I’ve written previously about the concept of digital sharecropping, which means creating content on platforms you don’t own. My favorite way to say it is “building on rented land.” In much the same way that you wouldn’t build a house or plant crops on land that someone else owns, it’s just not a good idea to create content on platforms that other people or entities own. In light of the recent TikTok drama in the US, and all the digital creators who will be impacted if the ban actually goes into effect, I thought it would be worth revisiting this topic. Boutique recruitment firms, particularly start-ups, are often attracted to digital platforms due to their accessbility, ease of use, and low-to-no costs. But there are risks. Here are some examples of building on rented land:
- Video that you create, but all of your videos are hosted on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc.
- Articles that you only publish on sites like Medium or LinkedIn
- Your DIY website that isn’t self-hosted
- Your connections on LinkedIn or Facebook that you can’t reach except through those platforms
When you create content on platforms that you don’t own, you are subject to the whims of the owner. This means you can run into issues like:
- Features being removed without warning or input
- Algorithm changes that impact who sees your content
- Having content removed for violating “terms of service” … event if you haven’t
So, what can boutique recruitment firms do to protect their assets? First, concentrate on the things you actually own, which are:
- Your email list
- Your self-hosted website
While you always own the copyright on content you create (videos, blogs, etc.), if you are posting it on sites that you don’t own you do not own the distribution or visibility of that content. In some instances, it may not be easy to download or otherwise capture. And it’s being monetized to benefit the owner(s) of the site(s) where it resides.
Here is my advice:
- Make immediate plans to convert your hosted website to a self-hosted website.
- If you don’t have a website, it’s time to get real about having one. In this day and age, businesses that cannot be found online are at a massive competitive disadvantage.
- Download all content that you created that only exists on third-party platforms.
- Post your content on your website FIRST. Repost it on social and other third-party sites, with links back to your own site.
- Share content directly with your opted-in email recipients. Ensure you have multiple lead generation options on your website.
Boutique recruitment firms may not have the budgets of larger enterprises, but it’s still vitally important to own and control all of your digital assets. Outsourcing to third party platforms is easy and inexpensive, but risky.