Getting the most out of your Owned, Earned and Paid Media
Traditionally, companies might have used some marketing and advertising, or occasionally some Public Relations to promote their business. In today’s globalized and digitalized world, an integrated marketing approach – using all three disciplines – is increasingly important for businesses large and small. This means engaging owned, earned and paid media streams to get the very best out of your marketing. You might be wondering exactly what each of these encompass and what their benefits and challenges are…
Owned media
This includes your website, mobile site, email newsletter, YouTube channel, blog and social media posts. Your app too, if your business has one.
Earned media
Earned media is word of mouth (WOM) or media coverage. WOM can include social media likes, comments and shares, brand mentions on blogs and YouTube, and reviews on Yelp, Google, Amazon or TripAdvisor. Media coverage includes stories, bylined articles, interviews and features in print or digital, or on radio or TV, which you don’t pay for. Essentially, this is free coverage – you haven’t paid for it, you’ve earned it.
Paid media
As it sounds, this is media you pay for – feature content in media outlets or advertising on digital, outdoor, print and broadcast platforms.
So, you know what each stream encompasses but what are the benefits and challenges of each and how can you make the right choice for your business?
Let’s take a look at a few brand examples that use an integrated approach.
GoPro, the action camera company has taken the tagline “Be a Hero” and made it their own. Combining a mix of traditional and digital media in their use of owned, earned and paid media has also been a major drive in their success.
Apple is one of the best examples of an integrated marketing approach out there – using earned media such as WOM, and product launch events to generate conversation. Apple also uses sleek and simple advertising, alongside owned media including their website and Apple-specific apps to leverage their brand.
The energy drink and media giant Red Bull, engages a range of different owned, earned and paid media to promote their brand and has gained great exposure through integrating their marketing methods. Initially an energy drinks company, Red Bull has evolved into a media brand sponsoring and highlighting a range of extreme sporting events and athletes.
You don’t have to have a giant budget to make it work for you!
Now, you don’t have to be a big multi-million or billion dollar company to use owned, earned and paid media to leverage your brand. It’s easy for smaller businesses to fall into the trap of focusing on just one or two streams but if you take an integrated approach, you’ll see the results. It all comes down to planning, budgeting, executing and monitoring.