In our exploration of the journey from expertise to authority, we’ve established a framework for evaluating whether specific content you create based on your expertise is worth publishing: Does it align with your expertise? Does it serve your objective? Does it speak to your audience? Once you have content that passes all three tests, you’re ready to publish.

But where?

I’ve broken the available publication platforms into three categories: those you own, those you rent, and those you pitch. And for each type of platform, we’ll consider the criteria that will influence your decision: content, discoverability, connection, credibility, and income.

Platforms You Own

Just as owning a home gives you complete control over renovations, landscaping, and house rules, owning your publishing platform gives you maximum control over your publishing presence.

The most common owned platform is a blog on your own website. The advantages? When it comes to content, you call the shots. You can write with a bolder voice, stake out a more distinctive position, or explore emerging ideas that might be too niche or too soon for rented or pitched platforms. And whatever you publish, you own outright—the intellectual property is yours.

In terms of connection, you can solicit contact information from visitors via a sign-up form or pop-up. You could go further and require sign-up to access your content, though most creators don’t — the added friction tends to deter casual readers, and managing gated access adds a layer of technical complexity that isn’t always worth it. Either way, the subscribers you do collect are yours: you own those relationships and can contact them directly.

What are the downsides? When it comes to discoverability, there’s no algorithm choosing what to present to visitors—every reader you attract is through your own effort. And in terms of credibility, a platform you own carries only the credibility you bring to it yourself. There’s no borrowed authority from a recognized platform name or an established publication.

I’ve experimented with owned platforms. Early in my writing career, I had a blog, mainly because it was the common advice regarding reader outreach at the time. I published when inspiration struck, meaning that sometimes months would pass with no new content. I didn’t have a clear goal; I just posted because I was supposed to.

The lack of strategy showed in the results: sporadic traffic, no consistent readership, no clear authority building. An uninterested content creator is unlikely to attract the interest of readers, and that was the case for my blog. When I migrated my website from one host to another, I didn’t even bother carrying my blog content forward.

Who is an owned platform best for? This choice works best if you already have a robust followership—fans who are willing to make the effort to navigate to a site specifically to read your content.

Platforms You “Rent”

When you rent an apartment, you don’t own the building, but you have your own space within it. The landlord maintains the property and makes decisions about renovations and policies, and you live with those decisions.

The equivalent in terms of content publishing options would be platforms like Substack, LinkedIn, and Medium, where you can publish using their infrastructure.

On most of these platforms, you retain rights to your content (but always check the terms and conditions of any third-party platform you plan to use). You have more creative latitude than on a pitched platform—no editor will push back on your take or ask you to soften a position—though the norms of the platform’s community may shape what resonates with readers.

In terms of discoverability, these platforms offer meaningful advantages: people can find your content without knowing about you specifically since the platform’s algorithm can surface your work to new readers. And you benefit from publishing tools, email delivery, and analytics without having to build them yourself.

When it comes to connection, many rented platforms allow you to collect email addresses when someone subscribes, and unlike owned platforms, where gating content requires additional technical setup, rented platforms often build this in by default.

When it comes to credibility, rented platforms vary in what they confer: publishing on LinkedIn signals professional relevance; publishing on Substack signals membership in a community of serious writers and thinkers. Neither carries the editorial weight of a curated publication, but both carry more implicit credibility than an unknown personal blog.

The downside of a rented platform is that you’re subject to its rules, algorithms, and policy changes. If Substack decides to adjust how it surfaces content to non-subscribers, your ability to attract new readers could shrink overnight. If LinkedIn adjusts what content it promotes, your reach changes. Just as a landlord’s decisions about property maintenance impact the renters who live there, so your presence on a “rented” platform will be impacted by the decisions that platform makes.

My primary “rented” platform is Substack. I was prompted to experiment with it by the fact that when speaking on or consulting about authority-building platforms, I frequently got questions about it, and I didn’t like having to report second-hand advice.

I found I enjoyed the experience, and the other content being posted there created a “neighborhood” I wanted to live in—thoughtful, long-form writing—unlike, say, X. My enjoyment of the platform provided incentive for me to post consistently, and the benefits of content ownership and discoverability trumped the downside of less technical control and being subject to the platform’s behind-the-scenes workings.

Who is a rented platform best for? These work best for those prioritizing reaching new audiences.

Platforms You Pitch

The third type of platform are those you pitch: industry publications, established online journals, or guest posts on respected blogs. You submit a proposal or an article and wait for editorial decisions. You have no control over whether your piece gets accepted, when it publishes—or if it will publish at all. The only control you have is whether to submit a pitch.

When it comes to content, editorial control belongs to the publication. You might withdraw content if the platform wants changes you’re unwilling to make, but you risk jeopardizing future opportunities with that outlet. You typically retain rights to your work after an exclusivity period (as always, read the contractual fine print), but publication timing and presentation are out of your hands.

In terms of discoverability, pitched platforms offer access to established, often large audiences you couldn’t reach on your own. The publication has already done the work of building readership, and you benefit from that investment when your piece runs.

Credibility is where pitched platforms shine. Not all platforms carry equal weight, and an article in a respected publication signals something different than a post on your personal blog, even if the content is identical. This is especially valuable if you’re establishing yourself in a new field.

And pitched platforms are the only category that regularly offers direct income. While rates vary widely—and many smaller publications don’t pay at all—this is a meaningful distinction from owned and rented platforms, where income is usually indirect, flowing from the authority you build rather than from the content itself.

Are there downsides? Besides the lack of control over the outcome, pitched platforms typically don’t give you access to readers’ contact information, limiting that route to connection. And pursuing pitched platforms requires willingness to craft content to editorial standards, work through revision processes, and play by someone else’s rules. You can choose to share your content on platforms you own or rent; you can only attempt to share your content on platforms you pitch.

Who are platforms you pitch best for? These are best for those looking to gain credibility, access established audiences, and generate an additional stream of income.

What’s Your Choice?

When you assess the criteria for choosing a platform—content, discoverability, connection, credibility, and income—which of the three types seems best aligned with your goals?

If an owned or rented platform is the best fit, narrow the choices by considering where your target audience already consumes content. Ask your followers and subscribers directly—even if you only have a handful. You’ll get direct feedback from people who are accurate avatars for your audience, and you’ll strengthen your connection with those fans by asking their opinion.

If your audience consists of people who are already devoted fans of your work, they may be willing to seek out content on a platform you own. If they’re senior professionals building a second-act career, they’re likely already on LinkedIn or another rented platform. If your audience consists of retirees planning their finances, they may prefer the credibility of established “pitchable” publications.

Pick one platform and commit to that choice for at least six months—long enough to learn the mechanics, build momentum, and see whether it’s serving your goals. Scattered effort across multiple platforms dilutes your authority rather than building it. You can expand later.

Owned, rented, and pitched platforms each have their strengths and limitations. Knowing which trade-offs matter most to you is the first step toward publishing strategically rather than just publishing.

Matty Dalrymple guides professionals in building their presence through her consulting services and her workshop “From Expertise to Authority: Building Your Professional Presence for a Sideline or Second Act.” Learn more at https://www.theindyauthor.com/authority.

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