What's one successful earned media tactic you've used recently? How did you measure its success?

Question

None

Amber Couron · Answer

Getting featured in our local newspaper's 'Home of the Week' segment has been incredibly effective for generating quality leads. We tracked the impact through unique QR codes in the print article, which brought in 15 serious buyers and resulted in two direct sales within two weeks. I recommend building relationships with local reporters by sharing unique property stories - like the 1920s craftsman we restored - rather than just pushing sales pitches.

Alphonso Dormun · Answer

I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with a popular social media influencer in my area. The influencer had a large following of individuals interested in lifestyle and home decor, making them the perfect partner for promoting my listings.
We created an agreement where the influencer would showcase one of my properties on their Instagram account and include a swipe-up link for interested buyers to contact me directly. In return, I offered a commission if the property was sold through their promotion.
To measure the success of this collaboration, I tracked the number of inquiries and showing requests received as well as any offers made on the featured property during the time of the influencer's promotion. I also monitored the increase in traffic to my website and social media pages during that period.
The results were impressive - I received a significant number of inquiries and showing requests, leading to multiple offers on the property. The influencer's promotion also resulted in an increase in followers across my social media platforms, providing long-term benefits for my business.

Nick Stoddard · Answer

Our most effective earned media tactic has been creating 'Kansas City Housing Market Updates' videos where I break down real estate trends using actual local examples and data from recent sales. We measure success through viewer engagement on social media and, more importantly, the number of homeowner referrals who mention watching our content (about 30% of our new leads now come from video content). What's really interesting is that these simple, honest market updates have gotten us invited to speak on local news stations as real estate experts, which I never expected when we started.

Erik Wright · Answer

Last quarter, I created a series of behind-the-scenes videos showing our renovation process, which local news stations unexpectedly picked up for their real estate segments. The coverage led to a 35% increase in website traffic and 8 direct property acquisition opportunities. I'd recommend focusing on showing the nitty-gritty of property transformations - people really connect with authentic, unpolished content that shows both the challenges and victories.

Omer Lewinsohn · Answer

One successful earned media tactic I used recently was newsjacking, where we aligned our brand's messaging with a trending topic to gain media attention. During the rise of AI discussions in the workplace, our company, which offers productivity software, released a timely report titled "AI and the Future of Productivity: Trends for 2024." This report combined proprietary data and expert insights to address how AI is transforming workflows, a topic that was already dominating headlines.
We pitched the report to relevant media outlets and industry journalists, highlighting our unique data and expert commentary. To amplify the effort, we created sharable infographics and short-form content for LinkedIn and Twitter, tagging journalists and influencers in the space. The campaign also included hosting a free webinar where industry leaders discussed the report's findings, further generating interest.
The success was measured through several key performance indicators:
Media Mentions: Over 20 media outlets, including tier-one publications, picked up the story, significantly boosting the brand's visibility.Referral Traffic: Website analytics showed a 35% increase in traffic, with a notable portion coming from referral links in earned media articles.Lead Generation: The report download page saw a 20% increase in leads captured during the campaign, as the media coverage drove interest in the report.Social Media Engagement: Posts referencing the report experienced a 50% higher engagement rate compared to our average content.This success highlighted the value of agility and relevance in earned media strategies. By aligning with timely conversations and providing value through unique insights, we not only gained media attention but also drove measurable business outcomes.

Brooks Humphreys · Answer

As someone deep into data analytics, I've found success partnering with local real estate influencers who create content about our property transformations and investment strategies. Our recent collaboration with a local home renovation YouTuber documenting one of our flip projects generated over 50,000 organic views and led to several qualified investor leads. We track success through custom UTM codes and conversion tracking, showing that influencer-referred leads convert at a 3x higher rate than traditional marketing channels.

Mats Stigzelius · Answer

User-generated content has been game-changing for us at Good Guys, especially when we started our #WearGoodDoGood campaign showcasing customers styling their sustainable pieces. We measured success through hashtag usage (over 2,000 posts in three months) and saw a 28% increase in website traffic from social media, plus our customer survey showed 76% discovered us through these authentic posts. I've found the key is making it super easy for customers to participate - we simply ask them to snap a quick photo wearing their favorite Good Guys piece and share their sustainability story.

Ryan Whitcher · Answer

I recently started featuring before-and-after home transformation stories on our local news stations, which got picked up organically by three other media outlets and reached over 50,000 viewers. By tracking viewer engagement and the surge in website visits (roughly 300% increase), plus getting 12 direct inquiries from homeowners facing similar situations, I could really see how this authentic storytelling resonated with our community.

Gus Bartholomew · Answer

I recently launched a 'Sustainability Success Stories' series featuring real data from our clients who reduced their carbon footprint using Leafr's expert network. The content naturally got picked up by several environmental news outlets and industry blogs, reaching over 50,000 views organically within the first month. We measured success through media mentions, engagement metrics, and most importantly, a 40% increase in consultant inquiries from companies specifically mentioning these case studies.

Macy Troyer · Answer

I recently launched a collaborative Instagram series where we paired up with local fitness influencers to share quick workout tips, which unexpectedly went viral in our community. We tracked success through Instagram's analytics, seeing a 43% jump in profile visits and around 800 new followers who actually engaged with our content regularly. What worked best was letting influencers share their authentic experiences rather than giving them a strict script - it felt more natural and their audiences really connected with that genuine approach.

Faizan Khan · Answer

I pitched a guest blog article to a respectable industry website as one of my effective earned media strategies. The piece established our brand as a thought leader by offering insightful information on a topic that is popular in my industry. I monitored the article's engagement metrics (like comments and social shares), referral traffic to our website, and any ensuing questions or partnerships to determine the article's success after it was submitted. I also tracked click-throughs from the guest post to our landing pages using UTM parameters to gauge the impact. The strategy worked, as we noticed a notable rise in new leads and site traffic. We also gained credibility by being highlighted on a reputable, high-authority platform.

Jean Christophe Gabler · Answer

I just finished a great campaign at YogiTimes.com where we teamed up with a yoga teacher known for being easy to talk to to host a live mindfulness session. To make it extra special, we added a guided meditation designed to help people deal with stress and a conversation afterward so that people could share their thoughts. I made sure we got the word out in a creative way by sending personalized email invites to our readers and giving people who came a special yoga journal that they could download. It was easy to see that it worked-that week, our website traffic went up by 25%, we got over 2,000 new fans on social media, and 18% more people signed up for our emails. The feedback was the best part. Almost everyone who came said that the lesson made them want to learn more about mindfulness, which made me feel like I had really won.

Kevin Pike · Answer

I recently partnered with a local food blogger who created authentic content about using our client's cooking products, reaching over 50,000 engaged followers and generating 200+ genuine comments. We measured success through direct sales tracking with unique promo codes, which showed a 32% conversion rate from the blogger's audience - way better than our usual 8% from traditional ads.

Aman Chopra · Answer

At Stallion Express, one of our most successful earned media tactics was leveraging customer success stories. We highlighted a case study where a small business saved 30% on shipping costs using our services and distributed it through industry blogs and LinkedIn. This authentic, real-world example resonated with eCommerce entrepreneurs and organically generated 20% more web traffic monthly.
We measured success through Google Analytics, tracking referral sources and engagement metrics. Additionally, we monitored social media mentions and observed a 15% increase in brand mentions during the campaign.
Focus on value. By showcasing real customer wins, we built trust and credibility-earned media works best when it tells a story people want to share.

Yarden Morgan · Answer

Guest posting on industry blogs has been our most successful earned media win, especially when we share real data from our CRM research. One article about prospecting techniques generated over 2,000 qualified leads and got picked up by three major sales publications. I've found that being super transparent with actual numbers and challenges, rather than just sharing generic advice, makes content more likely to get shared and referenced.

Carter Crowley · Answer

I recently partnered with local real estate blogs to share my before-and-after renovation stories, which brought in 12 new property leads last month. What really worked was including specific cost breakdowns and ROI figures from my 147+ property deals, which readers found super helpful and relatable. I'd suggest starting small with 1-2 quality guest posts monthly and focusing on sharing actual renovation numbers and challenges - it feels more authentic than just giving general advice.

John Jones · Answer

I started a 'Dallas Homeowner Heroes' series where we share real stories of local families we've helped through difficult selling situations, which got picked up by two local radio stations and a community newspaper. By tracking the direct phone calls mentioning these stories (27 new leads in just two weeks) and seeing a 45% increase in website traffic from local ZIP codes, I could see how this personal approach really connected with our community.

Daniel Meursing · Answer

Our most effective earned media strategy at Premier Staff centers on showcasing operational excellence through real results. By highlighting our successful management of Ferrari's Formula One activation and Louis Vuitton's three-month program, we've garnered significant industry attention and referrals. Success metrics include maintaining 90% of business through inbound leads and securing partnerships with high-profile clients.
The effectiveness of this approach is measured through three key indicators: lead quality improvement, conversion rates of premium clients, and the expansion of our luxury client portfolio. Our transparent sharing of metrics like our 99.6% show-up rate and ability to scale from intimate gatherings to 500-person events has established credibility that traditional advertising couldn't achieve.
Media coverage of our technological innovation, particularly our AI implementation success, has positioned us as industry leaders. The impact is quantifiable through increased inbound inquiries specifically mentioning our automated systems and reduced hiring costs. This earned media strategy continues supporting our growth while maintaining our premium market position.

Josiah Lipsmeyer · Answer

I recently collaborated with a board-certified plastic surgeon who shares educational content on TikTok, helping boost our client's visibility through authentic cross-promotion. We measured success through referral tracking, which showed a 32% increase in consultation bookings directly from TikTok mentions over three months. I'd suggest focusing on micro-influencers who genuinely connect with their audience, as I've found their followers tend to be more engaged and likely to convert.

Russ Majanck · Answer

We started a monthly email newsletter featuring before-and-after photos of our successful property transformations, along with detailed breakdowns of the renovation costs and final sale prices. The campaign resulted in a 40% increase in property owner inquiries and helped us sign 8 new management contracts, proving that transparency about real results builds trust better than any sales pitch.

Hanna Kanabiajeuskaja · Answer

Our team-building events naturally generated buzz when we partnered with local artisans to create unique experiences, like a pottery workshop led by a viral TikTok creator. I measured success by tracking social media mentions and shares (which grew 3x), plus the number of inbound inquiries that specifically referenced seeing these events on social media or in local business newsletters. The authenticity of letting participants share their own stories and creations worked better than any paid advertising we've done.

Jessica Henderson · Answer

I started sharing real success stories of Houston homeowners who sold their houses through us, complete with before/after photos and genuine testimonials on local community Facebook groups. The authentic content resonated so well that we tracked a 45% increase in qualified leads coming directly from these posts, and our cost per lead dropped from $200 to just $75.

Chase Chappell · Answer

One successful earned media tactic I recently used was using the power of customer testimonials. They're a form of social proof that builds trust and credibility. For example, we worked with Dollar Shave Club to optimize their abamdoned cart emails by integrating real customer reviews and stories. This led to a significant increase in open rates, with 45% of recipients opening the emails and 21% clicking through. Half of those who clicked ended up making a purchase.
We measured success through conversion rates and engagement metrics, noting how testimonials in personalized email campaigns boosted revenue and reduced cart abandonment. The tangible increase in conversion rates demonstrated the compelling impact of authentic customer stories in guiding purchasing decisions.
From my experience with brands at Sirge, I recommend leveraging customer testimonials creatively, placing them strategically across digital touchpoints, and measuring their effect using detailed KPI tracking.

Trevor Bailey · Answer

Our most effective earned media win came from creating a freelancer tax savings calculator that actually shows people how much money they're leaving on the table. After sharing it with finance bloggers and freelance communities, it got featured in several indie newsletters and Discord channels, generating authentic discussions. We tracked its success through backlinks, calculator usage (over 2,000 freelancers in the first week), and a 25% bump in sign-ups from people who used the calculator first.

Brandon Shearin · Answer

I've found amazing success with our 'Dallas Home Stories' series where we film genuine, unscripted testimonials from homeowners we've helped, sharing their unique situations and solutions. These authentic stories have not only generated significant organic sharing on social media but have also resulted in a 65% increase in inbound calls from homeowners facing similar challenges.

Shannon Beatty · Answer

I recently hosted a free 'Home Value Secrets' workshop at our local community center, where I shared insider tips on increasing property value and noticed a 40% boost in organic inquiries afterward. The workshop led to several media mentions in local newsletters and helped establish me as a trusted voice in our community, plus three attendees actually became clients within two months.

Chase Mckee · Answer

One recent earned media tactic I implemented was through a strategic partnership with a prominent industry blog. By collaborating with them for a guest article, we secured a high-quality backlink and increased our website referral traffic by 60%. This move boosted our organic search rankings by 20% and improved overall web traffic.
I measured the success of this tactic by tracking the referral traffic from the blog and monitoring changes in our organic search position. Additionally, the improved traffic led to a noticeable increase in inbound inquiries - a direct link to our liftd online presence thanks to the partnership.
By focusing on strategic collaborations and leveraging the audience of established blogs, I managed to drive substantial organic growth without heavy investment in paid media. This approach not only built our brand's credibility but also established long-term, beneficial industry relationships.

Itamar Haim · Answer

I created a detailed case study about optimizing Elementor's Reddit presence, which got naturally shared across several tech blogs and SEO communities, generating over 2,000 organic backlinks. The success was measurable through our analytics showing a 40% increase in organic traffic from these referral sources, plus it sparked some great discussions that helped establish our authority in the website builder space.

Vikrant Bhalodia · Answer

One earned media tactic we've found highly effective is collaborating with niche influencers in industries aligned with our client's needs. Instead of focusing on large influencers, we partner with micro-influencers whose audiences are highly engaged and relevant to the sectors we serve.
Here's how it works: we prioritize offering them value first whether it's exclusive industry insights, a behind-the-scenes look at our work, or an invitation to co-host a webinar. These collaborations feel authentic, and influencers often share their experiences with their audience voluntarily. This approach fosters trust and organic exposure.
To measure success, we track referral traffic and new inquiries tied to these partnerships. After one such collaboration, we noticed a 35% increase in traffic to a specific service page and a significant rise in leads referencing that influencer's content as their first interaction with us.
The key is building partnerships that create mutual value. When the connection feels genuine, it drives meaningful results without being transactional.

Josh Cremer · Answer

One successful earned media tactic I recently employed was creating bold, unconventional content that defies traditional marketing norms. For our client, Express Plumbing, we crafted an eye-catching, humor-driven campaign that focused on relatable plumbing mishaps, a refreshing alternative in a traditional industry. This unique approach led to organic shares and mentions on social media, catching traction with audiences who usually don't engage with typical plumbing services.
To measure success, I monitored social media engagement metrics and referrals. The campaign generated a 35% increase in follower growth and a 25% rise in website traffic over three months. Direct engagements, such as likes and comments, tripled compared to previous traditional campaigns, confirming that standing out in a sea of sameness captures attention and fosters genuine engagement.
For those looking to replicate this, focus on crafting compelling, authentic narratives in your industry's style and culture. Measure engagement through social channels and website analytics to understand the impact. Authenticity captivates and connects, cutting through the clutter and inviting interaction without relying on flashy buzzwords.

Michael Yerardi · Answer

Community involvement has been my most successful earned media approach, where I started hosting monthly 'Home Selling Solutions' workshops at our local library to help distressed homeowners understand their options. The workshops have not only generated positive local press coverage but also resulted in a 35% increase in referrals from attendees and community partners. I measure success through post-workshop surveys and by tracking how many attendees eventually become clients, which has been around 25% so far.

Shehar Yar · Answer

One successful earned media tactic we recently employed at Software House was pitching a case study highlighting a successful mobile app development project for a well-known local business. By focusing on the real-world impact of our work, we were able to secure media placements in both local and industry-specific tech outlets. The story not only showcased our expertise but also emphasized the tangible benefits of our solutions, positioning us as trusted partners for other businesses looking to improve their digital capabilities.
To measure success, we tracked several key performance indicators, including website traffic, lead generation, and social media engagement from the earned media placements. We also closely monitored any inquiries or collaborations that stemmed directly from the media coverage. The results were encouraging-website traffic increased by 25%, and we saw a significant uptick in inbound leads, proving that this earned media tactic had a direct and positive impact on our business growth.

Sheraz Ali · Answer

One of the successful earned media tactics that we have lately been using is the collaborative influencer campaign. We engaged industry influencers for content creation that helped represent the values and offerings of our brand. This tactic not only increased our reach but also served a purpose of credibility because these influencers shared their experiences with our products.
 To measure success, we relied on several KPIs. First, we monitored impressions coming from posts by the influencers to know how many people were exposed to our brand. We estimated our EMV by multiplying the impression figures that resulted in the average CPM applied in our paid campaigns. For example, if an influencer post racked up 50,000 impressions and our applied CPM was $5, our EMV would be $250,000.
We also monitored engagement metrics - like, share, and comments - to understand if and how audiences were engaged with the content. Additionally, we tracked website traffic peaks during and post the campaign on Google Analytics for reasons of whether these efforts translate to higher visits and conversions on our site.
Thus, bringing these metrics together gave a final picture of the campaign that reflected what impact it had on brand awareness and engagement so we could improve future strategies according to where our audience was resonating the most.

Adam Garcia · Answer

I started a weekly 'Market Monday' series where I invite finance experts to break down complex topics on LinkedIn Live, encouraging viewers to submit their toughest investing questions. The authentic conversations drove amazing results - we saw our LinkedIn following grow by 2,800 in three months and got picked up by several financial news outlets organically.

Cyrus Partow · Answer

Our most successful earned media win came from creating detailed comparison guides that actually help shoppers make informed decisions, which naturally got picked up by several tech blogs. We tracked the impact through backlink monitoring and saw a 156% increase in organic traffic to those specific guides, plus they generated over 400 natural social shares without any outreach from us. Generally speaking, I've found that focusing on creating genuinely helpful content, rather than just promotional stuff, tends to earn media attention organically.

Jas Bola · Answer

We worked with our Minecraft community to create a user-generated content challenge where players shared their most creative builds using our custom texture packs, resulting in over 3,000 organic submissions on social media. We tracked success through hashtag engagement metrics and saw a 40% increase in texture pack downloads, plus our Discord community grew by 1,500 members during the campaign.

Dan Ponomarenko · Answer

With my background in digital marketing, I recently tried a fun 'tag-team' approach with influencers where they created reaction videos to each other's product reviews of Webvizio. We tracked success through engagement metrics and saw a 43% boost in organic mentions, plus several influencers actually became regular users of our platform.

Josh Hook · Answer

Recently, a successful earned media tactic I employed was hosting a digital marketing workshop for small businesses in Heber City, which was featured in various online local business journals and community blogs. Our discussion on leveraging responsive web design and local SEO strategies resonated strongly with attendees. The workshop created organic buzz, leading to improved local brand visibility.
To measure its success, we tracked an uptick in organic traffic by 18% over the subsequent month, predominantly from geo-located searches in our target area. Additionally, there was a notable 10% increase in inquiries for our responsive web design services. This direct correlation between improved local notoriety and new business opportunities demonstrated the effectiveness of community-focused engagements as a pathway to earned media.
For others looking to apply this strategy, I recommend identifying gaps in small business digital education in your community and offering expertise-driven sessions. This not only showcases your brand's expertise but also builds trust with potential clients in a more personal and localized context.Recently, one of the most successful earned media tactics I've implemented was collaborating with local influencers in Heber City to boost the visibility of a campaign for a client in the home improvement sector. This involved creating engaging content that tied in the influencers' authentic experiences with our client's services, which naturally resonated with their audience.
To measure success, I tracked the increase in social media engagement, where we saw a 35% uptick in interactions, and monitored website traffic, which rose by 28% during the campaign. Notably, these efforts led to a tangible 22% increase in inquiries for the client.
This strategic collaboration not only improved the client's local reputation but also underscored their community involvement, making their brand more relatable and trustworthy to potential customers. Engaging local influencers proved to be a powerful tool to drive authentic word-of-mouth and lift brand presence without a paid advertising push.

Austin Taylor · Answer

At a recent trade show, we set up a live exhibit design workshop where attendees could contribute ideas to a real client's booth concept, which caught the attention of event industry media. The collaborative approach led to organic coverage in three major trade publications and lots of social media buzz from participants sharing their involvement. We measured impact through media coverage value (about $30K in equivalent advertising), social shares, and most tellingly, a spike in design consultation requests mentioning the workshop.

Adnan Jiwani · Answer

One successful earned media tactic we used recently was partnering with a well-known influencer in our niche to review our product. Instead of paying for an ad, we simply sent them the product and asked for an honest review. They shared their experience on social media, and their followers started engaging with our brand.
We measured its success by tracking the increase in social media mentions and website traffic. We saw a 40% spike in visits to our product page within a few days of the post, and the number of social media followers grew significantly. The real win was the engagement-people were commenting, asking questions, and sharing their own experiences, which proved the tactic was resonating with the audience.

Andrew Dunn · Answer

One of my most successful recent tactics was getting our network technicians to share behind-the-scenes photos and stories from challenging installations on our company blog, showing the real human side of internet service. The authenticity really resonated - these posts generated 3x more backlinks than our regular content and led to several local news features about our team's problem-solving abilities.

Reilly James Renwick · Answer

Highlighting customer testimonials and case studies has been a highly effective earned media approach for us recently.
Sharing real stories from satisfied clients not only boosted our brand's credibility but also helped us connect with potential customers on a more personal level. We tracked its success through a 24.12% jump in referral traffic and a 16.71% increase in conversions, showing how authentic, customer-driven content can directly impact growth while strengthening our reputation.

42 Successful Earned Media Tactics to Use

42 Successful Earned Media Tactics to Use

Get Featured in Local Newspaper

Collaborate with Social Media Influencers

Create Kansas City Housing Updates

Show Behind-the-Scenes Renovations

Align Brand with Trending Topics

Partner with Real Estate Influencers

Leverage User-Generated Content

Feature Before-and-After Transformations

Launch Sustainability Success Stories

Host Collaborative Instagram Series

Pitch Guest Blog Articles

Host Live Mindfulness Sessions

Partner with Local Food Bloggers

Leverage Customer Success Stories

Guest Post on Industry Blogs

Share Before-and-After Renovations

Share Dallas Homeowner Heroes

Showcase Operational Excellence

Collaborate with Plastic Surgeons

Start Monthly Email Newsletters

Host Team-Building Events

Share Houston Homeowner Stories

Use Customer Testimonials

Create Freelancer Tax Savings Calculator

Film Genuine Homeowner Testimonials

Host Home Value Secrets Workshops

Partner with Industry Blogs

Create Detailed Case Studies

Collaborate with Niche Influencers

Create Bold, Unconventional Content

Host Home Selling Solutions Workshops

Pitch Successful Mobile App Case Studies

Run Collaborative Influencer Campaigns

Start Market Monday Series

Create Detailed Comparison Guides

Launch User-Generated Content Challenges

Try Influencer Reaction Videos

Host Digital Marketing Workshops

Run Live Exhibit Design Workshops

Partner with Niche Influencers

Share Behind-the-Scenes Stories

Highlight Customer Testimonials