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BrandTherapy #6: The Internet Is Bigger Than Our Echo Chambers

Andy Brenits

Principal, Brenits Creative

Most businesses concentrate their marketing efforts in the platforms that feel familiar. But attention doesn’t always follow comfort. In this BrandTherapy Note, I explore why LinkedIn isn’t the center of the internet, what Reddit’s ranking reveals about audience behavior, and how to think more strategically about the role each channel plays in your marketing stack.

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Audio Note Length | 3 minutes, 51 seconds

The Internet Is Bigger Than Our Echo Chambers

According to a recent ranking of the most visited websites in the world so far in 2026, the top mediums are dominated by search, social, entertainment… and yes, porn.

LinkedIn isn’t even among the top-visited social platforms.

Facebook (#3), Instagram (#4), and Reddit all rank higher. Reddit, in particular, at number 6, draws more traffic than Wikipedia, X (formerly Twitter), and Tiktok.

Let that sink in.

An enormous amount of time is spent talking about “building authority on LinkedIn.” And LinkedIn absolutely has value. I’m there for a reason. But it isn’t the center of the internet. It’s one room in a very large building. This isn’t an argument against LinkedIn. It’s a reminder about attention. The internet is bigger than our echo chambers. If attention is the currency, then we have to ask better questions about our audience. Where are people actually spending time? Where are they asking real questions? Where does buying intent show up before someone ever fills out a form?

Reddit is interesting because it’s messy, anonymous, and unfiltered. People ask questions there that they would never post publicly on LinkedIn. That matters.

Most businesses choose platforms based on comfort and familiarity. But comfort and reach don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

The strategy

Stop thinking in terms of platforms and start thinking in terms of roles.

Different channels serve different jobs in the decision journey. LinkedIn may build authority. Instagram may build visibility. Reddit may surface early intent. Search may capture demand at the moment of need.

No single channel is the strategy. Each one is a tool inside a larger system. The strategic move isn’t to chase one (or every) platform. It’s to define the role each channel plays in your marketing stack and decide deliberately where you will — and will not — show up.

Why this matters

When we treat a single channel as the entire strategy, we shrink our view of where opportunity actually lives.

Overreliance creates blind spots. Blind spots create frustration.

Marketing discipline isn’t about omnipresence. It’s about alignment. If you misunderstand the role of a channel, you’ll expect it to deliver outcomes it was never designed to produce.

Authority is different from awareness. Awareness is different from intent. Intent is different from conversion.

Clarity about role creates clarity about expectations.

What to do

Set aside one focused hour, and list the platforms you’re currently investing time or money in. Next to each one, define the job it serves: authority, visibility, intent, demand capture, or community.

If you can’t clearly articulate the role, that’s your signal.

You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be intentional somewhere. The goal isn’t omnipresence. Its intentional presence, and that begins by acknowledging that the internet is much bigger than the rooms we’re comfortable in.

That’s all we have time for today.

Until our next BrandTherapy session,

Andy

P.S. If this note made you think of a colleague or fellow business owner who’s stuck in indecision about brand, marketing, or growth, feel free to forward it to them.

Sometimes an outside perspective is all it takes to create clarity.

I’m Andy Brenits, a brand and business growth strategy advisor. I work with business owners and leaders who want clearer thinking around brand, marketing, and growth—before time, money, or momentum are wasted.

My perspective is shaped by nearly 30 years of experience across brand strategy, creative leadership, teaching, and in-house roles inside complex organizations. I write about how strategy actually works in the real world, with a focus on clarity, judgment, and better decision-making over tactics or trends.

These insights are for people responsible for meaningful decisions and long-term outcomes, building thoughtful brands and sustainable businesses one clear move at a time.

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