What is earned media (coverage)?

The term earned media describes news content featuring or sourcing your brand, products, or services. It is not paid media or advertising.

Earned media coverage comes from media relations and media outreach also known as media pitching. When successful, it leads to a news outlet including your company, product, service, expert, opinion, or ideas in a news story (print, radio, TV, web, podcast, etc.). This includes newspapers or industry trade publications (blogs, magazines, or websites) featuring, quoting, or mentioning your organization or experts. It’s appearing on a TV morning show or the evening news. It’s what most people think of when they think of PR. Some might call it “publicity.”

There are four types of media:

• Paid
• Earned
• Shared
• Owned

These different types of media make up the PESO model. At Axia Public Relations, we’re PR experts – PR is what we do. We aren’t an advertising agency trying to pose as a public relations firm; we don’t try to be all things to all clients. In our opinion, paid media isn’t really a PR firm’s role, and, therefore, paid media shouldn’t be part of the PESO model. In fact, it’s really just a technique under earned media, shared media, and owned media to amplify its content.

As a PR firm, our sole focus is on what we call the ESO model.

• Earned – Earned media is when you’ve earned the opportunity through media relations to appear in a news story.
• Shared – Shared media is user-generated content and social media.
• Owned – Owned media is content you’ve created and have full control over (e.g., your website or blog).

Axia Public Relations moves beyond traditional PR to help you create a targeted, effective plan for increased visibility and brand loyalty that ensures you’re getting the most from your PR investment.

Download our complimentary e-book “Maximize Your Public Relations Investment” today.

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