A good reputation is increasingly difficult for business organizations to earn and protect in today’s court of public opinion. Building credibility with the public requires strategic messaging delivered effectively through trustworthy and non-paid channels. This is why positive publicity gained through traditional news media, rather than relying strictly on paying influencers for support, is more cost-effective today than ever before and has the added benefit of greater authenticity to most audiences.
Paid media is a valuable strategy, but it’s a marketing strategy, not a PR one. While paid media has its benefits, the costs can quickly add up. Paying an influencer, say, $500 per post, can cost a company thousands of dollars over a year.
Earned media publicity is a PR strategy that is considered highly trustworthy and helps build social proof. Major traditional and online news outlets exist in every city in America, and PR and business leaders should always try to secure positive coverage from them. This may more difficult to achieve than posting your own messaging on channels that you control, but the impact of positive publicity lasts far longer and is much more valuable in reputation and crisis management.
Earned Media More Cost-Effective Today
