Apparently, online marketing is changing (again). 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve chatted away here on the blog about everything from your website to social media, to search and very briefly paid ads. 

What I haven’t really said outright is a good online marketing strategy would include a good mix of tactics – in a planned and considered way of course.  Machine gun marketing never does seem to work.

Paid, Owned, Earned Media (POEM)

As I was flicking through various blogs and news sites drinking my coffee, generally relaxing when I saw a sidebar ad proclaiming that advertising as we know it is about to change…

It refered to a report from the Altimeter Group over on Slideshare about how brands must now combine their paid, owned and earned media. 

The ad worked.  I clicked, had a quick read and borrowed their image for this post (it’s over on Flickr).

And I’m sat here, finishing my coffee, wondering why this is new…

Perhaps I am over simplifying things, but haven’t the best marketing strategies always contained a mix of paid, owned and earned media – even before online marketing?

Companies have always advertised.  They have their brochures, their newsletters and presentations.  Their PR guys worked getting news releases out, organising interviews and generally influencing word of mouth.

Marketing has changed in scale, speed and cost.  Oh, and the buttons we press of course.

As technology advances, it can be quite a challenge to harness channels for marketing and get the best results.  But even the smallest of business shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket and rely on one form of marketing – online or off. 

Online, you need your owned media.  On the simplest of levels that’s a website.  Free sites or even a Facebook page or similar isn’t owned, merely rented. 

Your own website is not enough if you don’t combine it with either paid ads or earned media – your social channels, the shares, the online word of mouth. 

That’s not to say I didn’t like the report, there were some good examples in there.  Small businesses don’t have the budget to combine paid, owned and earned media on the same level, but we can apply the concept.  We already should be!

Am I over simplifying my thinking?  I’d love your thoughts!