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The Difference Between Paid, Owned, and Earned Media

Managing paid, unpaid and earned media requires purposeful strategizing in content marketing. They all produce marketing solutions by driving traffic and increasing conversions, however, investment demand, as well as the return of investment on each of them, are different. All three types of media are beneficial to businesses when used efficiently.

Even though paid, owned and earned media can have positive impacts on businesses’ growth, they have distinctive differences. Depending on which of them fits your business goals, you are sure to benefit from using one or a combination of all of them.

Paid Media

Paid media covers all types of advertising including social media, print ads and billboards. This evolves into owned media, and the ROI depends on the effectiveness of the strategy and how competitive the industry being played in is. 

Owned Media

Owned media are all content strategies under the direct control of the brand. This includes the website, social media pages and email marketing. With owned media, you can engage your audience directly using your style and tone to build relationships. Content can be chosen by you and tailored to pass across the intended message. Brands use owned media to strengthen relationships with their audience and to build trust.

Earned Media

Earned media involves the use of shares, mentions, reposts and more to engage the audience. This helps you increase the visibility of your brand, especially when supported by a strong SEO ranking. Organizations that plan to use this method need to invest in SEO marketing for better results.

For brands to succeed using any form of these media, they must consistently put out quality content. Having a dedicated content manager or a team, depending on the size of the organization, is a good way to go. A good content management team will consist of individuals with different expertise ranging from digital media to social media marketing and website management. Alternatively, companies can outsource content creation, and in some cases, outsourcing proves to be more cost-effective.

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