Earned Media Value In Marketing – Are You Ready To Lose Control?

The term earned already indicates what the earned media value is about: It revolves around the value your brand or company earns by being mentioned by clients, brand advocates, and fans of your brand. In this article, we will discuss how the earned media value is composed and how it differentiates itself from paid and owned media.

WHAT IS EARNED MEDIA?

Earned media describes every form of communication around your brand. This includes mentions, reposts, shares, and reviews. To put it simply: The earned media value is created by the buzz that is going on around your brand.

WHY THE EARNED MEDIA VALUE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR BRANDS

But in contrast to paid media, earned media is unpaid. Your brand’s customers, brand advocates, and fans talk about your brand willingly without being paid for it. Thus, earned media is a form of word-of-mouth. This form of media value is particularly important for brands because it shows how many people talk about you apart from your paid marketing efforts.

Example of a brand’s earned media value (green columns)

We came across this quote which describes earned media as a tool which boosts your marketing strategies:

“If owned media sites are the destination then earned media is the vehicle that helps people get there.”

And if your brand has a high earned media value, this indicates that your owned and paid media efforts are successful and you were able to create awareness around your brand.

Additionally, you managed to attract people who feel connected to your brand and convinced them of your products.

EARNED MEDIA EQUALS CREDIBILITY

Earned media is oftentimes described as the most trusted form of content for a brand. Sure, you can tell potential customers how well your product performs and why it is the right choice for them, but in the end, they know that you want to sell your product.

Existing customers or brand advocates, on the other hand, can provide their honest opinion about your product without any strings attached. Thus, it is simply a question of credibility.

Continue reading here: How Fake Followers Ruin Your Influencer Marketing Campaign

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