Earned Media

Topic

Unpaid media coverage gained through authentic engagement, which Trump's campaign leveraged effectively through podcasts and other non-traditional platforms, overcoming a significant spending deficit.


entitydetail.created_at

8/20/2025, 2:37:56 AM

entitydetail.last_updated

8/20/2025, 2:38:58 AM

entitydetail.research_retrieved

8/20/2025, 2:38:58 AM

Summary

Earned media, also known as free media or organic visibility, refers to content about a person or organization published by a third party without payment, such as media articles, interviews, or social media shares. It stands in contrast to paid media (advertising) and owned media (company branding). In the context of Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, the All-In Podcast hosts argued that alternative media platforms, supported by figures like Elon Musk, were instrumental in countering legacy media narratives, allowing Trump to dominate in earned media and connect directly with voters. This shift in the media landscape was seen as a key factor in the Democratic Party's loss, alongside a weak candidate, economic issues like inflation, and public rejection of cultural topics labeled as "Wokeism."

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Benefits

    Improved digital presence, valuable backlinks, boosted search engine rankings, increased organic traffic, cost-effective impact, high consumer trust, powerful results for brands.

  • Examples

    Media articles, interviews, bylined editorials, social media sharing, unpaid mentions by podcast hosts/guests, word-of-mouth marketing, reviews, recommendations, content picked up by third-party sites.

  • Definition

    Content relating to a person or organization, published by a third party without any form of payment to the publisher.

  • Distinction

    Contrasts with paid media (advertising) and owned media (company branding/channels controlled by the entity).

  • Characteristics

    Unpaid, third-party recognition, reflects genuine trust and appreciation, highly credible and impactful.

Timeline
  • Donald Trump's decisive 2024 election victory, where his dominance in earned media, facilitated by alternative media platforms and figures like Elon Musk, was cited as a key factor in his ability to connect directly with voters and counter legacy media narratives. (Source: document ef651446-8b4f-4fad-b057-b6fc0bd3c0e1)

    2024-11-05

Earned media

Earned media (or free media) is content relating to a person or organization, which is published by a third party without any form of payment to the publisher. It includes articles by media outlets, interviews with the person or representatives of the organization, or bylined editorials in trade press and other publications. The phrase "earned media" serves as a contrast to the concept of "paid media" or, simply advertising. It may also include social media sharing, unpaid mentions by podcast hosts and guests, or word-of-mouth marketing. Earned media excludes advertising (paid media) and company branding (owned media).

Web Search Results
  • Earned media - Wikipedia

    Earned media (or free media) is content relating to a person or organization, which is published by a third party without any form of payment to the publisher.( It includes articles by media outlets, interviews with the person or representatives of the organization, or bylined editorials in trade press and other publications. The phrase "earned media" serves as a contrast to the concept of "paid media" or, simply advertising. It may also include social media sharing, unpaid mentions by podcast [...] _Earned media_ is what happens when a person or organization is spoken of by a third party, with no payment changing hands. Examples include mentions in traditional media, guest appearances on television shows, or an opinion piece in a periodical. Sometimes social media mentions, ratings, reviews, and online discussions are included in this category.( [...] _Earned_ media is not paid for, but is published voluntarily by third parties (e.g., an article in a daily newspaper). This includes traditional publicity activities such as media relations or publicity (e.g., sending press releases to newspapers and magazines, in the hope that they will voluntarily publish an independent article about the organization or product) and investor relations (e.g., providing information of interest to investors or a business journal).(

  • The benefits of earned media for app marketing success

    Earned media, also known as earned content or organic visibility, refers to brand exposure gained through unpaid, third-party recognition. It includes any publicity from customers, influencers, or journalists. These endorsements reflect genuine trust and appreciation, making earned media one of the most credible and impactful forms of marketing. Although unpaid, earned media often results from strategic efforts such as engaging content, exceptional customer experiences, or strong SEO. ) [...] Earned media can significantly improve your digital presence. High-authority websites linking to your content through mentions or features provide valuable backlinks. These backlinks signal search engines that your site is credible, boosting your rankings and driving more organic traffic. This makes earned media a key player in a strong SEO strategy. ### Cost-effective impact [...] Think about the last time you discovered a new product or app. Perhaps it was via an ad. Or, perhaps it was because a friend recommended it, a glowing review popped up online, or someone shared it on social media. The authenticity of earned media leads to high levels of consumer trust and powerful results for app businesses. So, what exactly is earned media, and why is it such a game-changer for brands looking to influence purchase decisions, boost their reputation, and grow organically?

  • What Is Earned Media? Definition, Examples and Benefits

    Earned media is the visibility your business “earns” from organic sources. It's often contrasted with paid media, which is a more traditional advertising strategy that involves making a financial investment in return for a guaranteed placement for your brand (like paid social media ads, billboards, podcast endorsements or banner ads on a website). It’s also different from owned media, which are the channels you completely control, like your website and blog, and shared media, which includes the [...] Earned media, by definition, isn’t created directly by your brand or paid for. You “earn” it through your reputation, word-of-mouth and public relations efforts. The biggest difference between earned media marketing and other strategies is that it comes from third-party sources, which gives it some unique benefits. ## Top Benefits of Earned Media

  • What Is Earned Media, Owned Media & Paid Media? Examples

    Definition: Earned media is publicity or exposure gained from methods other than paid advertising. [...] If owned media sites are the destination then earned media is the vehicle that helps people get there. What good is a website or social media site if no one is seeing or interacting with it? That’s where earned media comes in. Earned media is essentially online word of mouth, usually seen in the form of ‘viral’ tendencies, mentions, shares, reposts, reviews, recommendations, or content picked up by 3rd party sites. One of the most effective driving forces of earned media is usually a

  • Types of Earned Media and Their Impact on Your Brand

    ### Definition of Earned Media Coverage Earned media refers to any publicity your brand gets without directly paying for it. This can include mentions on social media, reviews, news articles, and word-of-mouth recommendations. It's got quite a broad scope, so there are some things that you might not even realize count as earned media. Unlike paid ads or owned media channels, you don't control earned media directly – it comes from others talking about you. [...] Earned media is free publicity your brand receives through word-of-mouth, social media shares, press coverage, and other unpaid channels. You might need to work hard to get your brand out there to begin with, but earned media is often a positive benefit from your earlier paid and owned media activity. Earned media is great for building trust and typically leads to more people hearing about your brand. There are lots of other amazing things about it, too. [...] Effectively, earned media is anything created and shared by someone else that directly helps you. It’s different from advertising or sponsored content, which you pay for. It’s also different from owned media, which refers to all the things you publish on your own channels (like your website or social media sites) and have more control over. This organic publicity is the holy grail for marketers – and it’s something that you need to weave into your strategy.