Paid, Earned, Owned, and Shared Media: What Ecommerce Brands Need to Know

If you’re running an ecommerce business, you’re probably juggling a lot—inventory, fulfillment, website UX, customer support, and of course… marketing.

But when it comes to marketing, it’s easy to get caught up in tactics:
“Let’s run some Facebook ads.”
“Let’s get influencers to post our stuff.”
“Let’s do a giveaway.”

All valid ideas. But if you’re not thinking strategically about how your brand shows up across all digital channels, you’re leaving money (and momentum) on the table.

That’s where the PESO model comes in:
Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned Media.

It’s a framework originally used by PR folks, but it’s wildly useful for ecommerce brands too—especially if you want to grow efficiently and avoid relying on just one channel (like Meta Ads) for all your sales.

In this post, we’ll break down each media type, how they apply to ecommerce, and how to use them together for maximum impact.

TL;DR: What is PESO?

The PESO model breaks down your marketing channels into four buckets:

The beauty of this model? It helps you diagnose your marketing gaps and diversify your growth strategy, so you’re not one algorithm update away from disaster.

Let’s dive into each type—with ecommerce-specific examples and tips.

Paid Media: Speed, Scale, and Spending Wisely

Paid media is exactly what it sounds like: you’re paying to get in front of people.

For ecommerce brands, this is usually where most of the budget goes, especially early on. Why? Because it’s fast and measurable. You can run a Facebook campaign tonight and see conversions by tomorrow.

Common Paid Channels for Ecommerce:

• Facebook & Instagram Ads: Still powerful, especially for DTC brands
• Google Shopping Ads: High intent traffic, ideal for search-driven products
• TikTok Spark Ads: Great for scaling content that’s already working organically
• Influencer Sponsorships: Paying creators to promote your product
• Affiliate Programs: Commission-based partnerships

Pros:

• Immediate traffic and sales
• Precise targeting
• Scalable with budget

Cons:

• Can get expensive fast
• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) can be volatile
• You’re renting attention, not owning it

Quick tip: Use paid media to test offers, products, and creative. Then double down on what converts and build out owned and shared media around it.

Earned Media: The Trust Multiplier

Earned media is when other people talk about your brand without you paying them to.

This is the holy grail for most ecommerce brands because it brings trust, credibility, and reach—all for free.

Examples of Earned Media in Ecommerce:

• A fashion blogger includes your bag in a “Top 10 Spring Picks” list
• A Reddit thread goes viral about how great your coffee tastes
• A YouTuber mentions your product in their “monthly favorites”
• Your product gets featured by a big publication like GQ or Wirecutter

How to Earn It:

• Have a truly great product (non-negotiable)
• Offer experiences worth talking about (unique packaging, surprise extras, great support)
• Make it easy for people to share: include hashtags, branded content, or UGC contests
• Proactively pitch journalists, bloggers, and creators

Pro tip: Use tools like HARO or PressHunt to find media opportunities relevant to your niche.

Shared Media: Word of Mouth at Scale

Shared media lives on social platforms—Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), LinkedIn—and includes any content that’s co-created, amplified, or shared by your audience.

Unlike paid or owned media, you don’t fully control shared media. But you can spark and steer it.

Shared Media Examples:

• Your customers post their unboxing on TikTok and tag you
• A meme you created goes viral in your niche
• Your Instagram Reel gets thousands of shares
• People comment on your giveaway or reply to your tweets

Why It Matters:

Social proof drives conversions. If your customers are hyped about your product—and their friends see it—you win.

How to Boost Shared Media:

• Run UGC (user-generated content) campaigns
• Share customer testimonials in Stories and Reels
• Use branded hashtags and encourage tagging
• Collaborate with micro-influencers for authentic reach

Bonus move: Turn high-performing shared media into paid ads. Meta’s Spark Ads and whitelisting features let you amplify that authentic content to a wider audience.

Owned Media: Your Most Valuable Asset

Owned media is everything you fully control: your website, your product pages, your blog, your email list.

And here’s the thing: this is what builds long-term brand equity.

Paid ads come and go. Social trends shift. But if you’re steadily building your owned media, you’re creating leverage.

Owned Media Examples:

• Your Shopify storefront
• Product descriptions and landing pages
• Your blog or resource hub
• Email sequences and newsletters
• SMS campaigns
• Loyalty programs

Why It’s Powerful:

• You’re not at the mercy of algorithms
• You keep full control of messaging and branding
• You can retarget, upsell, and cross-sell more efficiently

Content tip: Use your owned channels to educate and convert. Think buying guides, how-to content, product comparisons, and FAQs that anticipate objections.

How to Combine PESO for Maximum Growth

Here’s where the magic happens: each media type feeds the others.

• Paid ads drive traffic to owned media (your site), and some of those buyers leave reviews or share content (shared and earned).
• A viral TikTok (shared) drives traffic and gets picked up by a news outlet (earned), which you then boost with ads (paid) and feature on your homepage (owned).

Instead of treating these like separate silos, build flywheels:

Paid → Owned → Shared → Earned → Back to Paid

That’s how ecommerce brands grow sustainably.

Making the PESO Model Work for You

If you’re running an ecommerce business, the PESO model helps you zoom out and make sense of your marketing ecosystem.

Instead of obsessing over the latest hack or ad trick, ask:

• Where are we strongest right now?
• What media type are we underutilizing?
• How can we make these channels support each other?

Growth isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things in the right sequence.

Start with one or two areas. Build systems. Then connect the dots.