All month I’m exploring the channels that shape a fandom. Here’s a quick recap:
Last week I wrote about the Discovery Channel which is where people first wander into your fandom.
This week we’ll be discussing The Ownership Channel (read below)!
Next week I’ll cover the Intimacy Channels (where closeness and belonging begin) and the week after that I’ll be sharing about Community Channels (where fans create meaning together).
Now let’s get into it!
Last week we talked about discovery and the edge of the fan orbit. Discovery Channels (social media, Substack notes, Google search, AI, referrals) are places where people wander and stumble onto your space. These channels create the first pull, but they are not where your world/business/fandom can live.
Ownership channels are the grounded spaces you control. They ask more of you, but they also give something back that the discovery platforms never will.
But let’s quickly get on the same page. When I say Ownership Channel, I mean the places that belong to you. Websites, newsletters, archives, libraries, and any environment where your work is not rearranged by someone else’s priorities (feed, algorithm, filters, etc). These channels have weight and can require a bit of a slower build and larger investment.
Examples of Ownership Channels:
A website you own
A newsletter that lands in someone’s inbox
A blog or archive that keeps your work in one place and findable by search (on and off your site)
A membership or community space you host (broadly…this will break out into Intimacy Channels and Community Channels)
A shop or library of your products, courses, or downloads
Any home for your work that is not shaped by someone else’s algorithm
Why ownership matters in the fan orbit
In the Orbit of Huge Fandom, the center is the thing fans love. The lore is the meaning and the story. Ownership channels shape the container where that meaning can stay alive. They hold the history of your world so fans can return to it again and again. But your Ownership Channels do not fully host your fandom! See my graphic below…
Ownership Channels also shift the energy and the ask. Discovery allows people to visit. Ownership invites them to stay.
A strong Ownership Channel changes how your orbit moves and behaves (think of it as your fan culture). It slows things down in a good way and can create depth and consistency. It gives people a sense of place. Fandom cannot form inside an environment that forgets everything every twenty-four hours.
Ownership Channels are where your world becomes durable. And we love something strong!!
What ownership makes possible
When someone enters your orbit through a Discover Channel (let’s say Instagram), an Ownership Channel should be where they land (your newsletter or website). Ownership channels allow you to:
Build a body of work instead of isolated pieces
Tell longer stories that unfold over time
Create a place fans can point to when they talk about you
Develop rituals and rhythms that do not depend on algorithms
Shape the feeling of your world with intention
Protect the space where you and your fans meet
Within an Ownership Channel, people took that step to hear or learn about you. They slow down to read, interact, watch, and contribute because (typically) you’re not competing with anyone else.
Why Ownership Channels get overlooked
Ownership does not guarantee reach. There is no algorithm pushing you out to thousands of people. There is no quick hit. There is no accidental virality.
This is why many people avoid ownership in the beginning. It can feel quieter. Sometimes I hear that “it’s not worth it.” It requires presence. There are fewer dopamine hits. You have to build the world and that takes time and money. You can take it slow or do it quickly. But you should start building it intentionally.
Intention is not the same as slowness. A world built with care is sturdy. The real vulnerability comes from building inside platforms that can rearrange everything with one product decision. At one point, Instagram was chronological. Now it’s basically just a sharing app. TikTok was removed from the app store only a bit ago. Search is being transformed by AI. Recently ChatGPT stopped citing Reddit. Things change fast.
Questions to ask when choosing an ownership channel
Sooooo how do you choose? Choosing an Ownership Channel is not about picking the trendiest platform or copying what someone else is using. Please please please don’t do that! It is about choosing a place where your fans (sometimes a fan can be a customer, a follower, a reader, a listener) can actually live. Here are nine questions to help you understand whether an ownership channel is the right one for you:
Does this space feel like the right home for me and what I’ve built? Does it hold the tone, the pace, and the type of storytelling I want to do? Do I enjoy using it? Can I make it look the way that I want? (This is a huge reason why some of my agency’s clients choose specific channels - they want it to look the way they want it to look!)
Will this platform still serve me in two years? Look at the structure. Is it stable? What is the software or platform’s stated goals? Does it support long-term work? Can it grow with me instead of boxing me in?
What do I actually control here? Do I own my content? Do I own access to my audience? Can I move my world somewhere else if I need to? (The most straightforward example of this is…can you download your posts, your audience’s information, and their billing info anytime you’d like?)
Does this channel allow me to build the kind of relationship I want with my fans? Some platforms support depth (search, cross linking, customization). Some support easy transactions (Apple Pay) vs owned transactions (Stripe). Some support conversation (sync, async, forum, comments, etc). What does this one make possible?
Does this platform support the business model I am moving toward? Memberships, shops, courses, newsletters, paid communities, events. Does the platform strengthen or limit what I want to offer?
Can my world expand inside this platform without breaking? If I grow (traffic, members, orders), will this platform grow with me? Or will I outgrow it in six months?
Does the technology match my capacity? Do I want something simple and guided? Do I want something flexible and powerful? Do I have the support to maintain it?
What happens here if the platform changes the rules? Am I protected? Can I pivot? Does my world remain intact if the platform updates, pivots, or restricts something?
Does this channel invite people to stay, not just visit? Does it help people return to the world I am building and deepen their understanding of it? Or is it cluttered, overwhelming, or shared with others?
PS If you want to talk through channels, you can always book a time to chat with me here.
A home for the world you’re making
If discovery is the doorway, ownership is the foundation. It is the place your world can live with some stability. It is not always where people gather or hang out, but it is the space that holds everything together. It communicates who you are without needing constant explanation and it gives your work a home base that does not shift with every trend.
Ownership channels give your fans something important: a consistent place to return to. People do not build fandoms inside environments that disappear, reset, or rearrange themselves every day.
Next week, we will move into the Intimacy Channels. These are the spaces where closeness forms, where fans feel seen, and where the relationship shifts from “audience” to “participant.”
