You Don’t Need the Traditional Gatekeepers to Build a Successful Online Platform

For decades, if you wanted to reach a large audience, your options were limited. Authors needed a publishing house. Musicians needed a record label. Speakers needed a booking agent. Journalists needed a newspaper or magazine. These “gatekeepers” controlled access to distribution channels, and without their approval, your work rarely reached beyond a small circle.

But that world is gone. We now live in a time where anyone with a message, product, or skill can reach a global audience without asking for permission. The internet has removed the barriers that used to stand between creators and their audience. And if you’re willing to be consistent, strategic, and adaptable, you can build a thriving platform entirely on your own.

Here’s why you no longer need the traditional gatekeepers—and how to start building without them.

1. Direct Access to Your Audience

The biggest shift in the digital era is that you can now connect directly with the people you want to serve. Social media, email marketing, podcasts, blogs, and video platforms give you tools to speak straight to your audience without an intermediary deciding whether your voice is “worthy” to be heard.

For example, a writer can self-publish an eBook on Amazon and market it to thousands (or millions) of readers without a single meeting with a publisher. A coach can start a podcast, share valuable insights, and attract clients without needing a conference stage. This kind of direct access bypasses years of waiting for someone else’s approval and lets you build your audience while keeping control over your message.

2. You Keep Ownership and Control

When you go through traditional gatekeepers, you often give up control. Publishers can change your title or cover. Record labels can own your music rights. Networks can dictate your content. And once you’ve signed a contract, you may have little say in how your work is used.

By building your own online platform, you decide what to create, when to release it, and how to monetize it. You own your audience list. You control your branding. You can pivot your strategy without waiting for someone else’s sign-off. This autonomy means you can adapt quickly, stay true to your values, and maintain a closer connection with your audience.

3. Lower Barriers to Entry

Not long ago, producing a book, recording an album, or filming a professional-quality video required expensive equipment and specialized expertise. Now, the tools you need are often in your pocket. A smartphone can shoot high-definition video. Affordable microphones can produce broadcast-level audio. Free and low-cost editing software lets you polish your work without breaking the bank.

This democratization of tools means that the only real “barrier” is your willingness to learn and put in the work. If you’re committed to delivering quality content and improving over time, you can produce professional results without a massive budget or corporate backing.

4. You Can Build in Public

Gatekeepers want you to have a finished, polished product before they’ll even consider you. But online platforms thrive on transparency and progress. You can invite your audience into the process—sharing your journey, your behind-the-scenes work, and your lessons learned along the way.

This “build in public” approach has a huge advantage: it creates buy-in before your product even launches. People feel connected to your journey. They root for your success. And when you release your book, course, music, or app, they’re already eager to support you because they’ve watched the process unfold in real time.

5. Opportunities Are Now Global

In the past, you might have needed to live in a major city or have the right local connections to get noticed. Today, location matters far less. Your audience could be scattered across countries and time zones, yet they can still find you instantly.

This global reach means your potential market is exponentially larger than it ever was in the gatekeeper era. A niche that might not be viable in your hometown could sustain an entire business when you’re reaching people worldwide. And the beauty is—you don’t have to wait for a distributor or promoter to put you in those markets. Your content is available globally the moment you post it.

6. Proof Beats Permission

One of the most liberating realities of the internet age is that results speak louder than gatekeeper approval. If you can show that your work resonates—whether through downloads, subscribers, sales, or engagement—people will take notice.

In fact, many creators who build their audience independently eventually get approached by the very gatekeepers they once thought they needed. The difference? Now they have leverage. They can negotiate from a position of strength or choose to keep doing things their own way.

7. The “Hybrid” Option Is Always Available

Rejecting the gatekeepers now doesn’t mean you can’t work with them later. Many creators use their self-built platforms as proof of concept and later partner with publishers, labels, or networks to expand their reach. But the relationship changes—you’re no longer a hopeful applicant waiting for approval. You’re a proven creator entering a mutually beneficial deal.

By starting independently, you remove the pressure to “get discovered” and give yourself space to create on your own terms. That freedom often leads to better, more authentic work.

How to Start Without Gatekeepers

1. Choose Your Core Message or Offer – Get clear on what you want to share and who you want to reach.
2. Pick One Primary Platform – Whether it’s a podcast, YouTube channel, blog, or social platform, start with one main focus so you can grow consistently.
3. Build an Email List Early – Social media algorithms change, but an email list is something you own.
4. Publish Consistently – Frequency builds trust. Even if it’s once a week, stick to it.
5. Engage With Your Audience – Respond to comments, emails, and messages. Relationships are the foundation of loyalty.
6. Experiment and Adapt – Try different content formats, track what works, and refine as you go.

Final Thought

You don’t need the old gatekeepers to build something meaningful. The tools, platforms, and access you have right now are more powerful than anything creators had even twenty years ago. The most important ingredient is not permission—it’s persistence.

If you show up consistently, keep improving, and stay focused on serving your audience, you can build a platform that is both impactful and profitable without ever waiting for someone else to open the door.

In today’s world, you are the gatekeeper.

© John Stange, 2025