Earned Media vs. Paid Media: What Marketers Need to Know

In today’s “look at me!” economy, getting your brand seen is only half the battle.

‍

The other half? Earning trust!

‍

That’s why modern marketers are constantly weighing their options between earned media and paid media, two very powerful channels that might work differently but still chase the same goal: 

‍

Visibility that drives results.

‍

The tricky part is knowing when (and how) to use each one.

‍

But today’s guide is here to clear things up. Today, we’re breaking down the key differences between earned and paid media, comparing their pros and cons, and helping you figure out which one makes the most sense for your brand…or how to combine them for maximum impact!

‍

Let’s get started!

‍

What Is Earned Media and How Does It Work?

‍

‍

Earned media is the kind of visibility you can’t just buy.

‍

No, literally. It can’t be bought! Earned media is the result of people voluntarily talking about your brand, whether that’s through leaving reviews, being mentioned in the press, shared on social media, or through user-generated content.

‍

The key difference is that earned media isn’t paid for directly; it’s sparked through genuine interest, brand advocacy, or good, old-fashioned word of mouth (or blog posts, YouTube reviews, and Reddit threads)

‍

Common examples of earned media include:

‍

• Customer reviews and testimonials
• Press coverage and editorial mentions
• Social media shares and tags
• Influencer shout-outs (unpaid)
• Forum or community discussions
• User-generated content (UGC)

‍

Key Strengths of Earned Media

‍

Earned media is marketing gold because it’s all about trust.

‍

Since the content is created by third parties, not your brand, it carries way more weight with audiences and sticks around in a way that paid campaigns can’t always match.

‍

Here are some things earned media does best:

‍

• High trust and credibility — People trust recommendations from peers, influencers, and journalists more than branded content.
• Long-term SEO value — Backlinks from earned mentions can boost your organic rankings and improve domain authority over time.
• Organic reach and third-party validation — Earned media can help you reach new audiences through amplification — without spending a dime on ads.

‍

Limitations of Earned Media

‍

Of course, earned media isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The lack of control and unpredictability make it hard to rely on, especially if you’re still working on brand awareness.

‍

Challenges with earned media to keep in mind:

‍

• Harder to control or predict —You can’t force people to talk about your brand, and when they do, you can’t always guide the narrative.
• Takes time to build momentum — If you’re a newer brand, getting noticed enough to earn media coverage can take time and effort.
•  Difficult to scale on demand — Unlike paid campaigns, you can’t just turn up the volume whenever you want more exposure.
  
  

What Is Paid Media?

‍

‍

Paid media is exactly what it sounds like: any kind of marketing you pay for to promote your brand, products, or services. 

‍

It’s how you get in front of your target audience quickly, by using your budget to gain that visibility.

‍

Unlike earned media, which relies on others talking about you, paid media comes from you, giving you full control over your message, timing, and targeting. You decide what shows up, where it shows up, and who it shows up for.

‍

Common examples of paid media include:

‍

• Google Ads (search and display)
• Paid social ads (Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc.)
• Sponsored influencer content
• Programmatic display ads
• Native advertising and sponsored articles
• YouTube pre-roll or in-stream ads

‍

With the right targeting, copywriting, and design, paid media can help you drive fast traffic and clear and measurable results — making it a go-to for campaigns with tight timelines or big lead generation goals.

‍

Key Strengths of Paid Media

‍

The biggest strength of paid media is that it gets you in front of the people you need to be in front of, at the right time, with whatever message you want.

‍

So, when done well, it’s great for delivering fast and scalable results that are hard to beat!

‍

Here’s where paid media shines:

‍

• Immediate visibility — Want results fast? Paid ads let you skip the line and show up right when your audience is searching.
• Highly targeted reach — Whether it’s by location, interest, behavior, or job title, you can zero in on exactly who you want to reach.
• Data-backed optimization — With built-in analytics, you can track performance in real time and optimize on the fly for better ROI.

‍

Limitations of Paid Media

‍

That said, as beneficial as paid media is, it’s also not without its challenges.

‍

Here are some things to watch out for:

‍

• Requires ongoing budget — Once you stop paying, your visibility stops too. Paid media just doesn’t have the staying power of earned content.
• Can feel less authentic — Audiences are smart—they know when they’re being advertised to, which can affect trust and engagement.
• Diminishing returns if not optimized — Without testing and strategy, costs can add up fast and performance can drop off over time.

‍

Earned vs. Paid Media: Side by Side Comparison

‍

Now that we’ve broken down what earned and paid media actually are, let’s stack them up to see how they compare.

‍

Each has a role to play, but they come with very different benefits, challenges, and uses.

‍

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison to help you see the differences:

‍

‍

When to Prioritize Earned or Paid Media

‍

While most brands use both earned and paid media, knowing when to use one over the other is the best way to spend your time and budget more wisely.

‍

Here are some tips on how to make the call based on where you are and what you need.

‍

Based on Business Stage

‍

• Startups and newer brands often need to invest in paid media first. It’s the fastest way to build awareness, drive traffic, and kickstart lead generation while you build up your reputation.
• Established brands can often rely more on earned media, since they’ve already built credibility. Reviews, press, and social sharing happen more naturally once you’ve earned trust.

‍

Based on Budget and Resources

‍

• Paid media is great if you’ve got a budget but limited time or bandwidth. It gets results quickly and is easy to control and scale.
• Earned media is better if you’re rich in time and content but don’t have a lot to spend. It takes longer, but the returns can compound over time through SEO and organic reach.
  
  

Based on Marketing Goals

‍

• Use paid media for product launches, special promotions, or when you need fast, measurable results—like leads, signups, or sales.
• Lean into earned media when your focus is on trust, long-term brand building, and fostering loyalty or community engagement.

‍

Combining Earned and Paid Media: A Smarter Strategy

‍

 While both earned and paid media have their strength, they are best when strategically combined.

‍

Working together, you get the authenticity of earned media AND the precision of a paid campaign, which is a smarter way to boost your brand’s reach and improve your credibility and overall impact.

‍

How Paid Media Campaigns Boost Earned Media

‍

Paid media is not only great for promoting your content and brand, but for boosting the visibility of any earned media by, basically, putting a megaphone to your positive word-of-mouth. 

‍

Here’s how:

‍

• Boosting User-Generated Content (UGC) — If customers are sharing photos or testimonials about your product, consider turning those into sponsored posts. This not only extends their reach but also showcases genuine customer satisfaction.
• Amplifying Press Mentions — Got featured in a reputable publication? Promote that article through paid channels to increase its visibility and leverage the third-party endorsement.
• Highlighting Influencer Endorsements — When influencers organically mention your brand, use paid media to amplify these mentions, reaching a broader audience with credible voices.

‍

How Earned Media Boosts Paid Campaigns

‍

On the flip side, earned media can improve the effectiveness of your paid campaigns by adding in layers of trust and authenticity that resonate with your audience.

‍

Try out the following techniques:

‍

• Using Testimonials in Ads — Featuring real-life customer reviews in your advertisements is an authentic way to boost credibility and appeal to potential customers.
• Influencer Content — Repurpose any organic influencer content in your paid campaigns to give that authenticity some targeted reach.
• Show Off Awards and Recognitions — If your brand has received any awards, accolades, or positive media coverage, highlight these in your ads to build trust and authority.
  
  

Using earned media elements in your paid media strategy not only enhances the message but also improves conversion rates by building consumer confidence.

‍

How to Succeed With Earned and Paid Media

‍

So you know what earned and paid media are, how they stack up against each other, and when to use each to complement the other … but how do you actually succeed with earned and paid media?

‍

We’ll break it down into real-world tips you can put into action now!

‍

Tips to Earn Media Organically

‍

• Create newsworthy content — This one sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked: If you want people to talk about you, give them something worth talking about. That could mean launching a unique product, running a bold campaign, releasing new data, or sharing a story with real emotional pull. The more timely, relevant, or surprising your content is, the more likely it is to earn attention.
• Build relationships with media and influencers — Don’t just cold pitch a press release and hope for the best. Invest time in building genuine relationships with journalists, bloggers, and content creators in your space. Engage with their content, offer helpful insights, and be available when they need a source. That trust makes it more likely they’ll feature you when the time is right.
• Use social media to seed engagement — Social media is a great place to kickstart earned media momentum. Share behind-the-scenes content, join trending conversations, and create posts that invite interaction—think polls, contests, or UGC challenges. The more people engage with your brand organically, the more likely they are to talk about it on their own.

‍

Tips to Maximize Paid Media ROI

• Test platforms (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, etc.) —  Different platforms perform better for different goals, so don’t put all your budget into one basket. Test out your campaigns across Google, Meta, LinkedIn, and even newer players like TikTok to see where you get the best return—and be ready to shift spend based on what’s working.
• Use optimized landing pages — Don’t send ad traffic to your homepage. Create landing pages that match your campaign message, are easy to navigate, and include one clear call-to-action. The more aligned the landing page is with the ad, the better your chances of converting.
• Track everything—and A/B test like it’s your job —  Data is your best friend when it comes to paid media. Set up tracking for every click, conversion, and scroll, and continuously test different headlines, visuals, CTAs, and formats. A small change could mean a big difference in ROI, so keep iterating.

‍

Metrics That Matter: Measuring Earned vs Paid Media

‍

You can’t improve what you aren’t measuring and that definitely applies to both earned and paid media!

‍

While they do serve different purposes, both channels can (and should!) be tracked so that you understand what’s working, what’s not working, and where you should focus to keep your efforts moving forward.

‍

Here are some ways to keep score of the metrics that matter:

‍

Measuring Earned Media

‍

• Share of voice – How often is your brand mentioned compared to competitors? A higher share of voice = more earned visibility.
• Mentions – Track how often your brand shows up in articles, blog posts, forums, and social media.
• Backlinks – Monitor how many high-quality websites are linking back to your content. This helps with SEO and credibility.
• Brand sentiment – It’s not just what people say—it’s how they say it. Use sentiment analysis tools to gauge whether mentions are positive, negative, or neutral.

‍

Tools to Try

• Brandwatch — A powerful social listening and analytics platform that tracks brand mentions, sentiment, and trends across the web and social media. Great for enterprise-level insights.
• Mention — A real-time media monitoring tool that helps you track brand mentions across blogs, news sites, forums, and social platforms. Ideal for staying on top of conversations as they happen.
• Google Alerts — A free tool that notifies you whenever your brand (or any keyword you choose) is mentioned on the web. Simple, but effective for basic tracking.
• SEMrush — Primarily known for SEO, SEMrush also tracks backlinks, brand mentions, and competitors—making it a solid tool for monitoring earned media’s impact on your search visibility.
• BuzzSumo — A content discovery and monitoring platform that helps you find top-performing content and see who’s sharing or mentioning your brand across social channels and publications.

‍

Measuring Paid Media

‍

With paid media, the data is easier to come by—but knowing which numbers matter most is key to getting your money’s worth.

• Click-through rate (CTR) — How many people actually click on your ad? A high CTR means your ad is resonating.
• Conversions — Are people taking the action you want after clicking—like filling out a form, booking a demo, or making a purchase?
• Cost per lead (CPL) — How much are you paying for each qualified lead? Lower is better, but make sure the quality holds up.
• Return on ad spend (ROAS) — The ultimate performance metric. For every dollar you spend, how much are you getting back?
  
  

Tools to try

• Google Ads Manager — The go-to platform for managing search, display, YouTube, and shopping ads across Google’s network. Offers robust targeting, keyword planning, and real-time performance tracking.
• Meta Ads Manager — Meta’s ad platform for running campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. Great for demographic targeting, retargeting, and creative testing.
• LinkedIn Campaign Manager — Best for B2B advertisers looking to reach professionals by job title, industry, or company size. Includes tools for lead gen forms, message ads, and performance insights.
• Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — Tracks user behavior across your website and integrates with paid campaigns to show where traffic is coming from, what users are doing, and how well your ads are converting.

‍

Why Media Strategy Still Matters in 2025

‍

The marketing world moves quick, but one thing hasn’t changed: brands still need a solid media strategy to succeed.

‍

And with ad costs rising, audience attention spans all over the place, and a growing skepticism toward traditional advertising efforts, having a balanced mix of earned, paid, and owned media isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a necessity.

‍

Earned media builds trust through third-party validation.

‍

Paid media gives you control and quick results.

‍

Owned media—your website, blog, emails, and social channels—gives you a consistent home base to tie it all together.

‍

And when combined strategically, you can create a flywheel of visibility, trust, and performance. And this matters more than ever because:

‍

• Ad costs are climbing. You need to be more strategic about where and how you spend.
• Consumer attention is more fragmented. You’re competing with content on every platform, in every format.
• Trust is earned, not assumed. Consumers don’t just want to be told—they want proof, validation, and transparency.

‍

The bottom line? A one-track strategy won’t cut it. The brands that thrive in 2025 are the ones that know how to blend channels, tell a consistent story, and meet their audience wherever they are—with the right message, at the right time.

‍

Find Your Ideal Media Mix

‍

At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing between earned and paid media—and honestly, the best brands don’t choose. 

They combine.

Because both serve a strategic purpose. The right mix for your brand just depends on your goals, resources, and what stage of growth you’re in.

• Just getting started? Paid media might help you build momentum.
• Growing and earning recognition? Lean into earned media to deepen trust and extend your reach.
• Ready to scale sustainably? Use both—paid to drive performance, earned to amplify it.
  
  

The most effective marketing strategies today make both work together, using paid media to fuel reach and earned media to build lasting impact.

‍

‍

‍

<div class="c-blog_comp-cta cc-component-1"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-wrap"><img src="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/6369722e59155470b6840033_Potential-clients.png" loading="lazy" alt="" class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-img"></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-right"><div class="c-blog_comp-content"><div class="c-text-wrapper cc-mb-32"><div class="c-title-4 cc-bold"><strong>Want to save money without sacrificing the quality?</strong></div></div><div class="c-text-wrapper"><div class="c-text-2">Say goodbye to traditional, expensive agencies and unreliable marketplaces. Say hello to Designity.<br></div></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-wrapper"><a href="/pricing" target="_blank" class="c-button cc-primary cc-inverted w-button"><strong>Get Your 2-Week Trial</strong></a></div></div></div>

‍

Looking for a Smarter Way to Blend Earned and Paid Media?

‍

Whether you’re building trust through organic hype or scaling fast through paid media campaigns, both strategies can be improved by partnering with a creative team that can do it all!

‍

Designity is an innovative Creative as a Service platform that gives your brand instant access to top creative experts in fields like graphic design, digital marketing, SEO, social media, ad copywriting, and more — everyone you need on your team to create ads, social content, and PR-worth assets to help you combine the precision of paid media with the authenticity of earned buzz!

‍

And with a designated Creative Director to manage your team, keep up with your timelines, and make sure all of your assets are ready to go when you need them, you can get it all done without having to lose focus on where your business needs you most.

‍

Check out our social media and digital ads service page and portfolio to see how Designity has been able to make a difference for brands like yours. If you like what you see, go ahead and book your demo call.

‍

We’ll get you started with a two-week trial, no upfront payment required, so you can see for yourself why Designity is the last paid media partner your brand will ever need!

‍

Are you ready to see what a unified media strategy looks like?