Your Brand's Guide to Ello

If you haven’t yet heard of Ello, it’s the latest social network that’s taking the internet by storm. The catch with Ello, however, is that it’s designed to be a kind of anti-Facebook. Ello specifically markets itself as an alternative to social media sites that invade your privacy and share your information with advertisers. Ello is going to the opposite extreme by not accepting advertising at all. Given the apparently noncommercial message of Ello, it might seem to be an unlikely site to conduct any type of marketing or commercial activity. Keep in mind that Ello is brand new, so it’s difficult to make any accurate guesses about the future. If the history of other social media networks is any indication, though, several possibilities exist.

Ello will fizzle out, run out of funding or not attract enough members to survive.
Ello will eventually “sell out” and accept certain types of advertising in order to remain competitive.
Ello will remain true to its original vision and remain free of advertising.

No matter which of these three scenarios unfold, there is no harm in joining the site. The question is, can it be used for branding and marketing purposes? Assuming that Ello does indeed survive and perhaps even pose a genuine challenge to leading social media sites, it may prove to be a great opportunity for businesses. Ello: The Ideal Place For Relationship Marketing? Relationship marketing is a phrase that is thrown around fairly frequently in marketing circles, sometimes to the point that it doesn’t mean anything concrete. With Ello, however, this is the only type of marketing that is feasible. Unless its business model changes, you will not be able to advertise on Ello. That doesn’t mean, however, that your business can’t have a presence on this new social site. When you interact on Ello, you must not forget that people have joined this site in order to escape the blatant commercialism of sites like Facebook. This means that trying to be openly promotional here would be counterproductive. At worst, it may get you banned; at best, you will alienate your customers and prospects. The key to utilizing a site like Ello is to make your content purely social and educational. Some business owners view education as informing people about their products. There is a place for this, but Ello is probably not that place. You are better off keeping your information very general. This doesn’t mean that you won’t attract business. In fact, many people find it more appealing when they can pitch-free information on a topic. They can always look you up and contact you if they want to find out what you’re offering. To use one example, suppose you are a chiropractor with an Ello account. You could share general tips on health, exercise and preventing back injuries. Even if you never talk about your practice, people in your area who appreciate what you’ve shared are likely to think of you when they need a chiropractor. You can use a similar approach for just about any business. In conclusion, if you want to use Ello for branding and marketing purposes, you will have to do it in a very low key way. You will have to follow the principles of relationship marketing to the letter.

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , his writing on AI communications and brand reputation is published on his personal site, and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. He continues that commentary on his own publishing platform , where he writes about reputation, crisis, and AI-mediated discovery. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

View all articles by Ronn Torossian →

Digital Marketing Strategies for Lifestyle Events: A Guide for Success

May 28, 2025

social media icons representing different platforms and networks

Social Media Agency

Boosting Engagement on Social Media

March 20, 2021

social media changed communication with people connecting online

Social Media Agency

How Social Media Changed Communication

December 19, 2019

Get in touch

Let's build your next chapter.

Tell us what you're working on. A senior strategist will respond within one business day.

Email: info@5wpr.com
Phone: 212.999.5585
Offices: New York · HQ469 7th Avenue, Floor 8
New York, NY 10018
Miami100 SE 2nd Street, Floor 38
Miami, FL 33131
Tampa110 South 12th Street
Tampa, FL 33602