The PESO model of public relations includes paid, earned, owned and shared media. While each has an important role in an integrated and successful PR strategy, shared media may be the most easily accessible avenue for target audiences to learn about your brand and keep up with company news.

Shared media is content posted on platforms that allow external audiences to have equal control and opportunities to contribute to conversations. By incorporating shared media into a balanced PESO PR strategy, audiences are provided with the opportunity to interact with your content in an honest and efficient way.

The benefits of shared media include:

  • Engagement/Advocacy – When current customers react to your brand’s posts on social media, whether by giving it a like on Facebook or a retweet on Twitter, they are acting as a third-party validator of your message.
  • Reach – Social engagement also amplifies the reach and impact of your message. If your brand produces valuable content, its followers and connections will want to share with their friends; as more users share, the message will continue to gain traction in the market.
  • Cost Effectiveness – For many businesses, the largest benefit of incorporating social media is its cost-effectiveness. It’s important to remember, however, that while posting Tweets and Facebook posts may not require a large monetary investment to the platform, resources must be allocated for brands to maintain page updates and respond to followers in a timely and authentic way.
  • Authenticity – Interacting with followers who engage with your brand on social media is an essential key to building authenticity through shared media. By responding thoughtfully and honestly when provided with feedback, consumers and peers will develop trust and brand recognition.

While social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are often considered shared media platforms, many social media websites also incorporate paid, earned and owned media by emphasizing advertising campaigns and native content production.

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