Communication Tactics & the PESO Model for 5 Bridges

#paidmedia #earnedmedia #sharedmedia #ownedmedia #strategiccomunication

As your campaign emerges past the research stage, you should begin planning your communication tactics. And as you plan you should keep in mind various strategic models to increase your chance of success.

But first, what actually are communication tactics?

Communication tactics are the "visible elements of a strategic plan" (Smith, 2021, p. 469). It is what you think of first when you think of a PR campaign. So the press releases, blogs, social media posts, media appearances, etc. You should use communication tactics strategically to effectively achieve your goals and objectives. Do not forget either about your timeline and budget expectations (Smith, 2021, p. 469).

As you plan your communication tactics, you need to be thinking about what communication vehicle each tactic should be communicated through. Should it be a paid advertisement on Facebook or would it be more appropriate to write a piece about it in your organization's weekly newsletter? The PESO Model is a great way to visualize the most effective placements for each type of media vehicle for your communication tactics.

The PESO Model

Paid Media: These are the tactics which involve paid placements and are great ways to increase online brand awareness and revenue growth (BigCommerce, 2022). For organizations looking to rapidly get views on their messages this is a great place to start.

Ex. Paid Facebook ads or Paid Google Ads to appear earlier in searches for specific key words.

Earned Media: These are the traditional PR tactics which include "publicity or exposure gained from methods other than paid advertising" (Garman, 2021). Audience usually give more credibility to these types of tactics.

It can be difficult to plan earned media, but you can trigger instances of earned media by strategically planting information in consumer and journalists minds. Send a press release or start a hashtag trend on TikTok.

Ex. A story in the local paper (spurred by a press release from you) or other forms of electronic Word-of-Mouth (social media shares/posts or blogs from consumers happy with your product).

Shared Media: This is the least concrete style of PR tactics, as it is ever-evolving with the development of social media. But shared media is "shared across social media or shared between multiple owners" (New Breed, n.d.).

Ex. A collab with an influencer.

Owned Media: This is the type of platforms owned by your organization and you control all of the messaging, which is great for informational type messaging tactics (Lovett & Staelin, 2016).

Ex. Websites, Social Media or Newsletters.

For 5 Bridges

When designing a new campaign and planning your communication tactics, it is important to consider every facet of the tactic, including the medium. Knowing the PESO Model can help 5 Bridges better target their messages by differentiating between the four types of media. For example, keeping their websites (owned media) focused on information seeking messages, while focusing their press releases (for earned media) on newsworthy events.

References

BigCommerce. (2022, March 10). What is paid media? Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.bigcommerce.com/ecommerce-answers/what-is-paid-media-and-how-is-it-used-by-online-businesses/

Garman, E. (2021, September 28). Earned media, owned media, paid media. Titan Growth. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.titangrowth.com/what-is-earned-owned-paid-media-the-difference-explained/

Lovett, M. J., & Staelin, R. (2016). The role of paid, earned, and owned media in building entertainment brands: Reminding, informing, and enhancing enjoyment. Marketing Science, 35(1), 142-157.

New Breed. (n.d.). Paid media vs. earned media vs. Shared Media vs. owned media. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://www.newbreedrevenue.com/blog/paid-media-vs.-earned-media-vs.-shared-media-vs.-owned-media

Smith, R.D. (2021). Strategic planning for public relations (6th Ed.). Routledge.