Earned media is the free publicity you get when people talk about your brand. The concept may appear a little strange, because in some ways you haven't earned the media attention that's come your way.
In fact, sometimes earned media it's entirely organic – it just so happens that someone has included your product in their post or content.
On the flip side, earned media can also be sparked by paid media. Perhaps it stems from an ad you've recently put out, or a campaign you've been running, which has led to lots of online conversation and social shares.
Unlike paid media, you don't have much control over earned media – though there are some earned media strategies you can employ to guide it in the right direction. A clever public relations strategy, for example, can help to guide the conversation surrounding your brand.
In this article, we'll look at some interesting earned media examples, and discuss how free media mentions can benefit a brand's overall marketing strategy.
We'll also define the different types of earned media that you'll see in these common examples, and discuss how you can boost your marketing strategy by encouraging more valuable earned media for your own brand.
Before we wrap up, we'll look at how you can measure the success of your earned media efforts, and answer some frequently asked questions to tie up any loose ends on the topic.
In this guide:
What Is Earned Media?
5 Examples of Successful Earned Media Campaigns
Types of Earned Media
Earned Media Vs. Paid Media and Owned Media
Strategies for Encouraging Earned Media
Measuring Earned Media Success
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Earned Media?
Earned media is the coverage you get without even paying for it. Where earned media plays a crucial role in public relations, it reflects unpaid publicity that benefits brand visibility and credibility. It happens on social media, and in the press. It can also come from a paid media campaign that has grown beyond your what you paid for.
It’s really valuable, as it can boost your visibility and credibility, and it costs you nothing – or much less than you’d spend on ads.
Definition of Earned Media Today
Earned media happens when others share or discuss your content. This can be through social media posts, news stories, or customer reviews. You don't pay for it directly, which makes it different from ads.
The benefits of earned media are huge. It builds trust because it comes from real people and trusted media outlets. People are more likely to believe what others say about you than what you say about yourself. It can also reach a wider audience than your own channels.
Earned media examples can take all sorts of forms. It can include everything from a viral video on social media to a positive review from a happy customer. A news article mentioning your company or an inclusion in a Christmas gift guide are other good earned media examples. Even social media mentions and tags count.
Earned media can be especially powerful during big events like the Oscars or the Super Bowl. If people are talking about your brand during the event – for example on X or Threads – millions might see it.
To build up your earned coverage, you'll need to focus on creating great content and products. If your products are worth talking about, people are more likely to shout about them! If your customers have been pretty quiet so far, you can always remind them to share their experiences. Building relationships with journalists and influencers can help encourage some earned media mentions, too.
5 Examples of Successful Earned Media Campaigns
Earned media can bring a brand into the public conversation and boost credibility when done right.
In this section, we'll look at some real-world examples of earned media in action and show how companies were often pulling the levers behind the scenes to improve their chances of earned media coverage.
Airbnb's "Night At" campaign
This campaign started with Airbnb giving people the chance to win unique overnight stays in unexpected places like the Louvre Museum. From the very start, this creative approach got people talking and sharing across all sorts of social media channels, leading to tons of free publicity. Lots of media outlets covered the contest, too. Imagine visiting Dracula's Castle in Transylvania!
For added earned media value, Airbnb went a little further. They encouraged user generated content by asking the winners to share their experiences on social media. This made the campaign feel more authentic – and followers got to experience the excitement of being there, even if they didn't win.
Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign
Dove's Real Beauty campaign often gets mentioned in round-ups of great marketing campaigns, and that's because it really has been quite exceptional.
It's a good example of paid advertising leading to earned media, since Dove obviously spent a lot on the Real Beauty campaign – with primetime advertising slots, print ads, and social media coverage.
But after that, the organic mentions exploded. It was featured in a cover story for Fast Company, and even mentioned on the TODAY show. There was loads of conversation about the campaign on social media. In fact, it's a campaign that still gets referenced and talked about all the time, so the earned media continues to roll in – even today.
LEGO's "Rebuild the World" campaign
LEGO is nothing if not a hands-on and playful brand, and they're keenly aware that fans just love to get creative and show off their latest builds. Unsurprisingly, this is brilliant for generating earned media.
Again, a campaign was used to kick things off. The brand used playful scenes made from LEGO bricks to reimagine real-world problems. This clever concept got picked up by news outlets and shared widely online. People talked about it, because it was fun and imaginative.
But going further than that, LEGO invited people to share their own creations via social media. And of course, they did! The user generated content rolled in, and it gave the brand far more visibility than their traditional advertising was able to provide.
Patagonia "Don't Buy This Jacket" Black Friday Ad
Back in 2011, Patagonia ran a Black Friday ad in The New York Times telling people, “Don’t Buy This Jacket”. Obviously the ad cost money, but it was worth more than that – it was a brilliant conversation starter that led to loads of earned media.
There was real heart behind the message. In an accompanying blog post, the brand made a commitment to "inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis." They explained that while it might seem like hypocrisy to tell people not to buy their products, they truly did want to encourage everyone to buy and consume less.
However, since Patagonia's products are made to be sustainable and long-lasting, they're actually a good choice for those who want to buy less – or at least go shopping less often. The nuance of the message led to an interesting debate and lots of earned media attention for their sustainability message.
Ocean Spray Capitalizes on Viral TikTok Video
While all the examples of earned media mentioned above followed paid media, there are other examples of truly organic earned media which don't require any investment at all. Sometimes, you just get lucky – and if you're quick off the mark, you can use this kind of earned media to your advantage.
Take, for example, the viral 2020 TikTok video in which creator Nathan Apodaca sipped from a bottle of Ocean Spray while riding a skateboard and vibing out to Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”. The brand saw this and took the opportunity to take the story further by gifting Apodaca a new truck as a thanks for his promotion of the brand.
That, in turn, led to its own viral video in which Ocean Spray’s CEO paid homage to Apodaca’s original TikTok. It's a good example that sometimes you don't know what kind of earned media you'll get, or where it will take you, but going along for the ride can be rewarding.
Types of Earned Media
As you'll have noticed in the examples above, earned media can take all sorts of forms. It includes everything from media coverage that you haven't paid for, to user-generated content on social media sites, and smaller things like online reviews. A lot of it is unprompted. Even a tag on social media could bring in potential customers. You'll probably want to try a mix of a few of these strategies.
Media Coverage
Media coverage is the original form of earned media. This includes articles about your company in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Press releases play a crucial role in generating media coverage and brand awareness by sharing newsworthy stories with journalists. If your brand is mentioned on a TV show or in a podcast, that also counts. For local businesses, mentions in local newspapers or magazines can have a significant impact on customer’s buying decisions.
Of course, you can sometimes get negative media coverage. It’s important to have a good public relations team or employees who can ensure you stay on the right side of the media.
To get positive media coverage, it’s a good idea to try and share newsworthy stories and build relationships with journalists. That way, you’re in a good position to send them a press release if you’re launching a new product or service.
User-Generated Content
User-generated content is another valuable form of earned media. It has quite a broad meaning, covering everything from in-depth social media posts, to Google reviews, and testimonials from your customers. For a household cleaning brand, this could be anything from a TikTok video in which a cleaning influencer tries your products, to a product review on Amazon.
The idea is to encourage people to share positive experiences with your products, since this builds trust. Photos or videos of customers using your items or showcasing your services are particularly powerful, since that boosts brand recognition too.
Social Media Mentions and Shares
Social media mentions and shares might seem insignificant compared to a spot on a major gift guide, but they can spread your message further, even if they’re only seen by a few people. Social media engagement is a significant form of earned media, as user interactions with your content can naturally promote your brand, increasing its reach and authenticity. If you’re really lucky, a positive post might go viral and reach millions.
Remember, comments and discussions about your brand online shape public perception. That’s why you should keep track of the comments under posts that feature your products. Blog posts by influencers reviewing your offerings also fall into this category. If the review is positive, that’s valuable earned media.
Earned Media Vs. Paid Media and Owned Media
Earned media differs from paid and owned media in a few key ways. It offers unique benefits but also comes with challenges compared to other media types.
In this section, we'll break down the pros and cons.
Understanding the Differences
Earned media is publicity you get through word of mouth, reviews, or media coverage. You don't pay for it directly. Paid media involves spending money on ads or sponsored content. Owned media is content you create and control, like your website or social media pages.
Earned media builds trust because it comes from outside sources. People often view it as more credible than ads, because it's usually authentic and genuine. But you have less control over the message.
Paying for media attention has its advantages, too. It lets you target specific audiences and track results easily. It works fast but can be expensive. Ads may also be seen as less trustworthy than earned media.
Similarly, owned media has both upsides and downsides. It gives you full control of your message and it's cost-effective in the long run. But it can take a long time to build an audience.
To succeed, you need a mix of all three types. You can use owned media to share great content, then boost it with paid media. This can lead to more earned media as people talk about you.
Strategies for Encouraging Earned Media
A few great earned media strategies can do wonders for your brand visibility and credibility. By creating shareable content and working on getting those engagement levels up, you can amplify your reach organically.
Creating Content Worth Sharing
To encourage earned media, you'll need to focus on making content that people want to share. That means crafting social media posts, videos, and even the occasional press release that will resonate with your audience. Make sure your content is easy to understand and visually appealing – whether you're sending it directly to your audience, or to media outlets.
Use social media to spread your message. If you post interesting facts, ask questions, and start conversations, people can share it easily. This can lead to more shares and mentions.
Another great strategy is to encourage user-generated content by running contests or featuring customer stories. Since this content comes from real people, it feels more authentic. They might then share more content, which lands you even more earned media.
Next up, make it easy for satisfied customers to leave reviews. Positive reviews on sites like Yelp or Google can attract new customers.
Another strategy is called newsjacking. This is where you add your unique take on trending topics. For example, if you sell home goods and you notice that the color green is trending, you could create a press release and social media content featuring any products that align with the trend. This can help you gain media attention and social shares.
Ultimately, quality matters more than quantity. One great piece of content can generate more earned media than dozens of mediocre posts.
Measuring Earned Media Success
Tracking the impact of your earned media efforts will help you understand their value and refine your strategies.
Here are a few key metrics you can track to get an idea about how well your brand resonates with audiences and whether you're getting worthwhile results.
Tracking Media Coverage and Impact
To get an idea of whether your earned media strategy has been a success, start by monitoring brand mentions across various channels.
Use media monitoring tools like CisionOne to capture online articles, social media posts, and other organic mentions. Sentiment matters here, so pay attention to whether coverage is mostly positive, neutral, or negative.
Next, look at engagement metrics. How many likes, shares, and comments are you seeing on earned media posts? This can indicate how well your products and services resonate with audiences.
Consider the reach and impressions of your earned media. How many people potentially saw your brand mentioned? Tools like Google Analytics can help you track referral traffic from earned media sources to your website.
Don't forget to measure the impact on your brand's visibility and reputation. If you see an uptick in positive reviews or social proof, that might come from some positive earned media. Track changes in your share of voice compared to competitors.
Lastly, tie earned media efforts to business outcomes. If your earned media efforts are starting to pay off, you'll hopefully see increased leads, sales, or other conversions that can be linked to this activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
As we reach the end of this guide, one thing is clear – earned media plays a crucial role in marketing. Do it well and it can boost brand awareness, credibility, and consumer trust. Sometimes you get lucky and see your marketing strategy go into overdrive when earned media pays off. Other times you can spend months generating earned media and get little back in return.
Let's explore some common questions about earned media and its impact.
What distinguishes earned media from owned and paid counterparts in digital marketing?
Earned media is content created by others about your brand. You don't control or pay for it directly, it emerges from other people, social media accounts, and media platforms. Owned media is content you create and share on the platforms you own, such as your social media accounts and your website. Paid media involves paying for ads or sponsored content. Earned media often has more credibility because it comes from outside sources.
How can a company measure the success of its earned media efforts?
Start by tracking mentions, shares, and engagement on social media – all of these count as earned media. Next, monitor website traffic from earned media sources. Measure changes in brand sentiment and awareness, since that might clue you in on earned media taking place somewhere. Use media monitoring tools to track press coverage. You can also calculate earned media value based on impressions and engagement rates.
In what ways do social media platforms act as earned media channels?
Social media platforms are generally full of earned media. For starters, social media-based reviews and comments can help to raise brand awareness. Influencers often share products that they love, too. There's potential to host hashtag campaigns to encourage user-generated content. There's plenty of potential for viral, organic shares. Even customer service interactions become public, which shapes brand perception.
What strategies should brands implement to boost their earned media coverage?
Your main focus should be on creating shareable, high-quality content. A close second is building relationships with journalists and influencers. Encouraging customer reviews and testimonials will help here, too. Try to participate in industry events and speaking opportunities if you can – these are great as people of then quote speakers and mention their associated brands in both social and media coverage.
How can earned media impact consumer loyalty and brand reputation?
There's a bit of a knock-on effect here. Positive earned media builds trust and credibility, which is essentially social proof of your brand's value. If you get consistent positive coverage, it strengthens your brand reputation over time – and that leads to customer loyalty.
