How to Master Earned Media (And Why You Need To)!

There was a time when magazines, newspapers, and televisions were the only ways for consumers to find out about trending stories, new service offerings in town, or other cool stuff. Brands used to get earned media through these sources.

But, things have changed over the last decade. Earned media has gone beyond magazines, newspapers, and TV series. The digital realm has opened up a world of possibilities for marketers and digital marketers who are able to harness the power of earned media online as well.

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Before diving into earned media strategies, let’s first clarify what earned media is.

What is Earned Media?

In simple words, earned media is the free publicity a business receives. It is the content written or published about your business or brand by a third-party without any cost. It is also called “earned content” or “free media.”

For instance, if you advertise on search engines or social media, it costs you a certain amount of money. But if bloggers include your brand name in a “Top 10” article, then it’s called earned media. Because you haven’t paid them for including your brand on that list.

While the above example shows that earned media depends on third parties, you can still create a strategy to get more earned media. This can help you grow your brand awareness and reach your target audience.

You can generate more earned media by creating viral content or through reviews of your service or product.

Additionally, mentions, shares, reposts, and retweets on social media platforms can do the trick.

Other Types of Media

Apart from earned media, there are two other types of media as well — paid media and owned media. Let’s discuss these in brief:

Paid Media: If you spend money to reach more customers through Google Ads, social media ads, or any sponsored content on third-party websites, it’s called paid media.

Owned Media: As the name suggests, owned media is the content that you own. You typically have complete control over this form of media. Owned media for your business may include the content on your website, blog posts, and social media platforms.

The Evolution of Earned Media in the Last Few Years

The booming growth in internet usage has changed everything in the last few years. In December 1995, only 0.4% of the world’s population was using the internet. However, by June 2019, over 58.8% of the world’s population was using it. This is a growth of around 608%.

Today, brands gain earned media in the form of a Facebook post or tweet by a consumer saying, “The best product ever!” which is then shared or retweeted by other users.

Recently, review websites and forums have also gained popularity. People review a product or share feedback about a service on these websites and this counts as earned media for the businesses.

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What is Not Earned Media?

To help you better understand earned media, let’s take a closer look at what it is not:

• If you are paying even a single penny for the publicity of your brand, then it is not considered free media.
• If you are paying a blogger or forum to include your brand name in their article or blog post, it does not count as free media.
• If you have published a new blog post on your website to promote a new product or service, then it is not free media.

The Effectiveness of Earned Media

Earned media can be an extremely effective way to improve your brand awareness. It can also help you generate leads and get more conversions.

This is because people prefer to get advice from their near and dear ones who have already used a product or service from a particular brand. They read reviews on social media and other blogs and websites before deciding on a product.

They may be influenced by their favorite celebrity, blogger, or social media influencer. If they find that they are using a particular brand’s product or writing positive things about it, they may be more inclined to buy it.

According to research, 57% of individuals trust their friends and family the most when it comes to discovering a new product or company.

Image via HubSpot

Additionally, around one-third of shoppers search and read reviews on Google before making a purchase online.

This shows that free media is a very effective way of branding and marketing for businesses of all sizes.

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The Various Forms of Earned Media

There are numerous forms of earned media that your brand can leverage. Here are some important forms of earned media that you can consider when developing your marketing strategy:

1. Word-of-Mouth

While many businesses underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing, it is still one of the most impactful forms of free media.

A consumer posting a positive review in the form of a tweet can significantly impact the buying decision of many people. A positive review by a blogger may go viral and help you boost your brand’s reach for free.

A quick solution to a customer’s problem can invite positive feedback from them. Similarly, an emotional social media campaign can gain quick traction and go viral. Both act as word-of-mouth marketing.

Another example of word-of-mouth marketing is the publishing of your press release or blog post by bloggers on their blogs.

Continue reading this article on Shane Barker's blog.