The PESO model stands for paid, earned, shared and owned media, the key components of an integrated PR and digital marketing program.
In this video, Gini Dietrich, the PR blogger who coined the term "PESO model" to describe how PR and digital disciplines are increasingly integrating, discusses the model with Idea Grove CEO Scott Baradell.
The video is 20+ minutes long, but if you'd like a two-minute overview of the model, you can see one starting at 9:22.
The PESO Model is a fascinating framework that reveals how ideas spread and resonate in today’s hyperconnected world. It operates at the intersection of four key dimensions, each representing a different pathway for influence and engagement.
1.Paid Media
This is the tipping point where intention meets scale. By investing in advertising, sponsored content, or influencer partnerships, you create a catalyst—something that can propel your message beyond its initial boundaries, reaching new and targeted audiences.
2.Earned Media
Here, we see the power of credibility. When a journalist writes a story about your brand, or a blogger mentions you in a post, they are granting you what sociologists might call borrowed authority. This third-party validation often carries more weight than what you can say about yourself.
3.Shared Media
Shared media taps into the social networks that govern so much of human behavior. When someone shares your content, it’s not just a digital act—it’s a form of endorsement, a subtle signal to their peers about what they find valuable or interesting.
4.Owned Media
Finally, there’s owned media: the platform you control, your home base. Think of it as the context in which you tell your story, a place where you can cultivate your narrative with precision and depth. Owned media reflects the craftsmanship of storytelling—structured, deliberate, and unmistakably yours.
The brilliance of the PESO Model lies in how it integrates these elements. Each reinforces the other, creating a dynamic interplay that transforms a message into a movement, an idea into a cultural touchstone. It’s a reminder that the way we communicate is as complex—and as human—as the ideas we share.
