How Earned Media Drives Success

Earned media has the power to elevate a brand's reputation and reach, but what exactly is earned media, and why should your brand care about it? Let's explore how earned media can be the key to content marketing success.
Why is Earned Media Important?
Earned media refers to the publicity your brand gains through promotional efforts other than paid advertising. This can include word-of-mouth recommendations, media coverage and social media engagement. It's the kind of authentic and credible coverage brands strive for.
Unlike paid media, which can sometimes feel forced or inauthentic, earned media is based on merit and genuine interest. Earned media also helps boost your brand's credibility and trustworthiness. When a respected, high-quality publication features your content or a satisfied customer shares a post on social media, your brand receives a powerful endorsement that can be more impactful than any ad campaign.
The Benefits of Earned Media
1. Increased Brand Awareness: When your brand is featured in traditional media or shared through social media, it naturally gains exposure. This increased visibility can introduce your products or services to a broader audience.

2. Enhanced Credibility and Trust: Earned media is seen as more authentic. When real people or reputable outlets vouch for your brand, it enhances your credibility and builds trust with potential customers.
3. SEO Boost: Earned media often comes with a bonus benefit of improving your search engine rankings. When high-authority sites link back to your website, it signals to search engines that your content is valuable, helping you climb the ranks in search results.
4. Cost-Effectiveness: While it might require an initial effort, the benefit of earned media can be substantial without ongoing costs. It’s a cost-effective way to spread the word about your brand and drive consumer interest.
5. Engagement and Interaction: Earned media encourages interaction. Whether it's a social media share or publications picking up your trusted content, it can invite engagement and conversations, providing you with valuable insights into your audience's preferences and behaviors.
When you partner with Family Features, we can guarantee your content will secure earned media coverage that not only gives your content more reach, but also drives traffic. This means you’re earning – not paying for – third-party endorsements. We guarantee earned coverage through our network of more than 4,000 print and digital editors who select your project and publish it in their newspapers, magazines or websites.
We begin the process by turning your brand’s message into ready-to-publish, editorial-style content. These campaigns provide high-profile earned media placements with easy-to-use content for our network of media partners. This also eliminates the time-consuming process of pitching your content to editors. We’ll handle it all from start to finish with our integrated content strategy that’ll ensure your project gets earned media attention.
While earned media may not be as straightforward as paying for an ad, the benefits it offers in credibility, reach and cost-effectiveness are crucial. So, when you’re planning your next marketing strategy, don’t overlook earned media to help give your brand the attention it deserves.