In an increasingly digital world, marketing is evolving to keep up with the times. Marketers and advertisers are adapting strategies to create campaigns that take advantage of social media and online advertising. These strategies fall into three types of media. Earned media, paid media, and owned media.
These segments of media are not new, but they are being utilized in new and exciting ways. According to Hubspot, web presence and growth is the key to thriving in the online market space. So, what exactly are these different types of media, and how do they interact with each other? Let’s take a look.
Earned Media
Earned media, or earned content, is any advertising or marketing about a business or service that has not been paid for by the organization receiving the promotion. This type of media always comes from a third party. That is not to say a savvy marketer cannot position an entity to receive earned content opportunities.
Publicity, another term for earned media, takes many forms and is typically received because of actions performed by a business or service. The old adage is, “there is no such thing as bad publicity.” Many consider earned content to be a form of free media.
Earned content has changed from bits on local cable news to blurbs on popular blogs and social media platforms. Free media influences the way people think about products and impacts societal behavior. It is a powerful tool for growing success and creating organic traffic.
Paid Media
This type of media is produced with the sponsorship of a business or other entity. Paid media includes social media marketing, search engine ads, pop-ups and other forms of premium advertising. These forms of media allow a business to immediately get in front of its target audiences.
Premium ads and social media posts drive traffic, make conversions and promote content. This media is an essential component of digital marketing. An online entity must promote itself through premium promotions to scale accordingly and constantly reach new markets.
Owned Media
Owned media are media delivery channels directly owned by an entity. These channels are social media profiles, websites, apps, press releases or blogs. The business can directly interact with customers through these channels and deliver on-point promotional materials.
The first and foremost benefit of owned media is that the business directly controls the means of delivery. Through this type of media, organizations choose what promotional materials to deliver and how to optimally interact with customers.
Media Synergies
Digital promotion should focus on cross-promotional content through each segment of media type to maximize exposure. A new product should be promoted through owned, paid, and earned channels. This trifecta of media exposure is the most effective way to reach the largest market share.
Creating these synchronistic media strategies can be stressful, especially in a digital world where change occurs rapidly. Fortunately, there are services to help elevate online presence to the next level. For those struggling or who have questions about how to upgrade their media strategies, reach out today.
