How many people are on Facebook? On Instagram? On WhatsApp?

Staggeringly huge potential audiences, in the hundreds of millions – if not, billions.

But these networks offer surprisingly little reliable reach of your messaging; that is, the total number of people guaranteed to see your content.

Why do you think that every successful content marketer plugs so much time into building mailing lists, and developing their own recognizable web presences outside of these social media “great attractors?”

Because that is the only way to build greater reliable reach, on your own terms.

Our blind spot when it comes to social media, is that we conflate “ease of access”, with effectiveness.

Because we can crank out a ton of content (either text, imaging, audio, or video), and blast it out everywhere, doesn’t mean that we’re effectively reaching our intended audiences, or reaching them in large enough volume to actually create influence.

From personal experience, I can tell you that even if I write an extremely popular thought piece, and get it published on a high traffic site – I actually get more direct responses to my messaging when it appears on local television, or when it appears in one of my local newspapers.

So – am I saying that you shouldn’t focus on digital, or social, for your content and messaging, and stick with traditional media?

No.

What I am saying is, that there is no such thing as a free lunch; that you will have to pay for influence and reliable reach on these digital channels.

And that you must consider all channels when crafting your messaging.

Building a strong brand and reliable reach takes time. For most, this process takes years, and involves content delivered via a mix of new and traditional media.

Choose your channels carefully and intentionally. Understand where your audiences live. Look – and think – beyond social media, to maximize your reliable reach.

Go, and be you.