‘For that Price, I’ll Just Buy an Ad!’

By Kristi Eaton

The above is a common refrain for people outside the public relations world. There are several forms of media: paid, owned and earned. In a new series I am calling Media Matters, I am going to help educate the public on the ins and outs of public relations and why it matters to have a well-rounded PR strategy and plan. 

First, background on the different types of media:

Paid: This is anything where someone or some company pays to promote their message. The most common example is an advertisement, such as a print or digital ad or commercial. 

Owned: That blog that a company runs or the social media account it regularly updates? That’s an owned media channel. It’s owned by the company and is under their control. While it may cost less to run than an advertisement costs, it’s time-consuming and hiring out to a firm or consultant may be just as costly as an ad. Still, it’s added value for the reach it can get. 

Earned: This is where ke comms excels. Earned media is third-party validation. It’s that digital news story in the local city magazine. It’s the interview appearing on the local television news. Most earned media is completed by hiring a firm or consultant to focus on telling the company’s story to news reporters who then report on that story, finding or initiative. This fosters trust and builds a brand’s reputation. 

A well-rounded communications plan will use all three avenues to grow a business and reputation, but if I had to choose, I’d say earned and owned media are the most important nowadays. I’m not alone. 

According to this report in the Institute for PR examining a study of different media types:

“The greatest percentage of participants indicated and explained that they found the earned media story the most credible among the sources provided. When examining a message appearing in an earned media story, people seek out and pay attention to cues such as the independence of the journalist writing the story, whether the story is balanced in its coverage, the credentials of the journalist and the prestige of the media outlet where the story appeared.”

Where the story appears is just as important as what the story says. This is important to remember for public relations professionals. 

Shrinking newsrooms, fewer news outlets and fewer journalists are making earned media harder to land, but that means when it does, it’s all the more worthwhile for your client’s success and reputation and building brand awareness. 

If you have more questions about the different media types and how earned media can help you, please leave a comment below or email me at kristi@kecomms.com.