What is “Owned” Media?

There are four types of content according to the now widely accepted PESO model of public relations: Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. The value of shared and earned media is discussed frequently by PR professionals; third-party validation of your product, service or idea adds credibility to your message that your target audience can engage with and relate to.

Owned content curated by your brand and hosted on company-ran platforms, such as the company’s website, blog or newsletter.  This type of content is beneficial to your brand because you control the messaging and can tell your story in your own voice.

Although owned media is a fundamental aspect of a well-integrated media relations program, it requires a different strategy of creation than paid, earned or shared content – its real value is seen when it influences or interacts with the PESO model in an inclusive content strategy. Here are three examples of owned content influencing the PESO model:

1. Paid: Advertisements and sponsorships are an extension of owned media that can solidify your brand’s message with a targeted audience. Typically, if a prospect or consumer sees an ad and would like more information, he will visit your website. Ensuring the messaging between these platforms is consistent helps to increase brand awareness and build trust with your target market.
2. Earned: When your PR team reaches out to journalists about your company, there will be behind-the-scenes investigations by the reporter to discover more about your brand and to verify the story is true. By updating owned media platforms regularly, journalists will have quick access to timely news surrounding your company and will have all the information necessary for an interview or article on-hand. In turn, an article published or edited by a journalist adds third-party validation for the brand to its readers. This type of content includes a targeted approach so the brand is able to be seen by the appropriate audience.
3. Shared: Shared media includes social media and the engagement your brand sees with partners, employees, prospects and consumers. One of the most efficient and beneficial aspects of shared media is how it interacts seamlessly with paid, earned and owned media. By repurposing content from your brand’s website for Pinterest or promoting an article in an industry magazine that features your company on Twitter, you are able to widen the audience reach and maximize the impact of the PESO content model.