Earned Media Strategy in 2025: Tips, Trends & Tactics [INSIGHTS]

As public relations (PR) evolves at lightning speed, earned media remains a powerful way to build trust and reach new audiences. In fact, in the 2025 Comms Report, 30% of PR professionals say they’re relying more on earned media than last year. Smart brands are also rethinking their earned media strategy to stay ahead in a landscape shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), social proof and changing consumer behavior. Understanding the latest earned media trends and tactics can help you boost visibility and drive real results.

What Is Earned Media Strategy?

Earned media is any publicity you gain through promotional efforts that you didn’t pay for. An earned media strategy, therefore, is your plan to get this free publicity through press coverage, social media mentions, reviews and word-of-mouth buzz. It maps out how you’ll create content worth sharing, build relationships with journalists and influencers and measure success across different channels.

The Importance of Earned Media in 2025

Trust in paid advertising continues to decline, making earned media more valuable than ever for building brand credibility and authentic engagement. When others talk about your brand positively, potential customers pay attention. Most beneficially, your message can reach far beyond your usual audience. And when journalists, bloggers and social media users share your content, you tap into their established audiences. This organic reach often leads to higher engagement rates than paid advertising.

Key Trends in Earned Media Strategy

As we move into 2025, earned media strategy has evolved beyond basic press releases and media outreach. Today’s strategies integrate AI-powered tools for tracking coverage, data analytics for measuring impact and multichannel approaches that blend traditional and digital media. As strategies change, so do the earned media tips that can help you make the most of your campaigns.

User-Generated Content

User-generated content and social proof have become a cornerstone of earned media strategy, helping brands establish credibility through real customer experiences. Customers sharing their experiences on social media, review sites and forums create authentic stories that resonate with potential buyers. Smart brands encourage and amplify these natural conversations rather than trying to silence them.

AI and Data-Driven Insights

AI tools now help PR teams track mentions across millions of online sources in real time. Machine learning algorithms predict which stories will gain traction, while natural language processing helps craft more engaging pitches. Data analytics can also reveal the impact of your earned media strategy on brand awareness and sales, proving its effectiveness.

The Rise of Audio and Podcasts

Audio platforms have emerged as powerful earned media channels. Media opportunities now extend beyond traditional written coverage to include podcast interviews, audio news clips and voice-activated content. Brands that include audio formats in their earned media tactics can reach engaged listeners during their daily routines.

Real-Time Responses

Social media’s instant nature has made real-time responses a must. Brands need strategies to monitor conversations 24/7 and respond quickly to both opportunities and challenges. PR teams use automated alerts and prepared response frameworks to engage in meaningful dialogue as stories develop.

Interactive Experiences

Modern audiences have seen it all, which means earned media strategies will need to step it up a notch. Press releases and media kits can now include interactive elements that journalists can embed directly in their coverage. These experiences help tell more engaging stories about products, services and company milestones.

4 Tips for an Effective Earned Media Strategy

Success in earned media requires a strategic approach tailored to the 2025 media landscape. Here are proven earned media tips to help your brand stand out and earn meaningful coverage.

1 – Optimize Press Releases for Search Engine Visibility

Search engine optimization (SEO) can help your press release earn coverage, but it has to be done right. Modern search engines look for more than just keywords. Include relevant statistics, expert quotes and multimedia elements that make your content more valuable to readers and search engines alike. Remember to structure your content with clear headers and meta descriptions that help search engines understand and rank your material.

2 – Leverage Real-Time Analytics

Modern analytics tools give you unprecedented insight into your earned media strategy. You can set up dashboards that track metrics like mentions, sentiment, share of voice and referral traffic. Pay attention to which types of stories generate the most engagement across different channels and look for patterns in timing, topics and formats that you can use to refine your media pitches and content. And always share performance data to demonstrate the value of your earned media efforts.

3 – Build Strong Relationships with Influencers and Journalists

With all the focus on AI and data, it’s easy to lose sight of one simple fact: A successful earned media strategy still depends on building real, human relationships. Follow journalists and influencers who cover your industry, share and comment on their work and make yourself available as a reliable expert source, even for stories that don’t directly promote your brand. Ongoing relationships will always be key to earning coverage.

4 – Stand Out with Multimedia-Rich Stories

Visual storytelling captures attention in today’s crowded media landscape. Develop a multimedia library of high-quality images, videos and graphics that media outlets can use in their coverage. For example, create infographics that make complex data easy to understand and produce short video clips that showcase your products or explain fundamental concepts. Package these multimedia elements with your press releases and pitches to make it easier for journalists to tell compelling stories about your brand.

Earned media continues to be an essential piece of a PR and digital marketing strategy in 2025. To make the most of it, you’ll need to distribute your message through trusted channels that reach engaged audiences who want to hear your story. And these earned media strategy tips are just the beginning.

FAQs

What’s the difference between earned, owned and paid media?

Earned media includes publicity you gain organically, like press coverage and social shares. Owned media covers channels you control, such as your website, blog and social accounts. Paid media involves direct advertising and sponsored content where you pay for placement and exposure.

What are examples of earned media?

Press coverage, social media mentions, customer reviews, non-paid influencer recommendations, third-party endorsements, word-of-mouth buzz and other user-generated content all count as earned media. You can encourage media coverage through press releases, media pitches, speaking engagements, industry events, expert commentary and share-worthy content that adds value to your audience.

What are the elements of an earned media strategy?

A complete earned media strategy includes content creation, media relationship building, press release distribution, influencer partnerships, social listening, performance measurement and integration with paid media campaigns for amplified visibility. You’ll need to define your goals, target audience personas, messaging, distribution channels and success metrics to guide your efforts.

How do you create a successful earned media strategy?

Start by setting clear, measurable goals aligned with your business objectives. Research your target audience and create compelling stories they’ll want to share. Build authentic relationships with journalists and influencers in your industry. Monitor coverage and measure results using analytics tools so you can continuously optimize your approach.