What is earned media?

Earned media refers to the positive recognition and visibility a brand receives through various forms of organic exposure, particularly through personal or public recommendations. This type of media is not paid for or controlled directly by the brand; instead, it arises from user-generated content, word-of-mouth referrals, social shares, reviews, and media coverage that highlights the brand positively.

In the context of digital marketing, earned media is particularly valuable because it tends to carry more credibility with potential customers. Recommendations from peers or trusted sources generally foster a sense of trust and authenticity that paid advertising might not achieve. This form of media can significantly impact a brand's reputation and customer engagement, as it reflects real consumer sentiment rather than a brand's overt messages or promotions.

The other options describe forms of media that are either paid or internally produced. Advertisements purchased on social media are a paid marketing strategy, content created in-house is an example of owned media that reflects the brand's perspective rather than public perception, and sponsored posts involve payment for content placement, which again falls under paid media. All of these differ from earned media, which is genuinely based on audience perception and engagement rather than direct financial transactions.