How to Use Podcasts to Drive Earned Media

This post explores how to use podcasts to drive earned media.

But before we get into it, let’s define earned media.

What is Earned Media?

Earned media is content about you or your brand that you haven’t paid for or created yourself. Seasoned PR professionals know that monitoring earned media is critical for any business, but why? 

According to Bay Area PR veteran Wei Lin, who works with large companies such as Google, “Monitoring earned media lets you understand how your organization fits into the world and how it’s been reported on.”

Plus, it’s cost effective.

Since most earned media happens organically, it usually requires a monetary investment of zero.  

Earned Media: Things to Consider

However, earned media is often not leveraged as effectively as it could be.

There are several reasons for this. In comparison with owned media, most business owners feel that they have virtually no control over earned media. This leads to wariness, due to the risk of damage to the brand if earned media is used to convey negative messages.

For PR teams, monitoring and measuring the effects of earned media can be difficult as well.

So, what is the best way to shape a successful earned media campaign?

PR pros agree that the strategy should involve cultivating ongoing relationships built on mutual trust with reporters and influencers in adjacent industries. That way, says Lin, “it’s not completely transactional when it’s time to pitch a story.”  

One often-overlooked way to cultivate relationships with influential figures, and garner more control over earned media, is through guest appearances on podcasts.  

An interview on a well-structured podcast can be a powerful tool for earning press and shaping a brand’s public profile. 

After each interview, thought-provoking or unconventional excerpts can be parlayed into press pitches. Quotes or clips from the episode can be repurposed as owned content on social media or websites.

Cygne Cooper and Evan Quinn, the founders of Hiyo beverage company, use podcasts to talk about the ingredients in their products and dispel common myths about adverse health effects of the functional botanicals.

Brittany Lo, founder of Beia cosmetics company, appears on podcasts to discuss the story behind her brand, and explain the benefits of the proprietary ingredients used in her formulas. 

Want more information on how to use podcasts to drive earned media? Podchaser Pro can help. Discover how to use our all-in-one podcast contacts database to streamline podcast discovery, vetting, and outreach.

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