Why paid media coverage or sponsored content has limited reach

There’s a well-known saying, “Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.” Anyone can brag about their own company but having a story reported by a journalist is far more convincing.  It’s genuine so it builds trust, credibility and the story is more likely to be remembered.

When a news outlet picks up your press release and features it online, in print, or on TV or radio, it becomes legitimate news and a part of the day’s news cycle. And with more companies posting their media coverage on LinkedIn, it’s more likely the story will be showcased, read, liked, shared and re-posted across social media and remain relevant long after it’s published.

Earned media stands out because it is not paid for; it is chosen based on the merit of the story and the newsworthiness of the content. It’s also more likely to be read! Yes earned media can be less targeted and harder to control in terms of timing, but an interesting story idea in a press release will always outshine paid content.

The key to getting publicity hinges on the quality of the content of the press release and it’s idea. If the ideas is supported by a strong case study, current statistics, fresh research or new industry insights –  it’s more likely to be deemed ‘newsworthy’ by journalists and get a spot on TV, radio or in print. The word ‘newsworthy’ never grows old when writing a press release.

Paid content can feel jarring to readers.  Even when it doesn’t explicitly state “paid sponsorship”, it often feels less authentic and invariably it reads like a cheap and blatant plug for a company or an event.  At a time when people are increasingly sceptical of brands and the news, relying solely on paid content plays into this distrust. 

One of the enduring advantages of earned media is appearing high up on Google searches. When company stories continue to receive coverage in the news, they’re more likely to come up in search engine results extending the reach and impact of the company’s reputation in ways that paid methods can’t replicate.

And if you’re still not convinced, remember this. Earned media can give a company ‘two bites of the cherry’ with its ability to appear multiple times and across various media, offering repeated exposure that paid content can’t.  A single story or mention in the newspaper can be picked up by radio, posted on socials or result in a TV request for an interview.  It may even create the opportunity to be referenced again or be added to a journalist’s go-to list for future stories on a particular issue.