Earned Media Relations: A Practical Guide to Brand Storytelling 

Navigating today’s marketplace can be confusing, with trends constantly changing and buzzwords being adopted overnight. For those working in PR, the importance of language cannot be overstated. The lexicon has expanded so much that even experienced marketers may struggle to keep up with terms like public relations and earned media.

Take earned media and media relations, for instance. Both are used synonymously and can often be confused without context. Yet, these concepts are distinct, and grasping their unique value can prove vital for brands seeking to deepen connections with their audience, fortify their image, and broaden their reach.

What is Earned Media? 

Earned media is an impactful form of publicity that money can’t buy. It refers to organic coverage and commentary from third-party outlets, experts, and influencers gained through exceptional work and strategic outreach. Unlike paid advertising, earned media carries credibility as it emerges naturally without financial strings attached.

Earned media refers to coverage, reviews, or mentions that unfold naturally in response to exceptional products, services, campaigns, or stellar pitching. This media type is neither paid nor controlled by PR pros—and that’s where its value and credibility lie.

An exclusive on Fortune, a pass-through media mention in the New York Times, or an executive commenting on a news story are prime examples of earned media.

Media Relations Defined

On the other hand, media relations involve the strategic rapport between media strategists and journalists. Media relations is a subset of public relations, focusing squarely on relationship-building with the media. These relationships are carefully cultivated and maintained to secure positive and sustained media coverage from a phone call. 

Here’s where the distinction comes into play: while media relations can lead to earned media, they are not synonymous. Earned media results from an effective strategy and a well-executed media relations program. In a nutshell, brands should view media relations as an ongoing process of building and maintaining relationships, while earned media is the outcome of those relationships.

Recognizing the unique roles played by earned media and media relations can help PR pros allocate their resources and efforts. Focusing on media relations enables brands to build rapport with industry influencers and journalists who can spread the word about their products and services. In turn, these relationships can give rise to earned media—the authentic, third-party endorsements that boost a brand’s credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of the public.

With the subtleties between these terms clarified, PR firms can approach their outreach efforts with precision. By focusing on media relations with intention, brands can cultivate relationships that yield future earned media opportunities, strengthening their reputation and fostering genuine connections with their customers. 

Earned Media Examples

One standout case when evaluating earned media examples is the “Dove Real Beauty Sketches” campaign from almost ten years ago. The campaign launched by Dove involved a forensic artist drawing women as they described themselves and then as others told them. The video highlighted the stark contrast between self-perception and how others perceive us. It was a powerful social commentary that struck a chord with millions, resulting in unprecedented media coverage. Major publications like The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and BBC News picked it up.

Turning to the B2B space, let’s look at the IBM Watson campaign. IBM created a cognitive computing system named Watson, positioning it as a contender on the American TV quiz show Jeopardy. The man versus machine narrative was compelling, and Watson’s victory on the show resulted in extensive coverage in mainstream media outlets, including The New York Times and WIRED. The campaign also received significant engagement from editors and journalists, sparking discussions about the potential and implications of artificial intelligence.

Of course, both these examples show that earned media isn’t a surefire win. For every Dove or IBM, there are countless other brands whose campaigns fail to gain traction. Nevertheless, one key takeaway is that earned media isn’t just about creating something that grabs attention—it’s also about connecting with broader cultural conversations or showcasing genuine innovation.

A balanced view acknowledges that earned media also has its pitfalls. For example, there’s always a risk that a campaign may not land as intended or could attract negative attention. Therefore, it’s crucial to carefully consider potential implications and backlash before launching any movement designed to generate earned media.

The Four Pillars of an Earned Media Relations Strategy

In a world where people are bombarded with advertisements daily, the effectiveness of earned media is becoming more apparent. This type of publicity is gained organically through the opinions and word-of-mouth of others, which makes it particularly credible and effective at building strong connections. To harness the power of earned media, PR pros must follow a carefully designed strategy that includes four key pillars.

While each pillar serves its purpose, they don’t necessarily need to be done sequentially. 

Crafting Compelling Earned Media Narratives for Maximum Impact

A captivating brand narrative can stand out amongst competitors and attract media attention. Storytelling is crucial for establishing connections with your target audience and achieving meaningful communication. It’s crucial to recognize that the foundation of any brand narrative lies in its alignment with a company’s core values. PR pros must genuinely understand the brand’s essence—its purpose, vision, and ethos—and craft a storyline that reflects these ideals.

While a master brand narrative serves as a company’s overarching story, developing product-specific narratives that cater to specific target segments is also essential. For example, Adobe is widely recognized as a leading software company with a rich brand narrative centered around creativity and innovation; however, each product within Adobe’s portfolio has its unique narrative that highlights specific benefits, user experiences, and applications for consumers. This balance ensures that branding efforts remain tightly aligned with company values and cater to niche audiences simultaneously.

When creating narratives for earned media, it’s essential to consider a combination of strategic and tactical inputs. By comprehending customer beliefs and attitudes and understanding how they want to be spoken to by the brand, marketers set the stage for a strong narrative foundation. Tactically, investigating search trends, social media conversations, and other data can unveil invaluable insights to inform the narrative and inform everything from blog headlines to keywords used in press releases and social content. Combining data-driven knowledge and human understanding ensures brand messaging strikes a chord with the target audience.

Text analysis can be a game-changing approach for brands seeking to uncover hidden narratives lurking beneath the surface of data. Utilizing natural language processing and data mining, text analysis can identify patterns and insights from large volumes of text that can be used to inform the brand narrative. This technology can provide valuable information to guide brand messaging strategies, from existing earned media coverage to social media conversations. 

In practice, standout brand narratives like Warby Parker’s mission to “offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.” and Ben & Jerry’s commitment to sustainability, social consciousness, and fostering positive change are examples of how compelling narratives can foster meaningful connections with target audiences and drive exceptional results. 

EXAMPLE BRAND NARRATIVE

As we venture into a world overflowing with technological innovation, NVIDIA stands as a beacon of progress, empowering remarkable achievements and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. With our unwavering commitment to stay on the bleeding edge of technology, we strive to lead humanity into a future where every aspect of life is interconnected, enhanced, and limitless.

Supporting Key Message

Empower Extraordinary Achievements: NVIDIA’s vast suite of products – ranging from the highly renowned GeForce GPUs for gamers to leading-edge AI research in self-driving cars, speech translation, and genomics – demonstrates that the company champions human ingenuity and ambition.

Boundless Innovation for Infinite Possibilities: The rapid acceleration of technology has dramatically increased the need for advanced computing solutions. NVIDIA’s persistent drive to innovate allows industries worldwide to create revolutionary applications, leading to new possibilities for growth and success. 

Focused on Developing the Technologies of Tomorrow: The growing demand for sophisticated computing solutions is unmistakable as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. NVIDIA can capitalize on its track record of breakthrough technologies such as CUDA and ray tracing and its successful partnerships with leading tech companies to solidify its position as a leader in future developments. 

Sustainable Technology for a Better Tomorrow: NVIDIA acknowledges the impact of both digital and ecological footprints, so they are committed to developing energy-efficient technologies and facilitating a more sustainable future for all.

Embedded in the Cultural Zeitgeist: NVIDIA’s innovative contributions towards gaming, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality have earned the company a permanent place in popular culture – making it not just a tech giant but a household name.

A brand narrative, woven with carefully crafted key messages, is the foundation for storytelling. PR pros employ these elements to create a cohesive, memorable story that captures the essence of a company’s identity and values. A brand narrative should influence every aspect of PR, from pitches and press releases to social media campaigns, ensuring a consistent tone and voice across all channels. By keeping the brand’s story and messaging aligned, marketers can foster a strong connection between their company and consumers, enabling them to navigate the ever-changing market landscape easily and confidently.

Developing a Comprehensive Media Relations Strategy

PR professionals worldwide rely on a media relations strategy as the foundation of their work. This plan helps companies navigate various communication channels and effectively communicate their message. Creating a media relations plan is not easy, as it requires aligning with business goals, setting both short and long-term objectives, and remaining flexible enough to adapt to changes. 

A plan is incomplete without considering the future. A media relations strategy cannot be successful without well-defined long-term objectives. Take, for example, a brand gearing up to launch eco-friendly products. Their long-term objectives may be securing media coverage in top-tier media outlets like the Wall Street Journal’s Sustainable Business section. In the short term, they may also want to foster meaningful collaborations with eco-conscious influencers, leading campaigns to reduce waste and pitching smaller trade publications. By focusing on business impact, behavior change, and AI brand reputation, they can achieve a lasting impression within the ESG community and their stakeholders that align with sustainability. 

Short-term goals also hold the key to a brand’s immediate success, be it a media blitz during product launches or increasing its share of voice in a noisy market. Take the case of a brand unveiling its cutting-edge 6G smartphone, which boasts striking features that leave competitors in the dust. The company can generate excitement around the launch by orchestrating a targeted media blitz, creator activations, and strategically timed interviews with top executives.

A media relations strategy set in stone can easily crumble when market shifts or cultural changes occur. Flexibility is crucial in such situations. Successful brands maintain a balance between their long-term and short-term goals by adapting their media relations plans to the changing market, societal norms, and cultural trends. 

Planning for the Expected and Unexpected

A comprehensive media relations approach necessitates the development of tailored plans designed for specific objectives. These strategies ensure smooth progress through various company milestones while providing a level of preparedness when a PR crisis inevitably occurs.

PR pros must skillfully chart their course through ever-changing circumstances. By devising specialized strategies for different scenarios, they can soften the impact of unforeseen obstacles and maintain stability in the face of adversity. For example, creating a solid plan for communicating financial results with accuracy and transparency is vital during earnings season, which helps instill stakeholder confidence and reinforce the brand’s trajectory.

Similarly, when a PR storm brews, a carefully constructed crisis management plan can make the difference between triumph and defeat. Companies can regain trust and control the narrative by addressing issues head-on and demonstrating openness. Adopting a proactive approach rooted in genuine communication allows brands to weather challenging situations with poise.

Customized tactics also play a crucial role in organizational communication strategies. By understanding the nuances of various audiences and tailoring the message to resonate with them, PR pros can ensure that the executive’s vision and goals effectively engage stakeholders. A well-thought-out executive communications plan fosters credibility and authority, strengthening the connection between leadership and key audience segments.

Lastly, confronting unfounded rumors is an unavoidable aspect of media relations strategy. Companies must be ready to extinguish baseless gossip before it spirals out of control. Using facts, empathy, and timely responses, brands can effectively debunk misinformation and preserve the integrity of their public image.

Thought Leadership Drives Business Growth

Thought leadership is an essential component of an earned media strategy. When brands can establish themselves as authorities in their industry, they attract potential clients’ attention and become sought-after resources for journalists and reporters. As a result, PR pros can leverage their expertise to secure valuable coverage and elevate their brand’s visibility.

One example is a cybersecurity firm that consistently publishes insightful articles, whitepapers, and commentary on emerging security threats. By demonstrating their in-depth understanding of the industry, the firm’s leaders gain credibility and build trust with their audience. Also, this knowledge-sharing benefits their readers and captures the attention of media outlets, leading to increased opportunities for interviews, guest columns, and other forms of earned coverage.

Similarly, a forward-thinking restaurant owner who actively promotes eco-friendly and sustainable practices can become a go-to source for local media outlets covering the evolving food industry. By positioning themselves as a thought leader, the restaurateur can secure valuable coverage in local publications and increase sales. In both cases, thought leadership drives earned media success and amplifies a company’s reach.

Implementing Earned Media Tactics and Campaigns

Effective public relations campaigns demand strategic and tactical earned media activations. A key tactic to consider is staying abreast of what’s happening in the market. By keeping a finger on the pulse of evolving trends, brands position themselves to capitalize on newsjacking opportunities, weaving their narrative into the fabric of trending coverage and conversations. This can be achieved by offering their executives as commentators for existing stories, providing expert insights, compelling statistics, or memorable quotes.

Also, monitoring real-time media coverage is essential to earning media. PR pros can leverage cutting-edge media monitoring tools like Cision and human analysis to track their brand’s media mentions globally. This approach empowers them to extract valuable data on their brand’s share of voice, sentiment, and competitor visibility. With this information and proactive monitoring, marketers can nimbly adjust their course to exploit emerging opportunities or address potential negative coverage effectively.

Building Online Newsrooms 

PR pros must look beyond the conventional practice of merely uploading press releases. Instead, they should focus on transforming their newsroom into a dynamic content hub that features engaging stories, noteworthy events, employee spotlights, and even showcases hard-earned media coverage. This approach ensures that the newsroom remains relevant, interesting, and a reliable source of information for journalists, customers, and stakeholders alike. A newsroom also generates higher search engine rankings, attracting traffic to its website and maintaining a sense of control over its brand story.

Transitioning from an essential press release archive to a comprehensive content hub requires creativity, strategy, and adaptability. Brands should consider incorporating diverse content formats like videos, podcasts, and infographics to cater to varied audience preferences and elevate the overall user experience. Additionally, marketers must maintain a balance between promotional material and genuinely informative content to ensure that the newsroom remains an authentic reflection of the brand’s values and objectives.

Critics might argue that maintaining an online media newsroom is time-consuming and resource-intensive, with the need for constant updates and fresh content. However, the long-term benefits of a well-curated newsroom far outweigh the short-term costs.

A shining example of a stellar newsroom is that of REI, the popular outdoor retailer. Their newsroom offers a well-rounded mix of content, including press releases, blog posts, and multimedia stories. They also host an informative technology blog investigating how engineering and technology contribute to the brand’s success. This holistic approach to an owned newsroom engages its audience, provides valuable content, and underscores the brand’s dedication to innovation.

Contrary to popular belief, press releases continue to hold their ground as critical components of an earned media program. Contrary to popular belief, journalists keenly watch company newsrooms, finding press releases invaluable sources for crafting compelling stories. A meticulously constructed press release equips journalists with quotable phrases, essential data, and relevant context and guarantees the accurate portrayal of a brand’s narrative in the ever-evolving media landscape.

Staying ahead of the curve necessitates embracing innovative tools and technologies. PRophet is a technology platform that uses generative and predictive AI SaaS platforms. They empower PR pros to enhance their productivity and foresight by producing, examining, and evaluating content that forecasts earned media interest and sentiment.

PRophet’s AI capabilities allow marketers to make informed decisions, ensuring that their press releases are tailored to the demands of a dynamic media ecosystem. By generating data-driven insights, the platform helps PR pros identify compelling angles and predict which story elements will resonate with journalists and readers alike. This level of precision ultimately bolsters the chances of securing coveted earned media coverage.

Moreover, PRophet helps companies test various content strategies, refine their messaging, and identify the most effective approaches for capturing media interest. By scrutinizing and assessing content performance, PR pros can fine-tune their press releases, ensuring they hit the mark with journalists and effectively communicate a brand’s core message.

The Core of Media Relations is Journalist Engagement 

Cultivating and maintaining relationships with target journalists is at the heart of media relations. PR pros and media strategists prioritizing consistent engagement with journalists can develop trust and credibility in the long run. In addition, by offering valuable resources and support to help reporters craft compelling stories, PR pros can create a solid foundation that benefits both parties in the future.

Additionally, utilizing data to gauge the influence of reporters can enhance the efficiency of media outreach. PR pros can attain valuable insights by analyzing the data from journalists’ social media handles and the metrics related to the media outlets they write for. This information can guide brands in identifying which journalists are best suited to amplify their message and reach the desired audience.

Creating comprehensive media lists serves as another indispensable component of effective media relations. A carefully curated media list encompassing journalists and media outlets, with solid data to back them up, can provide PR pros with a clear roadmap for their outreach initiatives. This strategic approach not only streamlines the process but also saves time and resources while maximizing the impact of their campaigns.

Platforms like Propel PR offer a cloud-based solution with a built-in CRM to track and manage interactions with journalists and reporters. Such tools enable marketers to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their pitches based on open email rates, specific topics, and target media channels.

With platforms like Propel PR, brands can gain valuable knowledge on which subject lines resonate with the top journalists in their industry, thereby increasing the probability of securing coverage. In addition, this data-driven approach can significantly optimize PR outreach, resulting in more targeted and fruitful relationships with journalists and influencers.

Earned Media Measurement Framework

The necessity for PR pros to establish an earned media measurement framework as an integral component of their earned media strategy is paramount. Earned media has grown increasingly significant in recent years. This shift in consumer behavior underscores the need for a comprehensive, strategic approach to measuring the impact of earned media on brand reputation and growth.

Developing a practical earned media intelligence and measurement framework enables PR pros to gauge their efforts’ success, identify improvement areas, and justify their value to clients or internal stakeholders. By quantifying the reach, engagement, and sentiment of earned media coverage, PR pros can better align their strategy with overarching business objectives, allocate resources efficiently, and demonstrate a clear return on investment. A well-designed framework also enables marketers to respond proactively to emerging trends, mitigate potential crises, and make data-driven decisions that bolster brand reputation in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Incorporating key performance indicators (KPIs) into PR measurement ensures that brands are on the right track. For instance, a brand’s share of voice (SOV) provides insight into its media presence compared to competitors. At the same time, the average engagement rate per article sheds light on whether the storytelling resonates with the target audience. Other helpful KPIs include website traffic referrals, thought leadership positioning, and sales leads generated from media coverage.

Of course, the quantitative aspect of media coverage isn’t the only crucial factor to consider when analyzing results – the sentiment is just as important. By implementing advanced natural language processing (NLP) algorithms, PR pros can gauge the overall sentiment of their earned media coverage. Moreover, striving for positive sentiment is critical, as negative or even neutral coverage could work against the objectives the communications strategy hopes to achieve.

It’s also important to acknowledge that not all media coverage is created equal, and evaluating its impact on brand health is essential. A well-rounded reputation analysis should encompass the authority, credibility, and reach of the outlets that have spotlighted the brand, as well as the coverage’s tone, messaging, and accuracy. This comprehensive evaluation helps marketers establish a direct connection between earned media efforts and the overall brand perception.

While it might be tempting to use earned media value (EMV) as a measure of success, it’s essential not to rely heavily on this metric. Comparing media coverage to what would have been spent on advertising can provide a false sense of achievement and overlook the impact that such coverage has on intangible aspects like trust, brand affinity, and customer loyalty. In addition, relying on EMV may not always factor in the coverage’s actual reach, engagement, and sentiment; hence, it should not be a standalone metric to determine success.

Final Thoughts

A well-crafted earned media strategy isn’t just about generating buzz. It’s about building credibility, deepening audience relationships, and reinforcing a brand’s reputation in a way that paid media simply can’t replicate. Understanding the nuances between earned media and media relations allows PR professionals to approach their work with greater clarity and purpose. Strong media relations lay the groundwork, but it’s the authenticity of earned media that leaves a lasting impact.

To maximize results, brands need a disciplined approach—one that blends compelling storytelling, strategic outreach, and data-driven insights. Every earned media opportunity should align with broader brand narratives and cultural moments, ensuring relevance and resonance. Thought leadership, journalist engagement, and proactive media monitoring further strengthen a brand’s position, helping to turn fleeting mentions into sustained visibility.

However, success in earned media isn’t guaranteed. A campaign must not only capture attention but also connect with audiences on a deeper level. Brands must anticipate risks, measure impact effectively, and remain agile in a rapidly shifting media landscape. The key isn’t just to earn coverage—it’s to cultivate trust, shape perception, and ultimately drive business growth.

PR professionals who master the art of earned media don’t just chase headlines. They create meaningful, lasting conversations that position brands as industry leaders. By leveraging a strategic mix of relationship-building, data analysis, and compelling narratives, they ensure that earned media isn’t just a one-time win—but a long-term advantage.

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