If you’re involved in Christian media, you know how important it is to control the environment where you present the gospel.
For decades, Christian broadcasters have provided media producers with a safe haven through which you could distribute your content.
Today, online content syndication has become so hot, more Christian producers are trying to develop a direct-to-audience strategy that they control themselves.
I have been asked several times recently about the pros and cons of producers using YouTube or building their own platform.
In short, it’s understandable why anyone would want to utilize YouTube, given the vast size of their audience. But I believe establishing syndication channels that you completely control is a good strategy.
The big idea to be considered is, should new entrants to content syndication move beyond or off YouTube and replicate the ‘family’ friendly controls managed by Christian broadcasters?
I’ve contrasted the two approaches.
Control of the content
YouTube: YouTube provides creators with top flight infrastructure and a colossal audience. However, the YouTube Terms of Service says: “YouTube reserves the right to remove Content and User Submissions without prior notice.” So, YouTube takes the view that it can remove a video for any reason it likes. That’s definitely something to keep in mind, especially if you’re engaged in broadcasting the gospel and thinking long term. Still, it’s natural to want to go with the media platform that has the most eyeballs. Just remember, it’s their audience, not yours.
YourOwn: In your own space, whether your using an app, a home grown video-hosting platform, or a Christian syndication partner, it’s your content and your audience. You’re in the driver’s seat.
Control of the distribution
YouTube: Who can argue with YouTube’s size? It’s BIG business. One billion unique visitors per month. Six billion hours of video watched. Over 100 hours of video uploaded each minute. It’s natural to want to go where the viewer’s are.
YourOwn: How large is your existing audience? What is your current reach? Do you have a media and marketing budget? These are things to be considered when determining whether to build your own service or join forces with a distribution platform that shares your values and understands you mission. You have audience now, and they engage with you in an environment that you completely control. The goal is to leverage that audience to build out your online platform. Your current size, and how aggressively you promote, will have a direct impact on how long it will take you to build. But you can start small, control costs, and scale until your new destination grows traffic in sufficient numbers.
Control the income
YouTube: YouTube by and large controls most of the inventory. They offer ad rate splits, and subscription packages (for premium content only), however it would likely be difficult for niche Christian programming to generate much revenue this way. You can build an audience, but monetizing it would have to come in some other way. Still, the bottom line is, YouTube controls their financial playing field.
YourOwn: If you build it, you own the real estate inside and out. Whether it’s a mobile app, or a video hosting platform, you have control over revenue generation. Advertising. Syndication. Sponsorships. Donations. Integrated marketing campaigns. The works.
The Internet has removed barriers for creating content and having that content seen. In the past, YouTube may have been the only option for syndicating your content. Not anymore.
From the smallest niche programmer to the largest churches and networks, the opportunity is to take control of your online content and your audience. In the end, the best path for you comes down to a risk/reward analysis. Which approach will minimize the risks and maximize the rewards?
Your doctor will tell you to take control of your health to reduce your risk of health problems. Likewise, the more control you have over your online content, distribution, and income, the lower your risk.