Maximizing the Impact of Your Owned Media Strategy

In 2024 and beyond, owning your destination’s story isn't just a luxury—it's a necessity. The way we communicate, the platforms we use and the strategies we implement have shifted dramatically, emphasizing the power and control that comes with owned media. But to truly harness this power, it’s essential to understand how to maximize its impact.

Destinations are asking too much from their audience when they ask them to “book now” in a paid ad. We need to shift that focus from buying ads to promoting content. At Relic, we operate under the philosophy of Content–Community–Commerce that makes the most of an owned media-centered strategy. Let's dive into a few points that destination marketers can consider to maximize their owned media outputs.?

Understanding Owned Media

Owned media refers to the channels and platforms that you have full control over, such as your website, blog, podcasts, online series and more. These are the spaces where you dictate the narrative, directly engage with your audience and build long-term relationships without the interference of paid gatekeepers.

The beauty of owned media is that it allows you to craft and maintain a consistent brand message across all touchpoints, while also spending your marketing budget efficiently. It lets you own access to your audience, rather than renting access through avenues like billboards or digital ads. It’s where your brand voice can shine, where you can tell your story your way and where you can build a loyal community of followers who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer. In our Owned Media Series on the Destination Marketing Podcast, we dove into how this strategy allows destinations to tell their stories in a way that is authentic and aligns with their brand identity. Stuart Butler of Visit Myrtle Beach and I emphasized the importance of consistency across all owned media channels. This consistency helps to reinforce your brand message and create a cohesive experience for your audience.

The Foundation of a Strong Owned Media Strategy

To maximize the impact of your owned media, you need a strong foundation. This begins with understanding your brand and your audience. Who are you speaking to? What are their interests, needs and pain points? And how does your brand uniquely address these? Knowing your audience is the first step to cultivating your community.

Creating detailed personas can be a game-changer here. A persona isn't just a demographic profile; it’s a deep dive into the motivations, behaviors and challenges of your ideal audience. When you have a clear picture of who you’re speaking to, you can tailor your content to resonate deeply with them, turning casual visitors into engaged followers and, ultimately, into loyal advocates.

Content is Still King

Once you understand your audience, the next step is to create content that speaks directly to them. This isn’t just about pumping out meaningless blog posts or simple social media updates—it’s about crafting high-quality, valuable content that provides real solutions, entertains or inspires your audience.

In the tourism industry, content can take many forms—podcasts that highlight hidden gems in your destination, video series that capture the history of local festivals or photo essays that showcase the natural beauty of your region. The key is to ensure that every piece of content serves a purpose and is aligned with your overall strategy.

But don’t stop there. Consider the lifecycle of your content. How can you repurpose a popular blog post into a series of social media updates, a podcast episode or an infographic? Maximizing the use of each piece of content across different platforms not only saves time and resources but also amplifies your message across multiple touchpoints. One of the most important aspects of this strategy is making your marketing dollars as sustainable as possible.?

The Power of SEO and Distribution

Creating great content is only half the battle—you also need to make sure people see it. This is where Search Engine Optimization and effective distribution strategies come into play.

Once your content is optimized, think about how you’ll distribute it. This could mean sharing it through your email newsletter, promoting it on your social media channels or even collaborating with content creators or partners who can help spread the word. For my podcast, the Destination Marketing Podcast, we utilize all three of these strategies to promote the show. The goal is to get your content in front of as many relevant eyes as possible, driving traffic back to your owned channels. This is also where paid media comes into play– the most effective use of paid tactics is to promote your owned content, bringing more eyes to your most important content.

Engaging Your Audience

A crucial aspect of owned media is the ability to engage directly with your audience. This is how the content stage moves into the community stage. This isn’t just about broadcasting messages; it’s about creating conversations. Respond to comments on your blog or social media posts, ask questions and encourage your audience to share their own experiences.

User-generated content is another powerful tool here. Encourage your followers to share their own photos, videos or stories related to your destination, and then showcase this content on your channels. Not only does this provide you with authentic content, but it also builds a sense of community and loyalty among your audience. This sense of community will turn your audience into advocates, and in turn they will visit your destination and bring others to your brand as well.

Measuring Success and Iterating

Finally, to truly maximize the impact of your owned media strategy, you need to measure your success and be willing to iterate. Use analytics tools to track which content is performing well and which isn’t, and be prepared to tweak your strategy based on these insights.

Look at metrics like page views, time on page, social shares, and conversion rates to understand what’s working. But also pay attention to qualitative feedback from your audience—what are they saying in comments or emails? Are there recurring questions or themes that you could address in future content?

By continuously measuring and iterating, you can ensure that your owned media strategy remains effective and aligned with your audience’s evolving needs and interests.

Owned media is one of the most powerful tools in a destination marketer’s arsenal. It offers unmatched control and the ability to build deep, lasting relationships with your audience which in turn leads to increased commerce with less ad spend. But to truly maximize its impact, you need a clear strategy grounded in understanding your audience, creating valuable content, optimizing for SEO, engaging directly and continually measuring and refining your approach.

In the end, owned media is about more than just control—it’s about creating a space where your brand can authentically connect with your audience, inspire action and build lasting loyalty. So, invest the time and resources into getting it right, and the results will speak for themselves.