Paying for link clicks has become the norm in Digital Marketing. Acronyms such as CPC (cost per click) are ones that we have become extremely familiar with. However, the internet, which stands for ‘interconnected networks’ was designed on the premise of creating and publishing hyperlinks. As the modern internet continues to commercialize, the platforms we use daily progressively restrict us from that ability. The ability to create and publish our ‘own’ links. The links to the many digital properties we have spent countless hours creating. Here are a few short descriptions of how they do so:

Facebook gives you the notion that you’re able to publish links as posts however those posts are immediately downgraded by the algorithm in news feed. Unless you boost them of course.

Instagram provides you with ONE link, now known as the ‘Link in Bio’. Links are not allowed in posts, stories, live videos, or reels. If you have 10,000 followers or more, you are granted access to adding ‘Swipe Up’ links to Stories. Obviously, this rules out the large majority of users and is designed to make you spend all your time publishing content on Instagram to attempt to get to 10,000 followers. This benefits Instagram, NOT you.

YouTube allows links in the description however users must expand the description toggle on the mobile and web app to view the links. Lately even the toggle has been overlayed by ads which take up all the real estate below the video thus adding an extra layer to hide your links.

Google essentially requires your website to rank high in order for you to appear in the top ten search results for your targeted keywords. Again, more ads are now displayed on the first page of search results and therefore your link will get pushed back even further. Unless you pay for ads of course.

Are you seeing the trend here? The power of the link is being stripped from you. Here are various ways you can work towards reducing digital marketing spend and building ownership of your links and the traffic you drive to your digital properties:

1. Convert your Followers to Subscribers

You spend a great deal of time curating content and publishing to various platforms. You do so in the effort to increase visibility to your products and services and to build community and a following. The problem is that you do not own the audiences that you build on each of these platforms. As organic reach continues to decrease, so does the access that you have to these followers. Therefore from the time you create your social accounts, you should be converting followers to true Subscribers where you capture at least their First Name, Last Name and Email Address. Another modern trend is to also capture the mobile number of users for SMS marketing.

2. Convert your Website Visitors to Subscribers

As you direct traffic to your website you likely capture the audience via Facebook Pixel. While this a great digital marketing tool, you can only make use of it by creating ads. Therefore, ensure that Subscription is an integral part of your website funnel.

3. Email Marketing

Broadcast emails are still an extremely powerful tool, if not the most powerful. An email is an opportunity to provide a series of organized and cohesive links to your audience. Something that none of the platforms provide you.

4. SMS Marketing

SMS marketing has now become a common and accepted way of communicating with your audience. In addition, you can include links which becomes another channel to link off to your various digital properties and calls to action.

5. Get your communications on smart phone Lock Screens

Rather than attempting to land high on social feeds, focus on getting your messaging on the lock screens of your audience. Visibility from email and SMS notifications on their lock screens are guaranteed whereas feed posts are not.

I have taken these five strategies and literally built a complete service around them. Subscriber allows you to continuously convert your followers and website visitors by allowing them to subscribe without filling out any forms. Subscriber uses social logins and allows your users to subscribe with Facebook, Google, Apple, Email or SMS. You can then download all the user information including their First Name, Last Name, Email Address, City, State and Country. Now you OWN your audience.

Try the Subscriber demo: https://www.onsubscriber.com/demo

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