Why Marketers Need To Get Their Corporate Blog Off Of Medium & Substack, like, today

In the bustling digital marketplace, platforms like Medium and Substack have emerged as popular havens for content creators and marketers. Their user-friendly interfaces and built-in audiences offer undeniable allure. But as with all things that seem too good to be true, there are caveats. If you set up your corporate blog on Medium or use Substack for your company's email newsletter, now's the time to reconsider. Here's why.

Lack of Ownership and Control

Let's start with a simple truth: when you build your corporate blog on platforms like Medium and Substack, you're essentially renting space. Think of it like living in an apartment. Sure, you can decorate the inside, but you can't knock down walls or build an extension. Here's what that means for your content:

• Terms and Algorithms: Just like a landlord can change the rules, these platforms can update their terms of service or algorithms. It's happened on every major social media channel and it's also happened on Medium (which you can read about, if you have a Medium account).
• Design and User Experience: One of the original features of Medium, "You don't have to spend time, money, and effort on designing your blog", quickly becomes a negative. No brand palette management, no embedded newsletter signup, no social sharing. And on Substack you can have any color you like as long as it's orange.
• Monetization: Imagine building a loyal audience and then having the platform change its monetization rules. This also has happened on Medium (which again you can only find out about if you have a Medium account). A platform that truly supported B2B, SEO-focused blogs is within its rights to charge its customers, but charging their customers' customers?

Medium and Substack offer convenience but they also hold the reins. You're at their mercy. And for businesses that value their independence and long-term stability, that's a pretty big pill to swallow.

Branding Limitations

You spent a lot of effort (and probably money!) building a brand that reflects your company's values, fingerprint, its unique voice, and visual identity. Now, when you're on Medium or Substack, here's what you get (miss?):

• Uniform Look: Both platforms have a pretty distinct look, right? And while it's sleek and reader-friendly, it's also... well, kind of the same for everyone. They both have the color scheme of a house that's recently been put up for sale. Nineteen shades of taupe. It's okay that a lot of corporate blogs look similar - there are features that they all need. But not being able to even use your brand colors?
• Limited Customization: Can't use your fonts. Can't connect your CRM or your email newsletter signup form. Can't add your custom analytics events. B2B marketers are just not their target.
• Consistency Across Channels: If you've got a website, social media channels, and other platforms, you want a consistent look and feel everywhere, right? With Medium and Substack, achieving that seamless brand consistency is a bridge too far.

Audience Data Limitations

Data, data, data! In the digital age, understanding your audience is the key to success. It's like having a map that guides your content strategy. But when you're hosting your blog on Medium or Substack, there are some roadblocks you might hit:

• Basic Analytics: Both Medium and Substack offer some analytics, but they're pretty basic. You'll get insights like views, reads, and claps on Medium, and open rates or click-through rates on Substack. But if you're looking for a deep dive into user behavior, you might be left wanting.
• Third-party Integrations: Here's where things get a bit tricky. Medium doesn't allow for integrations with popular analytics tools like Heap Mixpanel. So, you're pretty much stuck with what they offer. Substack, on the other hand, is primarily an email newsletter platform, so while you can see who opened or clicked on your email, detailed website analytics are off the table.
• Demographic Insights: Want to know the age, location, or interests of your readers? While some platforms offer these insights, on Medium and Substack, this data is limited. And for marketers, this kind of info is gold.
• Conversion Tracking: If you're trying to track conversions, like newsletter sign-ups or product purchases, you'll find it challenging on these platforms. Without the ability to integrate with advanced tracking tools, measuring ROI can become a guessing game.

In a nutshell, if you care about making data-driven decisions, Medium and Substack might not hit all the right notes. While they offer some insights, if you're looking to truly understand your audience and optimize your content, you might need to look elsewhere.

Platform Dependency and Long-Term Viability

Imagine building a beautiful sandcastle right at the water's edge. It looks fantastic, but as the tide comes in, you're left scrambling. That's a bit what it's like to rely solely on platforms like Medium and Substack for your content strategy. Here's why:

• Changing Tides: Just like the ocean, digital platforms are ever-changing. They can introduce new policies, shift their focus, or even change their business model. Remember Vine? It was all the rage and then, suddenly, it wasn't. Relying heavily on one platform can be risky.
• Migration Woes: If you ever decide to move your content elsewhere, it's not always a walk in the park. Transferring subscribers, posts, and maintaining SEO rankings can be a Herculean task. If you are on an Orchestra blog and decide to leave, we set up redirects for all your content. On Medium, not so much.
• Monetization Changes: Platforms have the power to change their monetization strategies. If they decide to take a bigger cut or introduce new payment structures (which, again, has happened multiple times), it directly affects your bottom line.

SEO Concerns

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is like the compass that directs potential readers to your content. It's crucial for visibility in the vast ocean of the internet. But when your content is anchored on platforms like Medium and Substack, there are some navigational challenges to consider:

• Domain Authority: When you post on Medium, the traffic goes to Medium's domain, not yours. So, while your article might rank well, it's Medium that's soaking up all that domain authority. It's a bit like doing the hard work and someone else getting the credit.
• Duplicate Content: If you're thinking of posting the same content on your site and Medium, tread carefully. Search engines aren't fans of duplicate content, and it can impact your rankings. It's like singing the same song on two different stages; one performance might overshadow the other.
• Limited SEO Tools: On your own website, you can use a plethora of SEO tools, tweak meta tags, and optimize every element for search. On Medium and Substack? Your hands are tied. You have to play by their rules, and those rules might not always be in line with best SEO practices.
• Link Building: While Medium articles can attract backlinks, those links point to Medium, not your site. And in the SEO world, backlinks are like gold. It's a missed opportunity to boost your site's authority.

Wrapping Up

While Medium and Substack have revolutionized the content creation landscape, they started as tools for individual content creators. B2B marketers, initially appealed by the ease of use and setup, started adopting them.

But as with any decisions there are drawbacks, and those are becoming clear. From relinquishing control and facing branding constraints to navigating the murky waters of audience data and SEO, there's a lot to consider. It's crucial for marketers to weigh the conveniences against the limitations. As you chart your content strategy, ensure it's built on a foundation that aligns with your brand's long-term vision and growth.

Looking for a blog platform that's optimized for B2B marketers?

Orchestra's digital marketing platform is perfect for you. It's got all the features you need built in:

• Perfect SEO out of the box. Automatically-optimized images, static site rendering, plus support for JSON-LD structured data to help you show up on page one.
• Use your brand;. Your logo, your color palette, your fonts, and more.
• Connect your newsletter signup form. Drive signups so you can engage with readers on a personal level.
• Build domain authority. Orchestra's blog platform operates as a subdomain so backlinks, clickthroughs, and search rankings all boost your company's online reputation.

Ready to get started? Sign up for Orchestra and we'll migrate your existing content for free.