The battle for website ownership: A decision that shapes growth For years, businesses have debated who should own the company website: IT or Marketing ? The answer has remained a grey area... until now. The reality is that in 2025, the website is no longer just a digital brochure. It's the center of an integrated marketing system if you're starting, and, if you're advanced, the core node of an automated growth engine that generates, captures and converts leads. It's a primary revenue driver for any type of company, of any size. In other words, Marketing must own the website, and IT should enable it. Why? Because websites today are business tools , not technical infrastructure projects. Companies that treat their websites as marketing-driven assets outperform those still shackled by IT’s control. And if your website is still controlled by IT, you're playing with handcuffs on . It’s relatively straightforward to break down why. The old model: IT as the website gatekeeper Traditionally, IT controlled websites because they were responsible for: Hosting & security Backend development Infrastructure maintenance Performance optimization This model made sense when websites were static, and digital presence wasn’t a core part of business strategy. But that time is long gone. The problem with IT-led websites? They move too slowly . Every change becomes a ticket, every update takes weeks. IT prioritizes stability over speed, security over agility —which are all essential, but not at the cost of growth. In a digital-first world like today, websites need to adapt quickly to market demands, SEO trends, A/B tests, and evolving customer behaviors . Marketing, not IT, is best equipped to manage this. Why Marketing must own the website in 2025 1. Websites are revenue-generating assets Your website isn’t just a source of information : it’s a conversion engine that must be optimized daily. And Marketing understands: Customer behavior Lead generation & conversion rate optimization (CRO) SEO & content strategy Analytics & performance tracking IT does not specialize in these areas. Expecting IT to lead a business-critical growth tool is like asking a finance department to run sales operations. 2. Speed & agility win in digital business Marketing teams need control over: Landing pages A/B testing & experimentation Real-time content updates Personalization & automation If IT controls the website, marketing teams lose time, momentum, and competitive advantage . Businesses that move fast, like Tesla , Amazon , and Apple , let marketing drive the website while IT supports it. 3. IT should enable, not control Let’s be clear: IT is crucial , but their role should be technical enablement, not ownership . IT should: Maintain security & compliance Optimize performance & uptime Enable API integrations & technical support Provide scalability & infrastructure stability But they should not dictate content, lead generation strategy, or user experience . The role of budget & business strategy Two common counter-arguments to this debate: “The business owns the website, not IT or Marketing.” Correct. The website serves the entire business , but ownership must reside with the team responsible for growth and demand generation —which is Marketing, not IT. “Whoever controls the budget owns the website.” Also true. The budget for the website usually sits with demand generation, growth marketing, or digital marketing , because the website is the foundation of digital revenue . That alone is a clear indicator of who should own it. Case studies: How smart companies manage website ownership Tesla & Apple: Marketing-driven digital ecosystems Tesla and Apple treat their websites as sales platforms, not IT projects . Everything is designed around customer experience, conversion, and direct engagement. Marketing owns the strategy, while IT provides backend support. Amazon: A hybrid model with marketing in control Amazon is a tech-driven business, but Marketing dictates user experience, personalization, and optimization . IT enables scale and infrastructure, but they don’t control the strategic direction. Legacy corporations: Stuck in IT-owned websites Older corporations with IT-led websites struggle to keep up with digital-first competitors. Their websites are slow to adapt, poorly optimized, and fail to generate meaningful business impact. The final verdict: marketing must own the website, IT must support it. The website is not an IT project. It’s a revenue driver. Marketing needs to control content, UX, analytics, and conversion strategy . IT needs to support security, scalability, and infrastructure . Companies that let Marketing own the website outperform those that don’t. The question isn’t who should own the website. It’s who is responsible for business growth ? That’s Marketing. Period. How to transition website ownership to Marketing C-suite decision: If IT still controls your website, shift ownership to Marketing today. Use no-code & marketing tech stacks: Platforms like Wix Studio , Webflow , and HubSpot empower Marketing to operate independently. Redefine IT’s role: IT should enable security, scalability, and integrations—not block updates or slow down execution. Adopt the right website strategy: Treat your website as a growth tool, not an infrastructure project . What’s your take? Let’s debate. This is a polarizing topic, and I expected pushback when writing it. So let’s hear it: 🔥 Should IT still own the website, or is it time for Marketing to take full control? Drop your thoughts below. The future of digital business depends on it. About the author Manelik Sfez, founder of the Swiss brand consultancy Ultrabrand, brings 25 years of international business, marketing, and brand strategy experience to the table. He has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands throughout his career. From luxury goods to global retail, financial services and technological and industry giants, he has guided companies through brand-led transformations that have enabled significant business growth. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneliksfez/

Social media strategy in 2025 Social media is no longer just about posting content and hoping for engagement. In 2025, it’s a dynamic ecosystem where businesses must be strategic, data-driven, and adaptable. With algorithms changing constantly and AI playing a bigger role, companies that stick to outdated tactics are doomed to fail. This article breaks down the latest insights from Metricool’s 2025 Social Media Study, debunks common myths , and provides actionable steps to create a high-impact social media strategy that actually drives business growth . The state of social media in 2025: Where should you focus? According to the latest study of 21 million posts across 8 platforms, the respective performance of each network has shifted: LinkedIn is thriving for B2B engagement and organic reach. With more professionals using LinkedIn as a content discovery platform, long-form posts, articles, and networking-based interactions are driving impressive results. Instagram Reels engagement is declining, while YouTube Shorts is growing rapidly. As attention spans shrink, short-form video remains powerful, but YouTube Shorts has an advantage in discoverability and retention. TikTok remains dominant for younger audiences but faces regulatory risks. While TikTok still offers excellent engagement, ongoing scrutiny in key markets (such as the US and EU) makes it a riskier investment for long-term strategy. Facebook still holds value for community building and niche targeting. Many assume Facebook is dying, but it remains effective for localized marketing and groups, particularly for small businesses. Where should businesses invest? B2B businesses: LinkedIn is a must, especially for thought leadership and lead generation. E-commerce brands: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are the strongest platforms for showcasing products through video content. Local businesses: Facebook and Instagram remain powerful due to geotargeting features and local community engagement. SaaS and tech companies: YouTube and LinkedIn are top choices for educational content and lead nurturing. Social media strategy myths that are wasting your time & money Myth 1: "Post every day to stay relevant" Reality: Posting frequently without a clear strategy is a waste of time and resources. Instead of churning out daily content, businesses should focus on consistency and quality. One well-researched, engaging post per week can outperform five generic posts . Myth 2: "More followers = More sales" Reality: Having a large audience doesn’t guarantee conversions. Brands with fewer but highly engaged followers often see better results because their audience actually interacts with their content and makes purchasing decisions. Myth 3: "Organic reach is dead" Reality: Organic reach has changed, not disappeared. It requires a combination of interactive content, video, and community engagement. Platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok still offer strong organic reach if content aligns with audience interests. Myth 4: "You need to be on every platform" Reality: Trying to maintain a presence on every platform spreads your resources too thin. Instead, a good social media strategy in 2025 should focus on 2-3 platforms where your target audience is most active and where you can create high-quality, tailored content . Myth 5: "You should go viral" Reality: Virality doesn’t necessarily lead to long-term business success. A viral post might increase brand awareness for a short period, but consistent, well-planned content nurtures relationships and drives sales . Paid ads vs. organic: should you invest or grow organically? The truth about paid social Paid social media speeds up audience growth and conversions , but not all businesses need the same level of investment. The best-performing ad platforms depend on industry and goals: LinkedIn Ads: Expensive but highly effective for B2B lead generation. Facebook/Instagram Ads: More affordable but require precise targeting to prevent wasted spend. TikTok Ads: Great for brand awareness but less effective for direct conversions unless you have a young audience. What’s the right mix? A balanced strategy works best: Start with organic content to establish credibility. Use paid ads to accelerate growth and target warm audiences. Retarget visitors who have engaged with your content but haven’t converted. The ROI of social media: What’s worth the budget? How to measure social media ROI Businesses often focus on vanity metrics like likes and shares, but real ROI comes from: Engagement rate: Indicates how well content resonates with your audience. Conversion rate: Measures the percentage of visitors who take meaningful actions. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) : Calculates how much you’re spending per lead or sale. What do businesses actually spend? Mid-sized businesses spend $7,000-$10,000 per month on social media marketing. B2B companies allocate more to LinkedIn and long-form content. B2C brands invest heavily in influencer partnerships and TikTok campaigns. How AI is changing social media strategy in 2025 AI in content creation AI tools can help automate tasks like: Content repurposing: Transforming blog posts into LinkedIn carousels or YouTube scripts. Scheduling and analytics: Tools like Metricool and HubSpot optimize posting times and track performance. Copywriting assistance: ChatGPT and Jasper can speed up content creation but still require human refinement. What AI can’t do (yet) Despite advancements, AI still struggles with: Replacing brand authenticity: AI-generated content often lacks emotional depth and personal touch. Creating original thought leadership content: AI can remix existing ideas but doesn’t provide new insights. Engaging with customers in a meaningful way: Automated responses can’t replicate real human interaction. How to create a social media strategy in 2025 that actually works Step 1: Define your business goals Before posting, clarify what success looks like. Are you aiming for brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales? Each goal requires a different approach. Step 2: Pick the right platforms Instead of chasing trends, analyze where your audience actually spends time and focus your efforts there. Step 3: Set up a content system Successful brands don’t rely on random posting. Develop a repeatable content system that aligns with audience preferences. Step 4: Measure performance the right way Track metrics that matter (conversions, engagement, revenue impact) rather than just likes or impressions. Step 5: Optimize and adjust Data should drive content decisions. Experiment with formats, analyze performance, and refine your approach accordingly. The one thing no one tells you: Social media is not an instant miracle Many businesses expect fast results from social media and get impatient when they don’t see immediate traction. While social media can deliver faster visibility than SEO, it is often less reliable, far less stable , and requires consistent effort to see meaningful returns. Why organic social media growth is slow Your brand is competing in a sea of content , with over 3 billion users posting constantly. The algorithm needs weeks or even months to identify your ideal audience and distribute your content effectively. Consistency is key. The #1 reason businesses fail on social media? They give up too soon. The #2 mistake? Constantly changing strategy in response to short-term engagement fluctuations, hoping to crack the code overnight. Low engagement early on is not failure: it’s part of the process . Instead of chasing immediate results, commit to at least six months before making major strategic shifts. The truth about company pages & followers Many business owners assume that once they gain followers, those followers will always see their posts. That’s not true. Social media platforms prioritize content based on engagement , meaning that unless your content sparks interaction, even your most loyal followers might never see it. This is why platforms like Facebook offer the option to boost posts toward your own followers : because without it, your reach is naturally limited. Paid ads need time too Even with paid ads, success isn’t instant. Finding your ideal audience takes 3-4 months of testing, optimizing, and building retargeting and lookalike audiences. If you stop too early, you lose the chance to refine your approach and maximize conversions. The road ahead: The future of social media strategy & business growth Social media will keep evolving, but the principles of success remain the same: focus on business goals, engage authentically, and adapt to what works. Recommended reads & resources If you don't feel like reading hundreds of pages of reports, here's a quick executive summary we've done and that you can download. It's mobile friendly , so you can keep it with you at all times: https://www.ultrabrand.io/social-media-reality-check-2025 Or if you feel like reading and crunching numbers, check out these authoritative sources for further learning : HubSpot's Social Media Workbook Hootsuite: Social Media Trends 2025 Metricool’s Full 2025 Social Media Study About the author Manelik Sfez, founder of the Swiss brand consultancy Ultrabrand, brings 25 years of international business, marketing, and brand strategy experience to the table. He has worked with some of the world’s most iconic brands throughout his career. From luxury goods to global retail, financial services and technological giants, he has guided companies through brand-led transformations that have redefined industries. As a C-suite executive, a strategic branding consultant and a skilled brand designer, Manelik’s work has been recognized with prestigious awards, including a 2023 Entrepreneurship Award by one of Europe's top business schools in recognition for his contribution to support local entrepreneurship. His brand-led transformation methodology has been tested and proven over two decades, helping businesses in all sectors, from startups to billion-dollar companies drive growth, stand out from the competition, innovate and open new markets. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maneliksfez/

Your logo is crucial to your company’s branding and long-term strategic effort. It is essential to ensure that it is effective in its functions. When evaluating your logo, several key factors include its design , icon , typography , color , and overall impact . Understanding what is a logo before doing an evaluation My philosophy is that a logo only has two functions : to ensure the brand name is immediately legible and to ensure it's always written in the same way . The best logos are timeless and don't ride the trends or very little. Like your brand name, your logo identifies who you are, not what you do. “A logo is a flag, a signature, an escutcheon, a street sign. A logo does not sell (directly); it identifies.” – Paul Rand Two main elements: typography and a symbol or icon The icon is a graphic representation of your company’s positioning , and not of its products or services. It could be an abstract shape, a letter, or a recognizable object or character. It should be simple, easily identifiable, and intended to create instant visual identification and help people remember the brand. The typography refers to the text used in the logo, usually the company name. It’s usually designed to be simple and legible and should be consistent with the company’s branding and personality. It’s also crucial for your fonts to be in harmony with the symbol or icon and be easily read in different sizes and contexts. In my opinion, understanding typography is the most important skill required for developing a solid, timeless logo. There is no right or wrong, simply personality Some logos may include additional elements, such as a tagline or a specific color scheme. In some cases, a logo can also be composed only by typography. In other cases, it could be just a symbol or icon, provided that you are 100% certain your target audience will identify your brand without needing to read its name. There is no right or wrong here: it depends on your company’s branding and personality and how you want to be perceived. The design quality of your logo is crucial. It should be simple , memorable , and easily recognizable . A good logo should be versatile enough to be used in various sizes, contexts, and mediums, such as on a website, business card, or billboard. The design should also be appropriate for your business’s industry and target audience. It is simply how the brand name must be written When choosing an icon for your logo, it’s important to avoid overly complicated designs . Stick to simple, recognizable, and meaningful signs that can be easily associated with your company’s positioning. And avoid using clip art or generic symbols, as your logo will look unprofessional. Also, avoid using icons too similar to others in the same industry, as it can cause confusion and legal issues. Lastly, ensure your icon is versatile and can be used in different contexts and mediums. “A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic, simple in form and conveys an intended message.” – Nel Whatmore It is not mandatory to have an icon in a logo. Some logos are purely typographic, consisting only of a company name in a specific font and style. These logos are effective in creating a solid brand identity through the use of typography alone. Others include an icon in addition to the company name. Ultimately, deciding whether to include an icon in a logo depends on your brand’s personality and goals. But in doubt, it is always better to have no icon than a bad one . Typography is what meaning looks like Typography is another essential, if not the most important, aspect to consider when evaluating your logo. The font used should be legible and easy to read , and it should be consistent with your company’s branding and personality . The size and spacing of the letters should also be appropriate and carefully balanced. When choosing a font for your logo, it’s important to avoid overly complicated or hard-to-read fonts . Stick to simple, clean, and legible fonts that can be easily read in different sizes and contexts. Avoid using more than one font to keep it consistent and easy to recognize. Also, avoid trendy fonts that might look dated quickly. Lastly, ensure the font matches the tone and style of your company and, to a lesser extent, the aesthetics of your target audience. “A logo is not just a tiny piece of art; it is your business’s public face for the entire world to see.” – Paula Scher Color is a positioning statement Color is also a crucial element of your logo. Your colors should be appropriate for your industry and target audience and support your positioning statement . You can determine which color suits your brand best based on the psychology of colors and other key strategic aspects. You can download a simple tool here to help you evaluate if your brand's color is the right one, strategically speaking. This article explains how to use it. Here are ten "Yes"/"No" questions you can ask yourself to know if your logo needs improvements ("Somewhat" doesn't cut it, though): Does my logo accurately reflect my company’s positioning and personality? Is my logo simple, memorable, and easily recognizable? Is my logo appropriate for my industry and target audience? Are my colors appropriate and consistent with my brand’s personality, and do they make the correct positioning statement? Does my logo leave a positive impression, and is it easily associated with my company? Is the font used in my logo legible and easy to read, consistent with the company’s branding and messaging? Is the size and spacing of the letters appropriate and balanced? Is the icon in my logo meaningful, recognizable, and versatile? Does my logo look professional and original? Is my logo consistent in different contexts and mediums? Answering these questions will give you a clear picture of the current state of your logo and whether it needs an upgrade. Remember that it is integral to your company’s branding and long-term strategic effort. I hope this helped, and feel free to like, share or comment!

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Ultrabrand's 2025 social media reality check is based on the analysis of 21 million posts across 8 platforms. The hard facts stripped of hype and agency fluff. 2025 social media reality check Based on the analysis of 21 million posts across 8 platforms, this quick executive summary gives you the hard facts, stripped of hype and agency fluff. What you'll get: Key social media trends and what actually works in 2025 , in plain English. The biggest myths debunked , so you don’t waste time and budget. Insights that drive real business impact , not just more likes and follows. E‑mail Yes, subscribe me to updates Get your free copy

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