What is Earned Media? The complete guide

Earned media is a tricky thing.

When reviewers praise your product or share their positive experiences, it encourages your target audience and prospects to give your business a try.

But when negative comments run rampant, you need immediate damage control to protect your brand’s reputation.

Either way, earned media is here to stay.

From social media to news outlets to blogging platforms, there’s no shortage of external channels people can use to talk about your business.

Your goal? Learn more about how earned media works and — most importantly — how to develop an effective earned media strategy to use it to your advantage.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can do just that.

What is earned media?

Earned media means gaining publicity organically versus via paid advertising or owned media properties. It’s when your business gets coverage or attention through third parties, such as public relations campaigns, content marketing campaigns, social media engagement, or word-of-mouth.

Pros and cons of earned media

Since earned media comes from third-party sources, people find it more credible and authentic than paid media and owned media.

However, it can be challenging to control and measure directly. Brands often leverage user-generated content (UGC), customer engagement tactics, and branded mentions to maximize their earned media opportunities.

Some pros and cons of earned media include :

Pros of earned media

• Long-lasting impact: Can continue to influence customer behavior long after ‌initial coverage
• Credibility: Third-party endorsements are seen as more trustworthy than paid and owned media
• Budget-friendly: There are no direct costs since it’s fueled by organic efforts
• Wide reach: There’s a potential to go viral and reach a wider audience
• Authenticity: Perceived as genuine and unbiased

Cons of earned media

• Measurement challenges: It can be hard to quantify earned media value and ROI compared to paid media
• Time-consuming: Finding shareable content and showcasing mentions takes time
• Lack of control: You can’t control how or when your brand is mentioned
• Negative publicity risk: Can backfire if coverage is unfavorable
• Unpredictable: It’s difficult to plan and measure outcomes

Examples of earned media

Some examples of earned media include:

Blog posts and reviews

When bloggers write about your product or service on their blog post. Or when customers leave reviews on websites, forums, or review platforms like Yelp, G2, or Tripadvisor.

For instance, the following Google reviews for Normandy WWII historical tours are an example of earned media that appear in search engines:

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Reviews are important because they show the real experiences of past travelers. When reviewers have many reviews, people trust them more, and Beaches of Normandy has many of them.

Note: Your blog posts are considered owned media since you’re the one who created them (even if it’s written by a guest blogger).

Mentions in news articles

You can get earned media coverage when your brand gets featured in a press release or article, either online or in print, without paying for that coverage. For instance, maybe you got featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. Or your brand’s new funding round got media coverage in traditional media outlets of your industry.

Influencer endorsements

When celebrities, influencers, or industry experts mention or promote your brand in their content without getting paid for that specific promotion.

For example, StudioSuits is renowned for its men’s tailored suits. It often benefits from customer mentions on Instagram. American film director Dennis Cahlo once credited StudioSuits in an Instagram post. He did so for his outfit, which is an organic earned media example:

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This mention showcased StudioSuits’ product’s quality. This influencer marketing operation reached Cahlo’s followers, naturally boosting brand awareness and reputation.

Social media shares and mentions

When users share, comment on, or mention your brand on social media platforms, it generates buzz and visibility.

For instance, maybe your liquid vitamins are going viral with UGC videos on TikTok. Or users keep mentioning your brand in their Instagram Stories.

Would you believe someone if they told you that places like Reddit could be considered earned media under this category as well?

Well, that is the case since Reddit is not only for sharing memes and news. Users from all parts of the world converge on that site to ask for advice or comments about services or products. You know, the consideration part of the funnel.

Take this post, for example, asking about the HR SaaS remote.com. The mere mention of the site is enough to get people talking. In the comments, you can even find mentions of their specific services, such as Employers of Record.

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And even if there are some negative comments, most of them are favorable or at least curious about the product. Either way, remote gathers the attention.

Launching a social media contest, which can complement your owned media strategy, can also be a good way to gather earned media coverage.

Word-of-mouth

When customers or individuals talk about your brand or product in conversations, online forums, or in person, spreading awareness organically.

Wiz, a leading cybersecurity company, offers essential solutions like CNAPP (Cloud Native Application Protection Platform) and CWPP (Cloud Workload Protection Platform).

They’ve quickly gained industry recognition for their innovative approach combining many security features into a user-friendly platform. By leveraging a unique data architecture, Wiz enables customers to swiftly identify and focus on cyber risks across their cloud environment.

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The company’s capacity to deliver large value quickly has resulted in strong organic growth and customer advocacy. Wiz’s dedication to providing cybersecurity solutions has earned them a stellar reputation and extensive praise from satisfied clients, thus gaining more brand loyalty.

This positive word-of-mouth from customers is a prime example of earned media. When people genuinely recommend Wiz, it carries more weight than any paid media.

Earned media is the most valuable and credible form of promotion a company can receive. It builds trust and authenticity in the market.

How to use earned media to your advantage

When you’re ready to leverage earned media, start collecting visual products, blog posts, reviews, and content marketing assets that reference your brand.

You might find:

• UGC videos showcasing how to use your product or service
• Comparison articles mentioning your brand as a contender
• Images of customers using your product or service
• Carousels mentioning your product as an example
• Blog reviews about your brand, product, or service
• Social media comments about your brand
• News outlets that have mentioned you
• Forum threads mentioning you

We also recommend keeping an eye on your social media mentions and brand sentiment with an automated social listening tool like Mention.

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Use Mention to find and respond to negative comments as soon as they come in — and find noteworthy praise and raving fans. Collect UGC content, such as social media product reviews, positive comments, and tutorial videos. You can also publish and schedule content and keep an eye on KPIs.

Next, organize the media you’ve collected by type and importance. For instance, you might have a video review category, a written testimonial category, and a positive comments category. Or you might favor Instagram video reviews over short Google reviews.

Then, work with your marketing team to plan how to integrate your earned media throughout your campaigns.

For example, you might add them to your:

• Email marketing campaigns
• Social media campaigns
• Landing pages
• Ad campaigns
• Print media
• Websites

To see this in action, let’s take a look at five real brands’ earned media examples that are using earned media to their advantage.

1. Include media mentions and trust elements on your website

Showcase articles, news features, and mentions in a dedicated “As Seen In” section on your website to build credibility. Include trust elements, such as brand logos, sources who’ve mentioned you, and any noteworthy awards.

For example, The Aurit Center, a divorce mediation firm, showcases its award for “Best Family Law” (for seven consecutive years) on its website. It also displays logos of media brands and magazines to show potential clients that big names like WSJ, HuffPost, and Marie Claire, endorse the firm’s services.

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This gives the firm instant credibility. When potential prospects review its site, they’ll naturally like and trust the brand more.

Other ways you can use media mentions include:

• Share a media mention snippet on social media. Tag the publisher and thank them for taking the time to list your brand.
• Add media mentions in your opening hooks when shooting brand videos or podcast episodes.
• Include media mentions in your brand bios across all owned media channels. For instance, in your social media bios, on your About page, and on LinkedIn.
• Ask interviewers to mention the media outlets that endorse you when introducing you on their blog, podcast, or in a video.
• Combine earned and paid media to promote your earned media via different advertising methods.

2. Create a third-party review stream on a dedicated review page

Combine customer reviews from various platforms on one page to highlight positive feedback and enhance trust. Add this page to your website.

For instance, if you’re a tech brand, you might feature reviews from G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot. If you’re a hospitality brand, you might showcase reviews from Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and Yelp.

You can also integrate reviews:

• As social proof in your email marketing campaigns
• As trust elements on your landing pages
• At the bottom of your About page
• In your ad campaigns

3. Add a user-generated content (UGC) feed on your website

Prompt your customers to share their experiences on social media using a specific hashtag. Feature the best content on your own social media channels to amplify positive word-of-mouth of your digital marketing.

Stream this on your website to encourage website visitors to engage with you on social media. A UGC feed also influences them to envision themselves using your product or service, which can nudge them closer to conversion.

For instance, Cruise America, a US RV sales and rental company, streams an Instagram feed based on its dedicated hashtag #betherenow that inspires website visitors to travel.

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By sharing its customers’ road trip experiences, it entices prospects to picture themselves exploring nature using one of its RVs. It also encourages new customers to share their experiences on Instagram with its hashtag.

You can also integrate UGC content:

• As social proof in your email marketing campaigns
• In your sales pitches and outreach campaigns
• As featured media in your ad campaigns
• In your project proposals

4. Engage with your audience on social media

Respond to mentions, comments, and shares promptly. Foster a community around your brand by actively participating in conversations and acknowledging your audience’s input.

This is pivotal to humanizing your brand and building meaningful relationships with your customers and prospects. It also helps you discover more about your audience’s needs and pain points so you can create customer-centric experiences.

For instance, you may discover that your audience needs more concrete examples or tutorials when you teach them a marketing strategy. Or you may learn that they need custom onboarding options to make it simpler to switch to your company.

For example, business coach Maria Wendt, who specializes in Instagram marketing, replies to Instagram commenters when they have questions. Maria also uses automated chat responses to immediately reply to commenters who are interested in her freebies and offers.

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By responding to audience questions, automating freebies, and offering replies, Maria keeps conversations going and encourages more sales. Maria also repurposes comments as social proof in her organic and paid ad campaigns.

Receive branded mentions in real-time and respond to commenters right away with Mention. Start your free trial now.

You can also feature positive comments as social proof in your:

• Email marketing campaigns
• Automated chat campaigns
• Story campaigns
• Ad campaigns

5. Track and respond to online reviews

Keep track of reviews on platforms like Yelp, G2, and Google Reviews. Respond to both positive and negative reviews professionally to show that you value customer feedback and are committed to improvement. Be sure to also use the feedback to improve your business.

For example, Moosend, an email marketing provider, responds to both positive and negative reviews on G2. It highlights its appreciation for its customers’ positive experiences and appreciates their feedback about how Moosend can improve.

For instance, in one response, the brand said:

“Thank you for your positive feedback on Moosend! We’re thrilled you find our platform user-friendly, and we appreciate your praise for our customer support. We appreciate your feedback on form designs and understand your concern about limitations. If you ever have more insights or specific features you’d like to explore, feel free to reach out. We’re here to enhance your experience! 🐮❤️”

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This demonstrates Moosend’s dedication to its customers’ experiences. The brand learns from its reviewers’ honesty and nurtures relationships with users, which will enhance their marketing efforts. It also takes brand management and crisis management seriously, which are crucial in a world where anything could go viral.

You can also showcase positive reviews:

• On your landing pages
• In your LinkedIn profile
• In your ad campaigns
• On your website

This will help potential customers trust your brand more and convince them to do business with you.

Wrap up

Earned media has its pros and cons. But when your brand leads with integrity and shows up for its customers, you have a better chance of finding positive brand mentions.

You can then leverage those mentions as social proof and trust elements to position your brand as the go-to option in your industry.

But remember that negative mentions are worth exploring, too. They give you a peek into customer pain points you may not have considered. They also give you insights you can apply to improve your products and services and the user experience. Plus, responding to them is essential to reputation management. One negative comment alone could lead to a wildfire of brand backlash that could take years to recover from.

That’s why we recommend using a social listening tool to automatically spot comments in real time.

To stay on top of positive and negative earned media, try Mention. It’s free to start and there’s no credit card required. Or book a demo first to learn more.

That’s it for now.

Here’s to your success!