Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Talking Points • Boilerplate • ESG Communications

Earned Media

Term from Public Relations industry explained for recruiters

Earned Media refers to publicity that a company gets through non-paid methods, like news coverage, social media shares, or word-of-mouth recommendations. Unlike paid advertising, earned media happens when others choose to talk about your brand because they find it interesting or valuable. Think of it as free publicity that's gained through good work and relationships with journalists and influencers. It's different from paid media (like advertisements) or owned media (like company websites and social media accounts). PR professionals work to get this kind of coverage through press releases, media relationships, and creating newsworthy stories about their clients.

Examples in Resumes

Secured over 50 pieces of earned media coverage for client launches in top-tier publications

Generated $2M worth of earned media through strategic PR campaigns

Increased client visibility through earned media placements in industry publications

Typical job title: "PR Professionals"

Also try searching for:

Public Relations Specialist Media Relations Manager Communications Manager PR Director Media Relations Specialist Communications Specialist PR Account Manager

Where to Find PR Professionals

Professional Organizations

Online Communities

Job Resources

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you measure the success of earned media campaigns?

Expected Answer: A strong answer should mention tracking media impressions, audience reach, sentiment analysis, message pull-through, and connecting media coverage to business outcomes like website traffic or sales inquiries.

Q: How would you handle a crisis situation where negative earned media is damaging the company's reputation?

Expected Answer: Should discuss creating a crisis communication plan, quick response strategies, message control, stakeholder communication, and ways to rebuild positive coverage after the crisis.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What strategies do you use to build relationships with journalists?

Expected Answer: Should mention personalized pitching, understanding journalist beats, providing valuable content, respecting deadlines, and maintaining regular communication without being pushy.

Q: How do you create a story angle that will interest media outlets?

Expected Answer: Should explain researching current trends, finding unique angles, connecting to broader news stories, and tailoring pitches to specific outlets and their audiences.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What's the difference between earned, owned, and paid media?

Expected Answer: Should explain that earned media is free publicity gained through others, owned media is company-controlled content, and paid media is advertising you pay for.

Q: How do you write an effective press release?

Expected Answer: Should discuss including a compelling headline, clear news value, quotes from relevant sources, and following standard press release format and style.