Turning Earned Media into Long-Term Marketing Assets

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In our recent blog on defining PR, we outlined the many ways to approach earned media. From news release pickups and thought-leadership articles in trade publications to award announcements and speaking engagements, earned media plays a valuable role in the overall marketing toolbox.

But, here’s the question most companies don’t ask: We got the “hit” – now what?

You’ve shared the article on social media once, included it in your company newsletter, uploaded it to your website, and then you move on. This approach underutilizes your earned media placement opportunity because most of your audience likely didn’t see it the first time.

An earned media placement can take months to pitch, secure, develop, and publish. Given the time, effort and resources invested, shouldn’t it have a longer shelf life than a one-and-done promotion?

The answer is yes. Here’s how to maximize the ROI from your earned media placement:

1. Turn it into website authority content

Repurposing earned media on your website is an opportunity to improve both an SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) score through keyword coverage and AI search results.

Instead of simply linking to the original article, create a separate post or dedicated page on your website for the feature. Add information about your subject matter expert (author), reformat the article into digestible bullet points, and incorporate additional imagery (photos, graphics) that may not have been included with the published article. By expanding the original content (rather than embedding it), you optimize your article beyond SEO.

This approach is especially valuable for articles published only in print or placed behind a paywall. In those cases, you can excerpt or summarize the content while clearly citing where and when it was originally published. This also presents an opportunity to link to a reputable source outside of your website – another tactic to increase your AEO score.

2. Break it into social media content for days (or months)

Creating and maintaining a social media schedule for your company can be daunting and time-consuming. When you add an earned media placement into the mix of content for social media, much of the heavy lifting has already been done.

Q&A features and long-form bylined articles are ideal for repurposing into shorter, compelling snapshots for social media.

You can expand a single feature article into a series of social media posts by pulling quotes from subject matter leaders, highlighting key statistics through graphics, or turning major takeaways into carousel posts. A Q&A format can also serve as a production schedule for an internal blog or social media series, with each question as a standalone post, creating a multi-touch content campaign.

3. Turn it into a sales tool at conferences & events

Attending a conference where prospective clients will be present is a great way to highlight your earned media exposure, especially if your article’s target audience is represented at the event. Updating booth graphics or tabletop signage and creating a leave-behind handout with “As Seen In” highlights are just a few ways to incorporate your earned media coverage as a call to action in your conference materials.

Even in a pinch (translation: your materials have been printed), consider creating a QR code for a tabletop sign that links to the earned media feature on your website. It’s an easy conversation starter that adds credibility to your elevator pitch.

Earned media can also strengthen your pre- and/or post-conference marketing efforts. Include the article in your attendee follow-up emails or prospective introductions. Bonus points if your earned media content aligns with a conference theme or speaker topic; this can set you apart from other attendees or vendors by positioning you as a peer or speaker-level expert.

4. Use it as an incentive to engage (or thank) clients

Earned media can also deepen client relationships and create new opportunities for collaboration.

If your bylined article is written as a case study or references how your company helped a client overcome a particular challenge, sharing that placement with the client reinforces the value of your partnership. It demonstrates that their success story is worth highlighting in an industry forum. Whether your client is named or not, an article that includes real-world examples elevates third-party validation to another level (“Don’t just take our word for it…”).

Many trade publications accept articles by multiple authors. Consider co-authoring an article with a client. This approach strengthens your relationship and creates shared promotional opportunities (for example, by promoting the article at a conference you and your client are attending or exhibiting).

If your client is a small business owner or lacks the PR and marketing resources to secure earned media coverage, consider offering them the opportunity to participate in an already secured placement as a meaningful value-add partnership.

Too often, companies treat earned media as a short-term win. When leveraged strategically, it becomes a long-term marketing asset that continues working long after the publication, and it works for you to maximize its lifespan.