Earned Media

Earned media can be observed in brand mentions and media awareness awarded via promotion, rather than paid advertising. This can also be considered “organic” media. For example, earned media may include mentions in online articles, television interviews or consumer-generated videos. Often, brands build earned media strategies through PR, digital marketing, and events.

Unlike owned media, earned media is promotion and coverage awarded by outside agencies or publications. Some brands will pitch news to publications about a campaign they’re running so they can gain earned media in the form of a news story. Awards are another way brands can gain earned media.

A growing brand could gain a lot by earned media coverage, increasing authority, and brand awareness from storied coverage in new outlets. Sometimes a brand can generate this interest in the press by luck, and others have entire public relations teams dedicated to creating relationships with the press to garner earned media coverage.