What is Earned Media? 7 Ways to Get It

What is Earned Media & Why It Matters for Your Business

In the dynamic world of public relations and marketing, earned media represents one of the most prestigious and impactful forms of promotion.

Unlike paid media, such as advertising, or owned media, like a company’s website or social media profiles, earned media is achieved through merit rather than financial investment.

It is the kind of publicity that is gained through the strength of a brand’s reputation, quality, and value, often resulting from a third-party endorsement.

This form of media coverage can significantly elevate a brand’s visibility and credibility, making it an invaluable asset in a comprehensive marketing strategy.

The Value of Earned Media

Earned media offers several unique benefits that make it highly desirable for brands and businesses:

1. Credibility

Earned media is often considered more credible than paid or owned media. When a respected journalist, blogger, or influencer covers your brand, their endorsement is viewed as more objective and trustworthy compared to self-promotional content.

This impartial validation can greatly enhance your brand’s reputation and influence potential customers.

For example, a product review by a well-known tech blogger can have more impact than a paid advertisement, as consumers tend to trust independent reviews over promotional material. This credibility can translate into higher consumer trust and a stronger brand image.

2. Reach

The potential reach of earned media can be immense. A single mention in a major publication or a feature on a popular influencer’s social media can expose your brand to a vast audience.

Unlike paid media, which has a defined scope based on the budget, earned media can spread organically and reach new demographics that you might not have targeted initially.

Consider how viral social media posts or high-profile media coverage can lead to millions of impressions and interactions.

The broader reach afforded by earned media can drive significant traffic to your website or social media channels, enhancing your overall marketing efforts.

3. Trust

Earned media helps to build and reinforce trust with your audience. When a third party endorses your brand, it is seen as a form of social proof, which can be more persuasive than direct marketing efforts.

This authentic form of endorsement can help establish a stronger emotional connection with your audience, leading to increased loyalty and credibility.

For instance, a positive feature article in a leading industry publication can help position your brand as a trusted authority in your field, making consumers more likely to consider your products or services over competitors.

4. SEO Benefits

Earned media can also have a significant impact on your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Backlinks from reputable websites and positive mentions can enhance your website’s search engine ranking, making it more visible to potential customers.

This boost in SEO can drive more organic traffic to your site, leading to increased opportunities for conversion and engagement.

High-quality backlinks from authoritative sites are a key factor in search engine algorithms, and earned media can provide these valuable links.

For example, a well-written feature article about your brand that includes a link to your website can improve your site’s authority and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).

How to Earn Media: Seven Effective Strategies

While there is no surefire formula for securing earned media, several proven strategies can increase your chances of achieving positive media coverage. Here are seven effective methods to help you earn valuable media attention:

1. Create Shareable Content

Creating content that is engaging and shareable is crucial for earning media coverage. Here’s how you can enhance the shareability of your content:

Quality Over Quantity

Focus on producing high-quality content that provides real value to your audience. This means prioritizing depth, accuracy, and relevance over sheer volume.

Content that is well-researched, well-written, and informative is more likely to attract the attention of media outlets and influencers.

For example, if you’re a tech company, publishing a detailed white paper or a comprehensive industry report can attract media attention and be shared within industry circles. High-quality content demonstrates your expertise and can position your brand as a thought leader.

Visual Appeal

Incorporate visual elements such as images, videos, and infographics to make your content more engaging and shareable.

Visual content tends to capture attention more effectively than text alone and is more likely to be shared on social media platforms and other channels.

Consider creating visually appealing infographics that summarize key data points or crafting high-quality video content that showcases your products or services. Visual content can enhance the impact of your messaging and increase the likelihood of media coverage.

Storytelling

Tell compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Effective storytelling can evoke emotions and create a connection with your readers.

Craft narratives that highlight unique aspects of your brand or product and illustrate how they address customer needs or solve problems.

For instance, if your company has a compelling origin story or a unique customer success story, these narratives can capture the interest of journalists and influencers. Storytelling helps humanize your brand and makes your content more memorable.

2. Build Relationships with Journalists and Influencers

Developing and maintaining strong relationships with journalists and influencers is essential for earning media coverage. Here’s how to approach this:

Identify Key Contacts

Research and identify journalists and influencers who cover your industry or niche. Understanding their interests, beats, and the types of stories they typically feature can help you tailor your pitches and increase the likelihood of a positive response.

For example, if you’re in the fashion industry, identify fashion journalists, bloggers, and influencers who cover trends, new collections, or fashion events. Tailor your outreach to their specific interests and areas of focus.

Pitch Your Stories

Craft and deliver tailored pitches to your identified contacts. Your pitch should be relevant, timely, and offer a compelling reason why your story would interest their audience. Personalize your pitch to show that you’ve done your homework and understand their work.

Effective pitches often include a clear and concise subject line, a brief and engaging introduction, and relevant details about your story or product. Make sure to highlight what makes your story unique and why it matters to their audience.

Provide Value

Offer exclusive insights, data, or interviews that add value to journalists and influencers. By providing them with unique or exclusive information, you increase the likelihood that they will cover your brand.

For example, if you’re launching a new product, offer journalists and influencers early access or exclusive previews. Providing valuable and exclusive content can make your pitch more appealing and increase the chances of coverage.

3. Leverage Public Relations (PR) Tools

Utilizing PR tools can streamline your efforts in securing earned media. Here are some essential PR tools and their benefits:

Media Monitoring

Media monitoring tools help you track mentions of your brand and competitors across various media channels. By monitoring media coverage, you can stay informed about your brand’s visibility and identify opportunities for engagement.

These tools can also help you analyze the sentiment of media coverage, track trends, and assess the effectiveness of your PR efforts. For example, if a positive article about your brand appears, media monitoring can help you measure its reach and impact.

Media Databases

Access media databases to find contact information for journalists, bloggers, and influencers. These databases provide valuable insights into their interests, past coverage, and contact details, which can help you tailor your outreach efforts.

Media databases often include search functionalities that allow you to filter contacts by industry, location, or topic. This can help you identify the most relevant contacts for your pitches and increase the chances of securing media coverage.

Press Release Distribution

Distribute your press releases to relevant media outlets using PR distribution tools. Effective press release distribution can increase the visibility of your news and ensure it reaches the right audience.

Consider using distribution services that offer targeted distribution to media contacts and industry-specific outlets. This can help your press release reach journalists and influencers who are most likely to be interested in your news.

4. Host Events and Webinars

Hosting events and webinars can create opportunities for earning media coverage. Here’s how to maximize the impact of your events:

Create Buzz

Organize events or webinars that are relevant and appealing to your target audience. Create excitement and anticipation by promoting your event in advance through social media, email marketing, and other channels.

Ensure that your event offers unique value or insights that set it apart from others in your industry. This can attract media attention and increase the likelihood of coverage.

Invite Media

Extend invitations to journalists and influencers to cover your events or webinars. Provide them with all necessary information, including event details, key speakers, and topics to be discussed.

Make it easy for media representatives to attend by offering press passes, reserved seating, or access to exclusive content. Their presence at your event can result in valuable media coverage and exposure for your brand.

Provide Valuable Content

Ensure that your events or webinars offer high-quality content and insights that are of interest to your audience. Engaging presentations, expert speakers, and interactive sessions can enhance the appeal of your event and increase the likelihood of positive media coverage.

For example, if you’re hosting a webinar on industry trends, invite industry experts to speak and provide valuable insights. High-quality content can attract media attention and enhance your brand’s reputation as a thought leader.

5. Encourage User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) can be a powerful tool for earning media coverage. Here’s how to leverage UGC effectively:

Run Contests or Giveaways

Engage your audience by running contests or giveaways that encourage them to share their experiences with your brand. User-generated content from these activities can attract media attention and enhance your brand’s visibility.

For example, create a social media contest where participants share photos or stories related to your brand for a chance to win a prize. Highlighting user-generated content from the contest can provide additional exposure and credibility.

Create a Community

Foster a sense of community around your brand on social media platforms and other online channels. An engaged community is more likely to generate and share content related to your brand, which can lead to increased media coverage.

Consider creating branded hashtags, participating in relevant discussions, and encouraging user interaction. Building a strong community can amplify your brand’s reach and enhance the likelihood of earned media coverage.

Showcase User-Generated Content

Feature user-generated content on your website and social media channels. Highlighting positive customer experiences and contributions can enhance your brand’s credibility and attract media interest.

For example, create a dedicated section on your website or social media profiles to showcase user-generated photos, reviews, or testimonials. This can demonstrate the positive impact of your brand and encourage media coverage.

6. Crisis Management

Effective crisis management is crucial for maintaining your brand’s reputation and minimizing negative media coverage. Here’s how to handle crises effectively:

Be Prepared

Develop a crisis management plan to address potential negative publicity. This plan should outline protocols for communication, response strategies, and roles and responsibilities for handling crises.

Being prepared ensures that you can respond quickly and effectively to any issues that arise. A well-defined crisis management plan can help you navigate challenging situations and minimize the impact on your brand’s reputation.

Respond Promptly

Address negative feedback or crises as soon as possible. Timely responses can help mitigate the impact of negative media coverage and demonstrate your commitment to resolving issues.

Craft clear and concise statements that address the issue at hand and outline the steps you are taking to resolve it. Prompt and transparent communication can help build trust and credibility with your audience.

Be Transparent

Maintain honesty and transparency in your communications during a crisis. Providing accurate information and acknowledging mistakes can help rebuild trust and demonstrate your brand’s commitment to accountability.

For example, if your company faces a product recall, communicate openly about the issue, provide details on how it will be resolved, and offer support to affected customers. Transparency can help restore confidence and minimize negative media coverage.

7. Measure and Analyze Your Efforts

Measuring and analyzing your media efforts is essential for refining your strategies and improving your chances of earning media coverage. Consider the following approaches:

Track Metrics

Monitor your earned media coverage and assess its impact on your brand. Key metrics to track include the volume of coverage, reach, engagement, and sentiment.

Use media monitoring tools and analytics platforms to gather data on your media coverage. Tracking these metrics can help you understand the effectiveness of your efforts and identify areas for improvement.

Identify Trends

Analyze your performance to identify trends and patterns in your media coverage. Look for insights into what types of stories or content generate the most positive coverage and which media outlets are most responsive to your pitches.

Identifying trends can help you refine your media strategy and focus on the approaches that yield the best results. For example, if you notice that your content performs well with certain types of media outlets, you can tailor your future pitches accordingly.

Refine Your Strategy

Use your findings to refine your media strategy and improve your chances of securing positive coverage. Adjust your approach based on data and insights, and continuously optimize your efforts to achieve better results.

For instance, if you find that certain types of content or media contacts are more effective, consider incorporating these elements into your future campaigns. Refining your strategy based on performance data can enhance your overall media efforts.

Final Thoughts

Earning media coverage is a valuable and impactful strategy for enhancing your brand’s visibility and credibility.

By focusing on creating high-quality content, building relationships with key media contacts, leveraging PR tools, hosting engaging events, encouraging user-generated content, managing crises effectively, and measuring your efforts, you can increase your chances of securing positive media coverage.

Remember that earning media is a long-term strategy that requires patience, persistence, and a commitment to delivering value.

By consistently applying these strategies and adapting to changes in the media landscape, you can build a strong reputation for your brand and achieve significant media exposure.

Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, earned media can play a crucial role in your overall marketing strategy, helping you connect with your audience and achieve your business goals.