Why You Should Strategically Integrate The PESO Model©

Why You Should Strategically Integrate The PESO Model^©

Strategic communications planning is the cornerstone of any successful business. To communicate with your target audience means you exchange information, news and stories across many different channels, strategically using a multi-faceted model.  

Not everyone consumes information the same way or through the same channel. There is a plethora of channels out there, and they (for the most part) fall under four facets: Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. These make up the PESO model^©, as coined by Gini Dietrich, the founder of Spin Sucks.  

^{Credit: Spin Sucks}

Understanding the multi-faceted integration of this model is paramount for organizations striving to bolster their reputation. More often than admitted to, key messages can inadvertently get disseminated into the void, where target audiences are not present to receive them.  

Those key messages can also get smothered by all the noise of the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of voices vying for audience attention. That’s why organizations leveraging the PESO model—whether it’s to be informational, transparent or foster favourable brand perceptions—can build trust, authority and credibility with their target audiences over time.  

Our job, as communicators and PR practitioners, is to ensure the right message reaches the right audience through the right channel. This may seem easy and obvious but, in reality, it isn’t.  

We must strategically select the right mix of channels (not just one, especially if aiming for a wider reach), specifically targeting different, and sometimes unique, sets of audiences for each organization. Then, we focus on widely and/or directly reaching the right audiences on those selected channels, with compelling content that we know will resonate with them.  

Using the PESO model as a reference point enables us to achieve this overarching goal and provide return on both objectives and investment. So how does it work? 

Owned media allows you to control the brand messaging and narrative 

True to its name, owned media is a group of channels owned by an organization. It provides control over message and content. This group includes but is not limited to websites, search engine optimization (SEO), newsletters, videos, webinars, infographics and blogs.  

The owned media facet empowers organizations to take complete ownership of their narrative, perceived values and brand identity. It’s how they build their authority. 

This type of media ownership provides your organization with a direct communication channel to connect with your audience, reducing dependency on third-party platforms and increasing your control over the narrative. It allows you to nurture a captivated audience that seeks out your content. That way, your organization can directly showcase expertise, thought leadership and unique perspectives. And more importantly, organizations must establish a robust brand and content strategy that resonates with audiences at every communication touchpoint, to help you strategically build and own the narrative through owned media. 

Earned media builds credibility, authority and trust 

Earned media is what public relations professionals are most familiar with. It’s the organic and unpaid publicity that can include widely known efforts such as media coverage, investor relations, endorsements and word of mouth.  

This facet can drive a powerful form of validation and resonance that help nurture a favourable reputation for any organization. Due to its more unbiased nature, earned media plays a pivotal role in building credibility and trust, as well as bolstering reputation—if done right. 

Clearly, this group of channels lacks control. No matter how much direction or content is provided before or after publishing, hitting send or posting, the messaging is controlled by third parties like editors, reporters, journalists, investors and other key influencers. They are the gatekeepers most influential to Canada’s decision-makers. Organizations must work on fostering and maintaining strong relationships with them and turn them into allies, who can potentially drive favourable reputational outcomes.  

Shared media fosters engaging communities and partnerships 

Shared media is a group of channels that is built on collaborative efforts with third-party platforms, partners, stakeholders, special-interest groups and communities, as well as other audiences. It encompasses two-way interactions and engagement generated between audiences and your organization. 

This facet includes organic social media, user-generated content, online forums, content distribution, reviews, co-branding, events, other community building engagements and brand ambassadorship. It mimics grassroots efforts. By creating captivating experiences and shareable content, you can encourage audiences on these channels to participate in meaningful conversations, attend engaging events and actively share their feedback—and, eventually, amplify your content within their own networks. These shared-media audiences can help shape and shift perceptions from the bottom up.  

Although control is shared, there is enough control over this group of channels to stay on message—as long as mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships and governance are well-established. Like earned media, nurturing and maintaining these positively engaging and shared relationships can make or break organizations.  

Paid media amplifies brand messaging and grows reach 

As you may have guessed, this is advertising; but it’s more about the strategic use of advertising and promotional content. Like owned media, paid media provides certainty of output and guaranteed reach, as well as direct engagement with target audiences, in a way that earned media can’t offer. 

Paid media includes various platforms, such as traditional TV and Radio ads, or digital and social media marketing, like boosted social content, Google Display and Search or sponsored content. This is a group of channels that enhances visibility and reaches a wide audience. Paid media amplifies reach and generates impressions (views) of messages to drive resonance, while offering control over the overarching message and campaigns.  

To boot, digital formats of advertising can be leveraged for their targeting capabilities. They enable organizations to use a mix of different demographics and psychographics to reach the audiences they need to target. This capability helps maximize brand exposure and generate return on objectives—as long as organizations financially invest in paid media. With the ability to measure and evaluate performance, paid media offers an array of metrics to report on any campaign including demonstrating return on investment and not just objectives. 

There are several key success factors behind paid media. This group of channels enables you to target audiences, gauge which messages resonate with them, know how to best reach them on the platforms they spend time consuming content on, and properly evaluate your paid efforts. These factors effectively separate advertising from strategic advertising.  

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There are successful outcomes, as well as opportunities, for each channel of the PESO model in enhancing communications efforts. Nonetheless, all its communication touchpoints should be leveraged at one point or another to make strategic improvements to or maintain a strong and favourable reputation. A well-thought-out integration of the PESO model’s touchpoints can positively drive the reach of any narrative and key messaging, as well as the overall experience and perception of any brand. Together, the four facets of PESO help bolster reputation, positioning and amplifying an organization as a credible, trustworthy and authoritative thought leader.  

At Crestview Strategy, we use the PESO model as a blueprint to plan strategic 360-degree communications for your organization. It provides us with the initial reference point of the most appropriate and effective channels to integrate and leverage in our plan, to drive business goals and objectives. Whether it’s to build and amplify brand awareness, establish authority and thought leadership or enhance and affirm credibility, we strive to bolster your reputation across meticulously selected and targeted channels.  

Connect with Mina to help you fully leverage and integrate the PESO model at your organization.