Earned media is a type of media coverage that refers to publicity or visibility that arises from unpaid sources. It is any form of content shared on the internet from users to their friends, family or colleagues promoting your brand with their own words, which is a form of promotion most companies strive for. Earned media is seen from blogs to reviews, and is favoured by many marketers as it represents a more trusting, long-term relationship with the customer.
Earned media is an important form of marketing, as it can build your brand's credibility and reach out to potential customers. It differs from paid media, which is generally ads, email campaigns and influencers. Paid campaigns are deliberately created to push the message of your brand, while earned media is more organic and organic types of coverage.
Earned media is based on trust, relationship building and positive customer experiences. Customers trust feedback and reviews more than paid campaigns and tend to be more likely to buy a product or service if they can see what other companies are saying about it.
Although earned media is a powerful tool, it is important to understand the basics before starting. Here are some guidelines and best practices to help you make the most of earned media:
1. Understand Your Audience
The first step is to establish the target audience you are trying to reach. Who are the desired customers you'd like to attract? What kind of message do you want to get across? What are the demographics and psychographics of your audience? Understanding your audience will help you create content that resonates with them and generate earned media.
2. Focus On Quality Content
It is important to produce quality content to capture the attention of your audience and encourage engagement with your brand. Quality content encourages customers to share, discuss and engage with your brand. This can lead to earned mentions, reviews and more. Your content should also be tailored and relevant to your audience; this will help to increase engagement and build trust among customers.
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3. Leverage Existing Relationships
It is important to leverage existing relationships to help drive earned media. Reach out to your current customers, employees, influencers and partners and ask them to share your brand's content and help promote your business.
4. Engage Regularly With Your Audience
Engaging regularly with your audience is key to driving earned media. Engage with your customers by responding to comments, answering questions and addressing customer service issues. This helps to build relationships and encourage users to share your content, leading to increased earned media.
5. Measure & Analyse Results
The final step is to measure and analyse your earned media efforts. Keep track of the mentions, comments and shares and analyse the data to evaluate the success of your efforts. This will help you gain insight into what works, what doesn't and helps you optimise and tweak your campaigns to get the best results.
Earned media is a powerful form of marketing and one of the most effective ways to reach potential customers. Following these guidelines and best practices will help you make the most of earned media and reach your goals.