Earned Media

Publicity and coverage that a brand receives through organic creator content, press mentions, or word-of-mouth — as opposed to paid media (advertising) or owned media (the brand's own channels). When a creator authentically recommends a product without being paid to do so, that is earned media for the brand. Earned media is highly valuable because it carries the implicit endorsement of a trusted third party. Brands that invest in genuine product quality and creator relationships earn more organic coverage than brands that rely solely on paid placements.