Earned, Owned & Paid
In the media landscape, we’ve all heard the terms “earned,” “owned,” and “paid,” but what do they really mean? Here’s the breakdown:
WHAT IS EARNED SOCIAL MEDIA?
“Online exposure obtained through word-of-mouth.”
Whether it’s a Google review from a satisfied client or a post re-share from a LinkedIn connection, earned media is the recognition received through these third-party shout-outs. Although this type of organic UGC is the most difficult of the three to generate, there are ways to help facilitate earned media:
Identify the social media platforms your target audience is active on, and pay it forward - this includes following relevant hashtags, liking, commenting and engaging with their posts.
Contribute to industry publications with thought leadership pieces, such as co-authoring an article.
This accreditation builds trust, highlights expertise, and helps introduce your organization to new potential leads.
WHAT IS OWNED SOCIAL MEDIA?
“Content and channels in your full control.”
Think company websites, blogs, and social media accounts. The main goal of owned content is to further the conversation with your online community in a controlled space. Without being too sales-y, focus on crafting and offering value-add and educational resources, such as Social T’s Zoom Resources and LinkedIn Tips blogs. This type of owned content helps leads decide whether they want to click that “Contact Us” button!
WHAT IS PAID SOCIAL MEDIA?
“Promoted content in the form of sponsored posts.”
Paid social media is an effective way to amplify owned content and help win more earned media. Leverage this content type to strategically direct traffic to specific destinations, such as your social profile, the latest blog post or the organization’s contact page. From display and video ads to boosting posts and influencer partnerships, reach audiences that might not have come across your brand otherwise.
If that isn’t enough to convince you of the power of paid social media, here are some facts and figures:
Over 928 million people can be reached by ads on Instagram
Facebook ads reach 1.95 billion of the platform’s 2.5 billion monthly users
Twitter shows ads to 152 million “monetizable users” every day
LinkedIn ads reach 12% of the world’s population, and is the top paid (and organic) channel for B2B marketing
Save this infographic as a handy resource!
