Nina-Li Wieberdink
October 11, 2022
In the blog 'What is pr?we briefly explained the concept of earned media. In this blog we will elaborate on the meaning and usefulness of earned media and we will talk about the use of PR.
In the blog 'What is pr?we briefly explained the concept of earned media. In this blog we will elaborate on the meaning and usefulness of earned media and we will talk about the use of PR.
Earned media are all (media) publications that you don't have to invest money in. It's free exposure outside of your own channels. Earned media is part of the PESO Model. In this model, developed by Gini Dietrich in 2009, all media channels are visualized (see image). It involves the marketing mix between Paid (paid), Earned (earned), Shared (shared) and Owned (owned) media, which together provide authority.
Earned media can be about hard, soft and reactive news. For many, earned media is music to their ears. And rightly so, because not only is it valuable to your organization, it can also have a positive impact on the image of your b2b organization.
We talked a little while ago about the impact earned media can have on your organization's image. If you are invited as an expert to talk about a topic within your field, you can strengthen the thought leadership position of your organization. This is because you come across as credible to your target group and radiate authority.
People are talking about you and want to talk about you. You also plant seeds with potential customers who, when they are further along in the buyer journey, will think of you when they are looking for a product or service. So indirectly, you're also recruiting new customers for your B2B organization by using earned media.
For b2b organizations, earned media looks a little different than for b2c. In b2c, you're selling directly to an individual. The amount involved is relatively small and, in most cases, only one person needs to decide. An Instagram Story or Google review then often already has a positive impact on a potential customer's buyer journey.
When it comes to b2b, we sell to organizations where the decision is made by multiple people. B2b also usually involves long-term collaborations. Earned media opportunities for b2b include journalists who want an interview on a topic in your field; the topic in which you as a b2b organization are thought leaders.
There are also risks and less positive sides to earned media. For example, it is not always in your control. A request for an interview or an invitation to a talk show may come in unexpectedly; you have no control over that.
One risk of earned media is that the outcome can also be negative. A PR campaign can go wrong with the target group, which in turn leads to negative publicity. Therefore, enlist the help of a reliable and transparent PR agency with a lot of experience and good contacts in the media. They can prevent a PR crisis.
An example of a public relations campaign that involved risk is the example of Tesla. During the presentation of the Cybertruck, Elon Musk wanted to demonstrate how "unbreakable" the windows were. These turned out to be far from unbreakable, as after one blow the window was broken. Musk handled it well, limiting the damage from the ensuing PR crisis. However, it did put a dent in Tesla's reputation.
But how exactly do you "earn" that earned media? You do that by building a good reputation as an organization. It is also crucial to have strong connections with journalists. Many organizations choose to enlist the help of a public relations agency to do this. Such an agency already has contacts in the media world and can also develop campaigns and send press releases to the right media. This saves a lot of time, time you can invest in the growth of your organization.
