticated analytics. Even then, measuring ROI is challenging.

Consumer Trust

Since you control the content of owned media, consumers may be wary of your message. To earn their trust, you need to create content that is fair and balanced. If problems arise with your products or services, address them openly and honestly. Otherwise, your customers will consider your material propaganda.

Unsplash/Matthew Fournier

Owned Media Strategies

Owned media offers multiple challenges and can be ineffective without proper planning. You can improve your owned media’s effectiveness by creating thoughtful strategies.

Search Engine Optimization

SEO efforts are key to reaching your audience. You need your content to rank high in search engine results, particularly on Google. Google"s analytics aren"t transparent, but studies have identified some important factors in its ranking system. One such study tied the length of an article or blog to ranking on the first page of Google results. It found that the average article there was 1,447.

Identifying the right short- and long-tail keywords is another vital step in ranking. Today’s search engines require strong SEO efforts when you use owned media.

Valuable Content

This strategy may seem obvious, but if you read owned media you will quickly learn that some of it has little value. You cannot engage your audience with dry, repetitive blogs or newsletters. You need fresh, informative content. It should have educational value or entertainment value, preferably both. You need to give customers a reason to devote their time to reading it.

You may have internal writers who are skilled, but you can also hire expert content writers from an outside source such as Scripted.

Boost the Message

Publishing your content is only the first step. It’s pointless unless you have a significant readership, so you have to promote your blogs and articles. Your SEO efforts will help, but you also need to post your content on social media channels. Encourage your employees to promote content on their personal accounts. You cannot require them to do so, but many will be happy to help, especially when the content is valuable.

You can also combine your owned media with paid media. Use a blog post or article as a paid advertisement on social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X.

Owned Media: An Important Tool

Owned media should be part of your media arsenal. When combined with earned media and paid media, it ensures that your material reaches your target audience. When you craft meaningful content and deliver it through multiple free channels, you are almost certain to expand your customer base. When done well, owned media enhances your company’s reputation, improves profits, and garners customer loyalty.

Scripted offers you expert resources to hone your owned-media efforts. We offer experienced content writers and advanced marketing tools, including the latest AI innovations. To learn more about Scripted’s many services, complete a brief online form or call 1-866-501-3116. Reach out today for help with your owned-media strategy.

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Search engine optimization is firmly embedded in mainstream marketing and is a necessary element of any company’s marketing plan. About one-third of the world’s population now buys online. They also look for local services there. To survive and thrive, your company needs to master the elements of SEO strategy.

Scripted can help you develop this strategy through its SEO tools, quality content writers, and AI marketing services. For more information, fill out his brief online form or call 1-866-501-3116.

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