Member-only story
Earned Media Resonates, but the Magic is Harder to Control
Earned media is a powerful vehicle for visibility and reputation, but harder to exploit and manage.
Earned media is the most powerful form of marketing. It builds trust, credibility, and loyalty. It’s an asset you can’t purchase and can protect your business from other brands.
So what exactly is earned media?
A powerful form of media
Earned media is simply the result of word of mouth, third-party validation and news articles. When people talk about your brand, it’s called “earned media” because you don’t have to pay for it.
It’s also intangible and can’t be bought or sold. Earned media is any word-of-mouth or social chatter that mentions your company, product or service in a positive way.
It’s not created by advertising, nor can it be controlled by the brand itself. Instead it represents a result of a positive experience with your business — a happy customer will tell their friends how great their experience was with you, and they’ll include details that make their recommendation credible (e.g., “The product was easy to use! The customer service team was helpful! It solved my problem!”).
