Earned Media: What Is It, And How Should You Measure It?

Daniels also led his team deeper into the playoffs that year. I don't think anyone who's paid attention to the NFL over the past two years — let alone covered it or analyzed it professionally — could easily forget Nix. Trump's transition team didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Bondi's filing. She is a former Florida attorney general and local prosecutor who represented Trump during his first impeachment. “All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people.”

With register tape advertising, we pass out an average of 3,000 ads per day for only $15 per day to local household decision-makers! This is why monitoring coverage for early warning signals, tracking narrative shifts, and having response strategies ready are critical components of modern reputation management and communications strategy. Crises, criticism, negative reviews, and misinformation earned media are all forms of earned media. Today, earned media also feeds AI search engines and recommendation systems that define brand visibility. Earned media builds trust faster than advertising because people trust third parties more than brands.

According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust earned media more than any other form of advertising. That’s what gives earned media value its edge in any marketing strategy. It’s not just about visibility, it’s about credible visibility.

If ESPN pays McAfee $60-65 million, the network sets a new financial and cultural benchmark. I do believe, even though it makes people uncomfortable, as a black man that I don’t believe that’s an opportunity that would ever come to us first. Stephen A. Smith isn’t threatened by Pat McAfee’s reported potential payday with ESPN. Getting here required new skills – earned media that AI models cite, GEO that earns presence in AI answers, and proprietary research that measures it.

Why it matters now more than ever

This growth is estimated by Goldman Sachs, which states that the global creator population has reached 67 million, with projections suggesting this number will expand to approximately 107 million by 2030. This represents an 18% increase from 2024’s figures, highlighting continued growth in the sector despite increased competition. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television.

• As pioneers in in-grocery store marketing we’ve helped thousands of businesses use receipt advertising as their secret weapon to gain more local customers.
• It’s time for brands to consider investing in earned media as much as paid, and with the latest advances in technology, they can.
• In addition to his crypto sales, the president also sold Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers and other consumer goods last year, including watches that earned $4.7 million in sales all on their own.
• In other words, it’s about giving people a reason to talk.
• This creates a dependency cycle in which maintaining visibility requires continuous investment, with no cumulative value over time.

The transaction also includes an additional potential earnout consideration of $200 million based on the future growth of the brand over a three-year post-closing period. E.l.f. Beauty has taken a disciplined approach in pursuing strategic extensions that leverage the company’s strengths and has continued to thoughtfully diversify its business. The founders with CEO Nick Vlahos will continue to lead the brand out of its Los Angeles, California, office, nurturing its entrepreneurial spirit and maintaining the brand’s passionate team of employees. With the team since Bieber’s inception of rhode, Co-Founder Michael D. Ratner has guided rhode since its formation and has run the board as Co-Executive Chairman, while Co-Founder Lauren Ratner architected the brand and currently serves as President and Chief Brand Officer. Rhode’s products are currently available on rhodeskin.com, with plans to launch its first physical in-store partnership with retailer Sephora throughout North America and the U.K.

This standardized format helps journalists create their pieces of content, containing all the most important data and useful visuals. If you're known for pitching high-quality stories to journalists, it'll pay off in the long run. Since you’re paying for the release distribution and controlling the message, we categorize press release pick-up as paid media. In short, while paid and owned media push your brand forward, earned media pulls people in. But with the right metrics and tools, you can absolutely track the impact of earned media on your brand’s growth. While it’s ultimately third parties that provide your earned media, you can start the conversation.

Outputs are the traditional earned media measurement, and they’re still important. New earned media analysis technology takes into account not only outputs, but also outcomes and business results. Historically, one of the biggest struggles with earned media is proving its effect on your brand’s bottom line. One of the most common questions marketers ask is, “How long does it take to see results from earned media efforts? The definition of earned media doesn’t end once your content is out in the world. Creating unique, compelling and entertaining content remains the golden ticket to positive earned media.

Track your brand mentions and earned media across more TV and radio stations than with any other provider.

While securing it often requires investment in quality products, content creation, and relationship building, the actual media placement itself comes with no direct advertising costs. Unlike paid advertising that guarantees placement, earned media depends on convincing others that your brand deserves attention. The defining characteristic of earned media is that it requires merit—you must earn it through exceptional products, services, content, or relationships. Similarly, businesses that invest heavily in owned media without adequate promotion through paid and earned channels often create exceptional content that nobody sees. When companies treat paid media as their primary strategy rather than a tactical amplifier, they create expensive campaigns that deliver short-term results but fail to build lasting value.

Customers or fans of a brand create content, such as testimonials, photos, videos, or blog posts, that highlight their experiences and opinions. Positive reviews or recommendations from customers, industry experts, or bloggers can generate earned media. Plus, earned media can influence customers’ purchase decisions as a fellow consumer’s feedback or an influencer’s post acts as social proof. It is essentially the attention and recognition a company, brand, or individual receives through the efforts of others rather than through direct advertising or promotional activities. Learn more about different types of earned media and how they contribute to business success.