B2B Marketers, Hedge Against Social Media Uncertainty with Owned Channels

With just over a week remaining before TikTok’s divestment deadline, the pressure is on for companies to evaluate their marketing strategies and prepare contingency plans. Regardless of TikTok’s fate in the U.S., this situation underscores a larger issue: the inherent instability of social media platforms.  

While TikTok’s case is unique, platform volatility is not. Twitter saw a 23% user decline following its 2022 X rebrand, and Meta continues to face ongoing privacy concerns. These examples highlight an unavoidable reality: secure access to any platform—and its audience—is never guaranteed.  

In this time of social media uncertainty, B2B marketers must prioritize owned media to mitigate brand risk and ensure sustainable audience engagement.  

What is Owned Media?  

Owned media refers to channels and content that are self-originated and thus a company fully controls. Key examples include:

• Website: A company’s most visible brand asset, serving as a hub for news releases, white papers, videos, and data visualizations.  

• Podcast: As high-quality recording software becomes more accessible, branded podcasts, like Thermo Fisher’s Science With a Twist, offer platforms for executive interviews and peer discussions.  

• Newsletter: Providing a glimpse into company culture, newsletters (e.g., Greenough’s Inside the Moments that Matter) offer subscribers an insider’s perspective on new initiatives and developments.  

• Blog: A vital tool to host industry articles and thought leadership pieces, blogs, such as CorVel’s Workers’ Comp Blog, educate customers and spotlight company expertise.  

• Events (digital and in-person): Annual summits foster relationships between key stakeholders. With hybrid models, attendees can hear updates from company leaders in the comfort of their office. (e.g., Inovalon’s Empower)

While some sources classify organic social media content as owned media, this definition does not fully account for the platform risks raised in the above. Social media is more accurately considered shared (or borrowed) media, per the PESO Model^©.  

The Owned Media Landscape  

Although “owned media” is often grouped with other media categories, it's possible to see this category’s individual growth within wider content marketing strategies:  

• 9 out of 10 marketers leverage blogs to achieve content goals (SEMrush, 2023, as cited in HubSpot, 2024)  

• 71% of B2B marketers leverage emailed newsletters, and 63% use non-newsletter email marketing (Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, 2024)

• In-person events (55%) and webinars (55%) are equally popular, with digital events trailing at 40% (Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, 2024)  

• 25% of marketers use podcasts (HubSpot, 2024) and 91% of marketers plan to maintain or increase podcast investments in 2025 (HubSpot, 2025)

• The most underutilized owned media channels include branded online communities (14%), online learning platforms (13%), and mobile apps (8%) (Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs, 2024)  

Challenges in Maximizing Owned Media

Despite increased investment in owned channels, ensuring content resonates with target audiences remains a challenge. For B2B marketers, this issue often emerges early, as many (45%) struggle to align their content with the buyer’s journey. Without a clear strategy that addresses pain points, answers common questions, or even empathizes with shared struggles, owned media efforts can feel like a shot in the dark.  

Compounding this issue, only 29% of marketers believe that their current content strategy is extremely or very effective—highlighting the real consequences of misalignment. To secure ongoing investment in owned media, marketers must clearly demonstrate ROI and ensure alignment with broader business objectives.

Fortify Owned Media Strategies

To overcome persistent challenges and explore new potential for success, B2B marketers should adopt the following best practices:  

1. Quality over quantity: Prioritizing a high volume of content without strategic focus can dilute impact and disengage audiences. Focus on providing audiences with high-value takeaways—such as exclusive industry data, customer testimonials, or expert insights.  

2. Align content with business goals: Achieving consistent ROI starts with identifying target audiences and tailoring content to their preferred channels and formats. Strategic CTAs should effectively demonstrate value to drive conversions.  

3. Explore underutilized formats: Reimagine traditional formats with interactive webinars, VR experiences, e-learning courses, and industry tools. These alternative formats engage audiences in new ways, while driving traffic to owned channels.  

Owned Media Makes the Difference

When B2B marketers prioritize owned media, they garner three major benefits:  

1. Shorten conversion cycles by driving audiences directly to company-owned platforms.  

2. Reduce dependence on social media algorithms, minimizing disruptions to marketing KPIs.  

3. Greater control over brand messaging and reputation, avoiding risks with evolving social media content moderation policies.  

Social media is a powerful tool to increase brand awareness, reach new audiences, and establish industry authority. However, amid ownership overhauls and policy changes, overreliance on third-party platforms may leave content strategies vulnerable to inherent platform risks.  

By investing in owned media, B2B marketers gain lasting control over company messaging and audience engagement, ensuring marketing success no matter how social media platforms evolve.  

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