In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, earned media remains a highly important, yet often overlooked, marketing tool. It’s easy to assume that social media, paid ads and influencer partnerships are all you need to build your brand’s presence.
Unlike paid media (like ads), earned media is the attention your brand receives through organic methods such as news coverage, customer reviews, social shares, and word-of-mouth.
When integrated into your overall marketing efforts, earned media can be a driver of brand credibility, audience engagement, and of course, long-term growth.
What is Earned Media?
Simply put, earned media is the publicity or recognition a brand receives without exchanging money for it. For example, a product review in a popular publication, a mention on a social platform, or a viral video. Essentially, this free media coverage is the result of others choosing to promote or engage with your brand. Often, this engagement happens because they are impressed, excited, or intrigued by what you offer.
Earned media is different from paid marketing and owned media. Paid marketing guarantees placement for a fee. Owned media gives you full control over your message, like blog posts or content marketing on your website. Earned media, however, feels more authentic and credible.
When customers, journalists, or influencers mention your brand on their own accord, it adds a layer of trust that paid advertising simply can’t replicate. In fact, earned media is often perceived as more credible and reliable than advertisements. It’s based on the experiences and opinions of real people – a powerful influence for most target audiences.
Why Earned Media Matters
1. Credibility and Trust
In a climate where consumers are increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising, earned media serves as a powerful tool for building credibility. People tend to trust recommendations from news outlets, friends, or influencers more than from a brand selling something.
A story about your brand or company from a respected journalist or a positive LinkedIn post from an industry leader can significantly impact your brand’s perception. Not to mention, it can influence buying behavior, especially among hard-to-reach target audiences and potential customers.
2. Cost-Effective Marketing
While earning media coverage is not always free (it requires effort and strategic planning), it is generally more cost-effective than paid campaigns.
A well-executed media relations strategy or strategic content marketing can generate a substantial amount of publicity without the hefty price tag of traditional advertising. News stories are generally regarded to be worth three times what it would cost for an advertisement of the same length.
3. Wider Reach and Exposure
Earned media has the potential to reach a broad target audience. When a media outlet shares information about your brand, it introduces your products or services to their followers. These individuals may or may not have encountered your brand otherwise.
Through smart content distribution strategies, these mentions are amplified across multiple channels.
Additionally, this public relations exposure creates a ripple effect, leading to more shares, discussions, and visibility over time. A news story isn’t just shown on TV or in a publication, it is also posted online and on social media, giving you an expanded reach from a single story.
4. Improved SEO and Online Presence
Earned media plays a crucial role in improving your brand’s SEO (search engine optimization). When your brand is mentioned on reputable websites, it helps to boost your online visibility and domain authority. Backlinks from these external sources enhance your search engine rankings, driving more organic traffic to your website. This makes a PR strategy a powerful complement to your overall content marketing efforts.
How to Earn Media Mentions
1. Develop Relationships with Journalists and Influencers
Start by cultivating strong relationships with journalists, industry influencers, and bloggers. You can reach out with story ideas, offer exclusive insights, or provide them with early access to your products, events, or services. Successful media relations isn’t just about pitching stories. It’s about knowing how to build relationships that lead to ongoing interest and collaboration.
2. Create a Compelling Story
Craft a newsworthy story that is informative, entertaining, or emotionally engaging. This will encourage journalists to want to share it with their audience. Then, their followers may share it on their own social channels and networks. Never turn down a way to organically spread the word about your brand. However, always make sure your story aligns with your broader media strategies and business goals.
3. Leverage Social Media Posts
Engage actively with your audience on your brand’s social media platforms. Respond to comments, participate in conversations, and share user-generated content to create buzz around your brand.
4. Encourage Reviews and Testimonials
Positive reviews are also a type of earned media, especially if they come from respected sources. Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences on review platforms, your website, or on social media. This not only boosts credibility and trust, but also complements your other marketing efforts.
Evolving Earned Media
Earned media is a game-changer in the modern marketing world. In the past, it was about news coverage. But now, audiences have the chance to interact with your brand in multiple ways.
Getting organic brand mentions is more than just getting your brand name out there. It’s about building trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with your audience.
As part of a comprehensive content marketing and public relations plan, earned media helps you extend your reach, engage your target audiences, and create lasting brand equity.
By integrating earned media into your PR strategy, you can generate organic publicity, drive engagement, and establish a loyal customer base. So, next time you analyze your marketing efforts, remember that earned media is a powerful asset you can’t afford to ignore.
