Paid, Owned, and Earned Media – What’s the Difference?
With so many forms of media these days it can be confusing to differentiate them for what they are used for. The term ‘P.O.E.M,’ which stands for Paid, Owned, and Earned Media, makes it easier for us to figure out which media belongs in what category, while letting us know the best decision to use during a campaign.
Paid media is usually a form of media where one pays for a third party channel to disseminate their message to the public. This could include television/radio commercials, sponsorships, and advertising on third-party sites and in print mediums such as, magazines and newspapers. Although many may believe that paid media is very expensive, it can vary depending on the scale of campaign, the geographic area, and the type of media you may want to use for your campaign.
Owned media are forms of media that you have primary control over. This includes the use of business blogs, personal/work websites, and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This is a very great form of media to take advantage of in this digital age, since most of this media is free and quick to use. Have a YouTube video to promote? As of now, you can use YouTube to launch the video, post the video onto blogs, social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, along with your personal website. There. Your video has been launched on at least five different platforms, costing a lot less money than a commercial and potentially reaching a higher viewership from the ‘followers’ and ‘friends’ on social media and people who may look at your blog or website.
Earned media is when the public, the media, and/or customers share information about your product or service to others. This form of media is called earned since most of this information is spread by choice and not by a form of advertising or selling. Earned media is at an all-time high with all the new and quick ways to share information with others.
In closing, all forms of media are crucial in PR and knowing the difference between each type is important. By learning about all forms of media, it allows us to determine which may be best for a certain campaign. A place such as H&R Block, will nine times out of 10, use the form of paid media such as their, “Get Your Billion Back, America” Campaign. Here at Jenna Communications, we can use mostly owned media and receive earned media due to our efforts, depending on the client. This goes to show the importance of knowing media and more importantly, which form will work best for you and/or your company.