Earned media isn’t publicity you pay for or own. When a company pays a publication to write a glowing article about them, for example, that’s not an example of paying for earned media — that’s just paid media.

Some examples of earned media are:

• Customer reviews and testimonials.
• Mentions on any social media platforms.
• Word-of-mouth recommendations both in person and digital.
• Shares/retweets of your content or any content about your brand or business.
• Blog posts about your business or product.
• Magazine and newspaper articles.

Earned media is publicity or exposure gained from methods other than paid advertising. If owned media sites are the destination then earned media is the vehicle that helps people get there.

A characteristic or example of earned media is: a company’s website. product information conveyed via personal selling. advertising placement in the Super Bowl (premier American football programming).

Let’s examine the benefits along with real-world examples from my experience in guiding clients toward best practices for earned media.

• Jumpstart Awareness.
• Heighten Credibility.
• Manage Messaging.
• Expand Reach.
• Impart Value.

3 ways to generate earned media

1. Cultivate influencer marketing. We hear quite a bit about influencer marketing and the importance of building relationships with those industry leaders who reach your target audience.
2. Participate in industry trade shows.
3. Engage your fans and advocates.

5 Essential PR Metrics to Measure Earned Media

1. Website referrals. Website analytics offer the most basic PR measurement tool.
2. Mentions.
3. Message resonance.
4. Share of voice.
5. Article quality scores.
6. Bottom Line: Anecdotal reports will not convince corporate executives of the value of public relations.

Paid media can reach a targeted audience, but carries no authority or impartiality. Earned media provides authority, impartiality and an engaged audience, but you have no control over the message.

Earned media is proven to have better ROI and is also more cost effective. Businesses don’t need to pay directly for the content or the medium on which the content is published. The main investment is the time and energy required to build strong relationships with your customers and brand advocates.

Through a variety of channels, earned media is created and spread by others. The Marketing Scope finds earned media allows consumers and brand advocates to produce and share material regarding their experiences with your company. The goal is to get them to create positive earned media that works in your favor.

Earned Media. Earned media is any kind of outside attention that you “earn” but don’t directly pay for. A newspaper article, blog post, social media post, interview, any kind of shoutout that you didn’t buy, but instead earned through building relationships, stunts, or dedicated PR campaigns, falls under earned media.

Shared media refers to content which is shared across third party platforms, such as social media, or shared between multiple owners, including people liking, commenting on or sharing someone’s social media posts – it is the result of a shared interaction. Example platforms includes: Facebook. Instagram.

When brands are interactive by sharing content, commenting, and posting statuses on social media, it personifies a brand. People prefer to do business with other people, rather than companies. Over 51% of marketers claimed that taking the time to develop relationships with consumers showed positive results in sales.