When we talk about P/O/E media, I’m not trying to start a conversation about iambic pentameter. We’re actually addressing three of the main channels you should utilize for a strong content marketing plan: Paid, Owned, and Earned Media. These three components, known collectively as P/O/E media, are critical for any business looking to maximize its reach and impact. Let’s take a closer look at each element and why understanding P/O/E media is vital for your content strategy.
Paid Media: Amplifying Your Message
Paid media is essentially advertising, but it’s evolved far beyond traditional routes like newspapers and magazines. While those avenues still hold value, today’s digital landscape offers a vast array of opportunities. You can leverage paid advertising across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, paying for sponsored posts or targeted ads that reach your ideal audience. Additionally, platforms like Google Ads offer powerful tools to get your content in front of people actively searching for what you offer. When considering your P/O/E media strategy, paid media provides a rapid boost in visibility.
Owned Media: Your Digital Foundation
Owned media encompasses all the digital properties you control: your website, blog, email lists, social media profiles, and even your company podcast. While you aren’t directly paying yourself to use these channels, it’s essential to recognize that they require ongoing investment of time and resources for creation and maintenance. Think of your owned media as your home base within the P/O/E media ecosystem—the place where you can build relationships with your audience and share your brand story on your terms. This is also where you house content optimized for those that are interested in your business through various avenues.
Earned Media: Building Credibility and Trust
Earned media, an often-overlooked but crucial component of P/O/E media, refers to the publicity and coverage your business receives from third-party sources. This can include traditional news outlets, online publications, industry blogs, social media mentions, and even customer reviews. While traditionally referred to as “free,” it’s important to understand that earned media often comes as a result of creating newsworthy content, events, or experiences. As a business owner, you’re still paying to create these opportunities for the media to cover. This is where you should see the value of well curated and well distributed content. The coverage itself is earned through your efforts and quality. Leveraging earned media can significantly increase your brand’s authority, credibility, and reach when viewed as part of your P/O/E media strategy.
Why is Understanding P/O/E Media So Important?
The magic of P/O/E media lies in its synergistic effect. When these three channels work together in a well-coordinated manner, your content has a far greater chance of reaching the right people at the right time. It’s not just about getting more eyeballs on your content, it’s about reaching a targeted audience that’s most likely to engage with your brand and ultimately convert into customers.
Large corporations are increasingly shifting their budget allocations toward a balanced approach to P/O/E media, moving away from solely focusing on paid advertising. This allows them to build a stronger brand presence, enhance their credibility through earned media, and engage directly with their audience through owned media. This is the power of a solid P/O/E media approach.
Applying P/O/E Media to Your Business
While your business might not be a Fortune 500 company, the principles of P/O/E media are highly applicable to you. By investing in well-produced content, you can leverage each media channel to your advantage. For example:
- Paid Media: Boost high-performing content on social media or use targeted ads to reach a specific demographic.
- Owned Media: Enhance your website or email newsletters to provide more value to your audience and keep them coming back for more.
- Earned Media: Create events, unique product experiences or expert content worthy of coverage from relevant publications or influencers in your industry.
Upward Engine specializes in helping businesses like yours develop a comprehensive P/O/E media strategy. Our team of experts can help you identify your ideal target audience, create high-quality content, and leverage the right channels to maximize your reach and impact. We focus on the proper integration of each channel of the P/O/E media landscape.
Don’t take wild shots in the dark on new content ideas. Let Upward Engine help you make your content count! Contact Upward Engine today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can elevate your content strategy through a smart P/O/E media approach.