What is POE? Paid, Owned, Earned… And Shared… and Converged Media

Paid, Owned, and Earned (POE) media are all viable content marketing, advertising, and promotional strategies for building your authority and spreading your reach in social media. They represent distinct approaches to reaching and engaging your target audience, and when used strategically, they can create a powerful synergistic effect.

POE: Paid, Owned, Earned Media

By strategically combining and aligning these different media types, brands can create a powerful and cohesive marketing ecosystem that maximizes reach, engagement, and business results.

Paid Media

Paid media uses paid advertising channels to drive traffic and amplify your brand’s message. It’s a valuable tool for creating awareness, jumpstarting other forms of media, and getting your content seen by new audiences. Tactics include various forms of online advertising, such as search engine marketing (SEM), social media ads, display ads, and email marketing. Offline paid media tactics include traditional advertising channels like print, radio, and television, out-of-home (OOH) advertising, and experiential marketing. Paid influencer marketing, where you compensate influencers for content creation and promotion, also falls under this category.

Owned Media

Owned media encompasses all the content and platforms that your brand owns or controls. This includes your website, blog, social media profiles, email lists, and mobile apps. Owned media plays a crucial role in housing your content, building authority and relationships with your audience, and ultimately engaging prospects and customers. Effective owned media strategies involve creating high-quality content such as blog posts, articles, white papers, case studies, ebooks, and social media updates, and optimizing them for search and user experience.

Earned Media

Earned media refers to the organic exposure your brand gains through mentions and shares by others. This often comes in the form of news coverage, online reviews, social media mentions, and user-generated content (UGC). Earned media is valuable because it leverages the credibility and reach of established channels and individuals. Tactics for building earned media include public relations efforts, engaging with industry influencers and bloggers, encouraging user-generated content, and actively participating in online communities and discussions.

Shared Media

Shared media uses social media platforms to amplify content reach and engagement. It relies on the power of social sharing, where users like, comment, and repost content, creating a ripple effect that expands your brand’s visibility. Effective shared media tactics include creating compelling and shareable content, running contests and giveaways, engaging with followers and influencers, and actively participating in relevant conversations and communities.

Converged Media

Converged media represents a holistic approach integrating paid, owned, and earned media channels to create a unified and consistent brand experience. It recognizes that consumers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints and aims to deliver a seamless and engaging experience regardless of the channel. Converged media strategies involve content repurposing (adapting content for different platforms), cross-channel promotion, integrated data and analytics, and consistent brand messaging across all channels.

Planning Your POE Strategy

Developing a successful POE strategy requires careful planning and coordination across different channels. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Define Your Objectives: What are you trying to achieve with your POE strategy? Are you focused on increasing brand awareness, generating leads, driving sales, or building community? Clearly defined goals will guide your media choices and tactics.
2. Identify Your Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach with your message? Understanding your target audience’s demographics, interests, online behavior, and preferred platforms is essential for effective targeting and content creation.
3. Conduct a Competitive Analysis: Analyze your competitors’ POE strategies. What channels are they using? What type of content are they creating? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Learning from your competitors can provide valuable insights for your strategy.
4. Allocate Your Budget: Determine how much you can invest in each media type. Paid media often requires a significant financial commitment, while owned and earned media may require more time and resource allocation.
5. Develop a Content Strategy: Create high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience and aligns with your brand’s voice and messaging. Consider different content formats (text, images, videos, infographics) and tailor them to specific platforms.
6. Choose Your Channels: Select the platforms and channels that best reach your target audience. This may involve a mix of paid, owned, and earned media channels, including social media platforms, search engines, email marketing, influencer collaborations, and public relations outreach.
7. Create a Content Calendar: Plan and schedule your content across different channels to ensure consistent posting and optimal reach. A content calendar helps you stay organized and maintain a steady flow of engaging content.
8. Implement Tracking and Analytics: Use analytics tools to monitor your performance across all channels. Track key metrics such as website traffic, social media engagement, lead generation, and conversions. Analyze the data to understand what’s working and what needs improvement.
9. Optimize and Adapt: Based on your analytics, continuously optimize your POE strategy. Adjust your content, channels, and tactics to improve your results and stay ahead of the curve.

By following these steps, you can create a well-defined POE strategy that aligns with your business goals and effectively reaches your target audience across different media channels. Remember that POE is not a one-size-fits-all approach; it requires ongoing experimentation, analysis, and adaptation to achieve optimal results.

POE Strategy Examples

To illustrate the versatility of POE, let’s explore two distinct scenarios: a B2C online fashion retailer aiming to boost brand awareness and sales and a B2B SaaS company focused on lead generation and establishing industry authority. These examples demonstrate how POE principles can be tailored to different business models and target audiences while highlighting the importance of a cohesive and integrated approach.

These examples underscore the importance of a well-rounded approach that leverages the strengths of each media type. Whether you’re a B2C retailer connecting with fashion-savvy consumers or a B2B SaaS provider targeting business decision-makers, a strategic POE framework can significantly amplify your brand message, drive engagement, and achieve your marketing goals. By understanding your audience, creating compelling content, and maintaining a consistent brand experience across all channels, you can unlock the true potential of paid, owned, and earned media.

In today’s interconnected digital landscape, a well-crafted POE strategy is essential for any brand looking to reach and engage its target audience effectively. By understanding the nuances of each media type, embracing the power of shared media, and adopting a converged approach, you can create a powerful and cohesive marketing ecosystem that drives meaningful results.

Remember to prioritize content quality, leverage data, and analytics, and stay adaptable to ever-evolving digital trends. Above all, maintain authenticity, build genuine relationships, and focus on delivering value to your audience. With a strategic and human-centric approach to POE, you can amplify your brand’s message, foster lasting connections, and achieve your marketing goals.

POE Infographic

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Originally Published on Martech Zone: What is POE? Paid, Owned, Earned… And Shared… and Converged Media