Earned Media Value

What is Earned Media Value?

Earned media value refers to the estimated worth of all the attention a brand gets through word-of-mouth, social media mentions, news coverage, and other forms of publicity that the company didn't pay for directly. It's like getting a free shout-out or recommendation from people or media outlets. Imagine someone famous talking about their favorite sneaker brand on TV without the brand paying them to do so; that's earned media value at work.

How is Earned Media Value Calculated?

Calculating earned media value can be tricky because it involves putting a monetary value on conversations and mentions which are not paid for. Here are some key points used in the calculation:

• The reach of the mention: How many people saw or heard it?
• The influence of the person or media that made the mention: Are they considered an authority or a trusted source?
• The sentiment of the mention: Was the brand mentioned in a positive, negative, or neutral manner?

Companies use different models and tools to estimate how much these free mentions would have cost if they were to pay for them directly through advertising.

Why is Earned Media Value Important for Brands?

Earned media value is important because it shows a brand how much impact their non-paid publicity has. Here’s why it matters:

• Trust and credibility: Recommendations from friends or positive news stories naturally make people trust a brand more compared to paid ads.
• Cost-effective: It reflects the value received from non-paid marketing strategies, helping brands see the benefit of creating engaging and shareable content.
• Brand awareness: More mentions mean more people know about the brand, which can lead to increased sales and customer loyalty over time.

Understanding earned media value helps brands focus on creating content that people want to talk about and share, rather than just relying on paid advertising.