Digital Media – More Than Just Facebook and Google
“Media” is a broad term that includes within it a variety of tools and channels but is often referred to in terms of paid media alone. In essence, every company runs and manages three different types of media:
Internal owned media – The company’s digital assets that are managed independently and do not include or require payment to an external source for their use (except for the cost of the technological platform). The media is most important, as it turns to first-party data. Namely, the data of users interested in a brand who visit the brand’s digital space, in real-time. This media includes:
The brand’s website – All the marketing tools found on the website – banners, popups, recommendation engine, etc.
Company blog – Promotion of the brand’s marketing content.
Social – The assets activated by the company (Even though they do not own the platform and therefore do not have full freedom of action).
External owned media – The digital tools and channels that enable the brand to initiate contact with its customers. Proper data collection and management enables the brands to build a direct data infrastructure that can sometimes be equated to that of Google (hundreds of thousands of email addresses of phone numbers). The main advantage of this media is its ability to precisely target customers at relatively lower costs than paid media. This media includes:
- SMS
- Push notifications
External paid media – The media that most brands manage and lean on. Media that the brand acquires from outside sources, generally from Google and Facebook’s networks. This media is paid for according to set criteria – clicks, exposure, etc. This media includes:
- Google and Facebook’s promotional networks
- Outbrain and Taboola’s content platforms
- Media exchanges or direct purchases
- Partnership activities
Earned media – Any time of mention or communication regarding the company that is not directly initiated by the marketer. Many times, earned media is the result of organic exposure to media that generates a positive dialogue and multiple shares, or as the result of good public relations that cause customers to transform themselves into “brand ambassadors.”
It is recommended to integrate earned media with owned media, such as quoting positive customer reviews on your brand’s website.
Facebook and Google have enabled smaller brands to engage in digital activities, just as freely as larger brands (budget issues aside). The gap between the smaller and larger brands can be surprisingly noted in the use of owned media. Precisely the type of media that has lower direct costs and creates greater brand control and competitiveness vis-à-vis larger brands. The reason for this is that these activities demand professional resources and supporting technologies. Small and medium brands that adopt long-term marketing strategies can implement these practices and act like big players, while reducing costs in the interim.
