A few weeks ago @patio11, @blakeir, and @nbashaw, talked about how brands need to become media companies.

Here's data on why we started doing this 3 years ago with 7 podcasts/video series (even though we're bootstrapped).

Put another way - here's why you need a podcast.

The crux of the argument comes down to density. We're all chasing an increasingly dense market with increasingly dense channels of acquisition that we don't own.

Don't believe me? 2/

Well take a look here. CAC in #B2B and #DTC rose 70% in the last 6 years, meaning that customer you once got for $100 now costs $170.

Sure, different channels rise at different rates, but all costs are going up.

As @andrewchen talks about - all channels become pricey. 3/

You may think, "wait...new channels open up, right?"

Not really.

The last major marketing channel to open up was in 2015 (Snapchat) and this is why we're all re-inventing existing channels like ABM which I like to call "sales from 2010".

The game has become reinvention. 4/

So in a dense market, what's your moat?

It's brand and content - something you offer those you're trying to attract that provides value/entertainment. @brendan / @csavage talk about this all the time. @dharmesh/ @bhalligan made the space.

The goal is to have the relationship. 5/

So I should just have a blog right?

Well, you need to go further.

The max avg # of touch points you can expect for a B2B blog is 1.6 per week, meaning at best you can expect people to come back to your content 1.6 times per week.

What's it look like for media companies? 6/

Media companies enjoy an avg of 5 touch points per week - bloomberg is at 7.2 and The Information is at 6.4.

This is why @theSamParr, @austin_rief, and @mkobach have gone all in on modern media strategy. 7/

To boil down 3 years of research to one tweet:

Media companies are the best in the world at driving traffic and audience, but the worst at monetizing that traffic, so copy the former and do something else for the latter (software).

Yea, it's not easy, but that's the gist. 8/

Not convinced? Ok.

More data.

Here's the CAC data, but now I've included video and podcast marketing channels. CAC for these channels is well protected. People connect with stories and a brand that speaks to them (quite literally), so customers convert more easily. 9/

Need more?

Well here's a willingness to pay study we did where we showed the difference in WTP for folks who consumed content from a brand.

Note how we're looking at a 10-30% lift on WTP for folks who consumed content. 10/

Density in the markets makes this inevitable, and the thesis @web developed around the law of linear commerce applies not only in the world of #DTC, but also in the world of #B2B SaaS - everything is leading to going media. 11/

Now how do you best create shows?

Well, you need to head over to the content my good friend @Jay_acunzo puts out with his team. He's essentially pivoted his whole business to helping people understand shows. 12/

Ok back to my analyst tent.

If you thought this data was worth at least $1, retweet the thread. Want to get this knowledge in the hands of everyone.

Also, give me a follow @patticus and reply to this thread if you want more on how we did this @profitwell /fin