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What is “Earned” Media?

When you look into discussions about online marketing, you often hear various terms like paid media, owned media, and earned media being thrown about. A lot of marketers are putting increased emphasis on earned media especially. What is earned media exactly? Let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of earned media, and what it means for your Los Angeles earned media marketing strategy.

What is Earned Media?

Basically, earned media has to do with using content and social media to spread your message via word of mouth. The content itself can come in many forms. Many brands get creative to get their followers engaged and make them spread the word. Social media can be anything from a single platform like Facebook, Google+, or Twitter, or it can take place over a variety of channels. It is hard to tell exactly what is going to happen with an earned media campaign; it pays to think about the advantages and disadvantages when working on your Los Angeles earned media marketing strategy.

Earned Media Advantages

It doesn’t cost anything to actually transmit the message, and if your media goes viral, you can be looking at major exposure for very little cost, though you do have to put time and energy into crafting the media and nurturing its release. Earned media impact is also easy to gauge. Just count the likes, pluses, clicks, etc. Finally, earned media is trusted by its recipients. People spread the message because they really believe in it and want to share it with their friends, as compared to rolling out ads and commercials which could be a hit or miss with certain audiences.

Earned Media Disadvantages

Earned media campaigns are a little more difficult to control. After you release your content out into the community, it is pretty much up to them where it goes and how it is received. Also, as stated above, you do have to put time and effort into crafting the media. Hidden costs can build up, and you have to keep an eye on your campaign — definitely something to keep in mind when you plan your Los Angeles earned media marketing strategy. Plus, since earned media can spread in unpredictable ways, the media can be hard to track and measure, but there are ways to do it.

Thinking About Strategy

It is very important to develop a serious Los Angeles earned media marketing strategy for your business. It isn’t easy to get content to go viral. You do have to put some time and energy into crafting successful content, and it takes some talent to get things moving. You also run the risk of sinking resources into a campaign that might not be successful. However, in a recent Econsultancy and Adobe survey, 84% of businesses said that they were incorporating earned media into their marketing in a significant way. Earned media can be a powerful marketing tool if done right.

Coalition Technologies understands the mechanics of earned media and what it takes to get it spread on social media channels. We have worked with both large and small businesses to help them master their social media marketing strategies. Not sure where to start? Let us help you with your Los Angeles earned media marketing strategy. Give us a call today at 1-888-993-7639 and get a free quote.

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