These days, small businesses invest a lot of time and resources in their digital marketing and SEO strategies. However, search engine algorithms are constantly changing to keep up with trends, often thwarting their best efforts. Word of mouth, though, is a marketing strategy that has stood the test of time and technology. In digital marketing, word of mouth is also known as earned media.
Earned media constitutes any media that you don’t own and didn’t pay for that mentions your brand. In other words, it’s people using their media outlets to talk about your brand simply because they like it and not because you paid them to. So, where can you find it and how can you earn some yourself? We’ll dive into the world of media to see where you can find this mysterious media and how to capitalize on it.
Blog Posts
Content marketing has become increasingly popular in recent years. Creating blog posts is a common SEO best practice and a great way to increase your ranking in search results.
Indeed, a blogger posting a product review about a product they love is one of the best earned media examples. If they apply SEO best practices to their content creation, they’ll also incorporate keywords relevant to that new product and a backlink to your site. Next, they’ll disseminate it through their social network and other distribution channels, and you reap the rewards of that free marketing.
User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is another one of the most common examples of earned media. UGC is content that people share about your brand on social media channels. As you know, social media is one of the best platforms for growing your target audience and customer base.
Getting social media mentions from people who love your brand is one of the best ways to attract potential customers. Using catchy hashtags and posting engaging content is a great way to compel your social media followers to repost your content on their own social media accounts.
Influencer Marketing
Influencers are the new celebrities in the age of social media. Influencer marketing is another form of media that’s great for driving traffic. When influencers become willing brand advocates, they lend their credibility to the brands they mention.
If an influencer gives your brand name a shoutout in their video content, it could seismically increase your brand awareness. Influencer outreach is a great way to draw attention to your brand from the most popular influencers and possibly get them to try your products. However, it takes a lot of careful planning and savvy marketing to convert your content marketing efforts into brand mentions from influencers and other media outlets.
Traditional Media
Traditional media (press coverage) is another great example of earned media. Even though press coverage is a traditional form of media, it’s effective. That’s because you have to do something newsworthy to earn press coverage, and this usually means impacting change in your community. Indeed, supporting a positive cause is one of the best ways to attract media attention.
Earned media is one of the most effective forms of marketing—it’s word of mouth on a massive scale. Unpaid brand mentions from media outlets and influencers are the best ways to drive organic traffic. Not to mention, it’s free! You can find it in blog posts, social media posts, media coverage, and influencer content.
It’s crucial to have an earned-media strategy as part of your digital marketing efforts. Concentrate on creating engaging content that provides value and resonates with your target audience. When it comes to driving organic traffic, slow and steady wins the race. However, with enough earned media, your website traffic will kick into high gear.
