What’s The Difference Between Earned, Owned, and Paid Media?

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Owned, earned, and paid media, known as the “digital marketing trifecta”, each have their own roles to play in an effective, comprehensive marketing strategy.

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Owned, earned, and paid media, known as the “digital marketing trifecta”, each have their own roles to play in an effective, comprehensive marketing strategy.

A comprehensive marketing strategy leverages owned, earned, and paid media. There are three aspects of what is known as the “digital marketing trifecta” that each have their own roles to play in an effective marketing strategy. Owned media and earned media work together to nurture customers, and paid media works to amplify and support those efforts.

What is Owned Media?

Owned media is any type of media that you can control. The biggest owned media channel is your brand’s website. Owned media works best when you offer value to users.

What are some examples of owned media?

What is Earned Media?

Earned media is any type of exposure gained through conversations or mentions of your brand. The most common example of earned media is online reviews or through word of mouth.

What are some examples of earned media?

  • Word of Mouth
  • Awards
  • Publishers
  • Influencer Outreach
  • Reviews

What is Paid Media?

Paid media is any type of advertising that you pay for to increase traffic, exposure, or drive conversions. Paid media offers a way to reach and target users through behavioral or contextual targeting, as well as retarget users who have already engaged with your brand.

What are some examples of paid media?

  • Social Media Advertising
  • Search Ads
  • Display Ads
  • Sponsored Events
  • Paid Influencer

Having a complete digital ecosystem is important in driving an effective digital media strategy. By having and fostering these additional avenues, we are able to create an opportunity for your customer to interact with your brand. This is the power of having a well developed growth strategy and what makes BuzzShift’s approach sustainable. Let’s talk about how BuzzShift can help develop a framework for building out your owned, earned, and paid media.

About BuzzShift

BuzzShift is a digital growth strategy agency with a focus on mid-market, scaling, purpose-driven DTC Brands. By combining the ideologies of branding, performance marketing, and retention agency, we are able to create memorable experiences with measurable results, and build long-term success for our clients with scalable, sustainable growth. Learn more about BuzzShift.

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