Glossary/Agency & Industry/Earned Media
Agency & Industry
Earned Media
Publicity a brand gains without paying for placement, such as press coverage, reviews, mentions and shares.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Earned media is publicity a brand gains without paying for placement, such as press coverage, customer reviews, social mentions and shares. It is one part of the paid, owned and earned media framework. Because it comes from independent third parties, earned media often carries more credibility with audiences than advertising does.