Owning your audience. The shift from rented to brand-direct.

The perils of rented audiences

If you're anything like me, you've spent years relying on Google, Meta, or TikTok to reach your customers and fuel growth. This approach relies on “renting your audience”, meaning you rely on external platforms to communicate your ads and content without directly owning the connection.

This renting of attention has been a stable way to grow for years. The trouble is that it’s increasingly risky. Giving platforms the ability to control who sees your content is placing your growth in someone else's hands, exposing you to sudden changes, increased costs, and declining effectiveness.

Take social media as an example. Organic reach on Facebook has fallen to about 2.6%, meaning barely anyone sees your posts unless you pay extra. Instagram isn't much better at around 4%. Marketing on these platforms is increasingly unpredictable, expensive, and ineffective.

Brands can't depend on search either. HubSpot, the content marketing poster child, recently lost around 75% of its organic search traffic from Google in the last 12 months.

It’s a clear reminder that, no matter how good your content strategy is, you can’t control how platforms choose to distribute it.

Navigating new rules and uncertainty

Regulations are also making rented audiences increasingly unstable. TikTok has faced bans and a looming sale. X has faced questions over brand safety. Meanwhile, in the UK, new HFSS regulations will stop many brands from running paid ads for products high in fat, sugar, or salt online and on social media.

Industry giants are responding to these challenges. Just last week, WPP acquired InfoSum, a tool helping brands use privacy-compliant first-party data more effectively in media. This move shows how seriously companies are taking the shift toward owning their audience data, and why we (as brand owners) need to take action too.

Why owning your audience matters

Owning your audience means communicating directly with your customers without a third-party platform getting in the way. It's not about complex databases or loyalty programmes. It’s about truly understanding your customers and what they care about. When you have direct connections, your marketing becomes more effective because you speak clearly and directly to the right people.

Reckitt’s approach

I recently chatted with Sameer Amin from Reckitt on my Beyond the Brand podcast, who explained the importance of targeting their advertising effectively. We were discussing Finish, the dishwasher brand, and Sam explained that roughly half of UK households don't own a dishwasher, meaning that traditionally half their ad spend could easily be wasted by reaching people who would never use their product.

By gathering specific customer data directly, like whether a household owns a dishwasher, Reckitt can ensure its campaigns reach only the people who genuinely need dishwasher tablets. This targeted approach dramatically improves media efficiency and ensures their budget is spent effectively. Additionally, this valuable audience data helps them to refine targeting on platforms like Meta and Google, making these channels far more effective.

Every brand can benefit

Direct audience strategies aren’t limited to online or direct-to-consumer brands. Direct customer data is vital even if your products sell primarily through retailers. Knowing exactly who buys your products, and why, allows every marketing decision to be smarter and more precise.

Offering genuine value

The best way to build your audience is by offering real value. For example, a skincare brand might create quizzes that offer personalised advice. Snack brands can send samples directly to interested customers. At Sampl, we see firsthand how targeted product sampling campaigns help brands build valuable databases while naturally delighting customers.

Customers willingly share information when they receive something truly useful in return. Ensuring the value exchange feels fair and worthwhile is key.

Simple steps to start owning your audience

Here are practical tips to help you begin owning your audience:

1. Start small: Collect only essential information initially, such as basic contact details or simple preferences.
2. Make CRM relatable: Provide useful, engaging content rather than constant sales messages.
3. Apply insights: Use insights gained from direct customer interactions to refine your marketing.
4. Engage creatively: Try interactive content, targeted sampling campaigns, or engaging competitions to encourage participation.

Getting ahead by owning your audience

Brands that start building direct audiences now will have a significant advantage in the future. It's about direct, meaningful connections, clearer insights, and ultimately a more robust and resilient brand.