If you want your organization to present itself as effectively as possible, you have a wide range of channels to choose from to achieve this. These include both digital channels and channels outside the internet. You can broadly distinguish four types of channels in the PESO model. One of these is also referred to in industry jargon as earned media.
Earned media refers to content distributed by other people—people who do not work directly for or on behalf of your company. These are people who believe you have earned a certain mention or attention. Examples of earned media include retweets, sharing information from your website, and reviews. Word-of-mouth advertising can also be considered earned media.
Like any type of channel, earned media has both advantages and disadvantages. We’ll outline these below. You’ll then read a few tips on how to leverage earned media to your advantage. Finally, we’ll briefly discuss what other types of channels exist, so you can better assess where earned media fits into the world of content marketing.
The pros and cons of earned media
A very concrete advantage of earned media is that it’s free. After all, you don’t have to pay for a mention that someone makes on their own initiative. Moreover, many people consider recommendations from others to be highly reliable. However, this last point can sometimes work against you. Since you can never fully control how people talk about you or your company, there may occasionally be negative mentions about you. In some cases, this can harm your organization.
Ways to earn positive mentions
Here are some ways to increase your chances of earning a free positive mention from, for example, a (potential) customer under the guise of earned media:
- Always prioritize quality above all else when it comes to your products and services.
- Why not write a rock-solid, fresh article for your website? There’s a good chance others will pick it up and share it.
- Try to create interaction with your followers on social media. This will enhance your image, causing people to think and speak more positively about you.
- Ask satisfied customers if they would like to leave a review.
- If someone leaves a negative review somewhere, respond to it openly and constructively. This defuses the dissatisfaction and shows others that you take feedback seriously and handle it professionally.
What other types of channels are there?
Earned media can play an important role in your content strategy, but of course there are other channels where you can establish your presence. According to the PESO model, the following channels are available:
- Paidmedia. This is all about paid advertising on channels that support it, both online and offline.
- Earnedmedia.
- Sharedmedia cannot be viewed entirely separately from earned media, as shared media involves driving interaction with your customers, especially on social media. Through these same social media platforms, among other channels, you then hope to earn positive comments.
- Ownedmedia: These are all channels that you manage or own yourself. Examples include your website, your newsletters, your social media channels, and/or your print publications. Read more about owned media here.
