Online Platforms - Paid Earned and Owned Media
In the post Do you Really Need a Website we discussed the idea of going online and the smart way to do so.
Now, let’s look at the platforms available to us when we decide to show up.
All marketing platforms can be put into one of three categories, based on the level of access you get—or how they allow you to be “present.”
Paid Earned and Owned
Take an expert in a particular field—someone who makes products or offers services based on their expertise.
Because they are so good, television channels invite them onto breakfast shows. Podcasters and bloggers chase them for interviews and articles.
This is an example of earning time and visibility on platforms owned by others. The platform owner gets valuable content for their audience, and the expert gets visibility.
The same expert can also pay for that visibility: buying advertising space on TV, radio, in newspapers, or Google placements and social media ads. These are Paid platforms.
Then the same person can go ahead and start a website, a YouTube channel, or a podcast that they own—an Owned Platform. Now the content is theirs, the voice is theirs, and the audience too is theirs.
Things to Consider
People often celebrate the “awesomeness” of having their own platforms. They’re not wrong. But there are a few realities to weigh up.
Why does one have to pay a TV channel or a newspaper to be featured? Because they already have what the person paying doesn’t—an audience.
Why do experts get invited to TV shows or podcasts? Because the platform owners need content for their audiences.
With both Paid and Earned, the audience is already there. To get in front of them, you pay—either with money or with your time and expertise.
With Owned platforms, the control is yours. But so is the responsibility. The burden of building and maintaining an audience rests on you. That takes strategy, planning, and proper execution—and it takes time.
Here’s the point—irrespective of the platform, you end up paying. The currency you pay is different, so you need to know what you want in return for your “payments.”
Summary: Paid, Earned, and Owned Platforms
| TYPE | What It Is | Cost/Currency | Audience | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid | Ads or placements you buy on someone else’s platform (TV, radio, newspapers, Google Ads, social media). | Money | Already built by the platform owner | None – you rent visibility |
| Earned | Coverage you get because of expertise, credibility, or relationships (interviews, mentions, guest blogs, podcasts). | Time, effort, expertise | Already built by the platform owner | None – you’re invited |
| Owned | Platforms you create and control (website, YouTube channel, podcast, newsletter). | Time, consistency, resources | You build it yourself | Full – but also full responsibility |
The Balance
Paid, Earned, and Owned are not rivals—they’re parts of the same mix.
The smart move is to be present where it matters, not everywhere all at once.
Remember the purpose of visibility and marketing.
In the posts that follow, we’ll look at more stories and case studies that show how to strike that balance and build presence with intent.
Because online, presence isn’t just about being seen—it’s about being chosen.
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