What does it Mean to “Control Your Platform?”

I regularly give the same advice to many questions that seem unrelated. That advice is “as much as possible, you want to control your platform.”

I say that when people ask me:

• Where should we be livestreaming to?

• What social media platforms are most important?

• Should we podcast?

• How do we set up email?

These seem like very different questions, right? Of course they are, to some degree. But one consideration they have in common is the importance of “controlling your platform.”

What's a Platform?

It's your content's distribution channel.

• Controlled by others: Facebook (Meta), YouTube (Alphabet). They dictate the rules.

• Open platforms: Email, podcasting (RSS). You have more control.

You’ve noticed the problems created by letting others control your platform. Meta can mute your livestream if their algorithm is poorly configured. Your content can be rejected if their automated systems are poorly configured. Your content or ads can be reduced if you make “political” posts, or post about social issues. Those are core concerns for many nonprofits! You have to play by their rules and their whims. That makes it harder for your organization to communicate. 

However…in your email newsletter, you can communicate openly about social issues. In your podcast, you can share openly about political concerns. As long as you respect spam rules with email, you’re in control.

While one podcast directory or another might label you “For Mature Audiences,” no company has the ability to fundamentally shut down your podcast. 

That is why I say, “as much as possible, control your platform.” You are more powerful when you are in control of your platform. 

Alright. Cool Theory, but it might seem to you that you don’t really have a choice in the matter. You have no control over whether Facebook is an open platform, or email is an open platform….

So what can you do with this idea?

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Here’s a Scenario:: Your nonprofit wants to host a live-streaming event. You want to advertise it for months ahead of time, then host a cool livestreaming event.

So where do you stream to? Will viewers watch your stream on YouTube? Facebook? Vimeo?

Here’s what I suggest by default: stream to your website. Why? Your website is a platform you control. Instead of promoting a link to your YouTube channel, promote a link to your website: www.mynonprofit.com/FebruaryLiveStream. On that page, you have a live-streamed video, and there are dozens of ways to set that up. 

This puts you in control. Use whatever service you want to make the live stream work, embedded on your website. Perhaps you use one of the big companies (Vimeo or YouTube), but perhaps you use a less well known company (I like Bunny.net, personally). Your donors/viewers don’t know, and they don’t care. If this tech company gives you problems….just switch. You’re in control. 

Now, let me respond to a few rebuttals or questions you might have.

But don’t we want to Live Stream to YouTube? After all, it’s the second biggest search engine on the planet! That’s correct, YouTube is the second biggest search engine on the planet. It’s massively important. But do you think, as you live stream, dozens of people will stumble across your live stream and join in?

I doubt it: organic discovery of a live stream is rare. That’s just not how their algorithm promotes live streams. If your situation is different, perhaps you should consider streaming to YouTube. Perhaps the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. But for most nonprofits…streaming to YouTube doesn’t help much. The benefits of controlling your platform are much bigger.

But don’t we want our video hosted on YouTube? It’s the second biggest search engine on the planet! Notice the difference in these two questions. The first is about where to stream. The second is about whether or not you should put the video on Youtube after the stream. In this case, I agree strongly. After the event, put your video content on YouTube! Even though Alphabet controls the platform (YouTube), there are still tons of advantages to having your video content on YouTube. 

However…many nonprofits will also want to duplicate much of their video content, keeping it also on their website. If you have some great story about client success, you want that on your website and social media. When you want to send a donor a link to this story, send them to your platform, not YouTube. Let them see your other great video content. Otherwise, every time YouTube changes its interface, you have no control. You can’t ensure your donor stays with your content, instead of getting distracted by cat videos (or another nonprofit). 

Finally…

So controlling your platform is powerful…in the medium-term. It’s also not the only consideration when designing your communications strategy. If you took this principle too far, you would abandon Meta, and all other social media platforms. That’s probably not a good idea; there are still good reasons to use social media that others control.

But! Even with that caveat, as much as possible….control your platform.