Earned Media and Paid Advertising Admin June 26, 2023

Earned Media and Paid Advertising

Recently updated on August 25th, 2023 at 10:31 am

Earned media and Paid advertising (Rented Media) are just two of the three members of the media family, with owned media being the third. Understanding each member’s characteristics as well as their strategic capabilities, can position organisations for marketing and public relations success.

Earned media benefits

What is Earned Media?

Put simply, earned media is free advertising. For example, a well established publisher learns that your brand has been gaining a lot of online traction, with positive reviews from its customers. From this information, the publisher decides to write an article that outlines the reasons why many have chosen to buy from your brand. This article, being the outcome of good reviews and an excellent service (authenticity) is earned media.

It can also be viewed as a social proofing mechanism; if many are endorsing a particular brand, it provides a sense of validation and credibility amongst the community, leading other individuals to believe that the brand is valuable. This is often referred to as third-party endorsements.

Earned media works on 3 dimensions of an organisation’s image:

  • Awareness – Earned media improves awareness by leveraging the power of organic, authentic exposure. When brands receive positive coverage, mentions or discussions through sources like media outlets, social media, or word-of-mouth, it generates interest and fosters a sense of legitimacy.
  • Visibility – Earned media improves visibility by tapping into existing audiences and networks that might not have been reached through traditional marketing efforts alone. When brands receive positive coverage or mentions from reputable sources, it introduces them to a wider and often more diverse audience.
  • Credibility – Earned media improves credibility by leveraging third-party validation and the principle of social proof. When a brand receives positive coverage or mentions from reputable sources it imbues the brand with a sense of trustworthiness in the minds of its target audience. Since this coverage is not directly controlled or paid for by the brand, it carries the perception of objectivity and authenticity. 

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising refers to promotional activities in which brands pay for the placement and visibility of their content, products or services on platforms such as websites, search engines and social media. This form of advertising involves a financial transaction to reach a targeted audience and this feature makes it distinct from organic, unpaid methods of promotion.

Paid advertising efforts offer benefits such as:

  • Diverse ad formats
  • Quick visibility
  • Targeted reach
  • Measurable results

Earned Media vs Paid Advertising

Marketing strategies are typically driven by the objectives of an organisation. These strategies determine which marketing efforts and tactics will be most beneficial to achieving organisational goals. 

For example, if the goal is to generate leads, a paid advertising approach could prove to be ideal. Since paid ads can generate results at a much quicker rate they often vastly improve short-term performance but at the same time, increase costs.

Earned media encapsulates a long-term media strategy that generates results gradually. The result of a full funnel marketing strategy that utilises multiple communication touchpoints. To improve the chances of earned media opportunities, brands need to focus on:

  • Creating compelling content
  • Engaging and interacting with their audience
  • Optimising their online presence
  • Networking and building relationships
  • Ensuring that content is relevant to their target audience and industry

Digital Doorway, alongside our partners, can help develop, maintain and uplift your brand’s image and message, while leveraging the available media types to achieve organisational success through bespoke marketing strategies. Contact our team to learn more today.

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