What's the biggest mistake you've made in earned media, and what did you learn from it? How can others avoid the same pitfall?

Question

Imagine missing out on a major earned media opportunity because of a simple oversight. Insights from a CMO and Vice President of Marketing reveal how to navigate these challenges effectively. Our experts share twenty-four critical lessons, starting with the importance of responding quickly to earned media mentions and ending with the need to promote earned media effectively. Dive in to learn how to avoid common pitfalls and make the most of your media coverage.

Kate Dzhevaga · Answer

One of the biggest mistakes I made in earned media was totally dropping the ball on timely responses. Early in my career, we got an awesome mention in a popular blog, and instead of jumping on it right away, I thought, "Cool, let's see how this plays out." Big mistake! By the time I finally acknowledged it days later, the excitement had fizzled out, and we missed a prime opportunity to engage with potential customers.
What I learned from that experience is that earned media is all about keeping the momentum going. When someone talks about your brand, you need to respond quickly—ideally in real-time. For example, if a customer tweets about loving your product, a quick thank-you or retweet can really amplify that positive vibe and encourage others to join in.
To avoid making the same mistake I did, I recommend setting up alerts for mentions of your brand across social media and news sites. Tools like Google Alerts or social listening platforms can be super helpful. It's also smart to have someone on your team ready to jump in and engage with mentions as they come up.
Don't let those moments slip away! Responding promptly can turn a simple mention into a lively conversation and ultimately drive more traffic and sales for your business. It's all about being proactive and making the most of the buzz when it happens!

Cyrus Partow · Answer

The biggest blunder I made was chasing viral marketing moments instead of building genuine relationships with tech journalists who covered e-commerce. I wasted thousands on fancy press releases and stunts that got zero traction, while my competitors were quietly getting featured through authentic industry connections. Now I focus on sharing actual data and insights about online shopping trends, which has naturally led to reporters reaching out to me as a trusted source.

Erik Wright · Answer

When expanding into our fourth state, I made the rookie mistake of sending the same generic press release to every local outlet without customizing the content for each market's unique characteristics and challenges. I learned that taking time to research local market concerns and tailoring our message accordingly—even if it means fewer releases—leads to much better coverage and engagement with our target audience.

Dan Ponomarenko · Answer

My biggest blunder was trying to control the narrative too tightly when Webvizio.com launched, sending overly polished press releases that didn't really connect with our audience. It was a game-changer when we switched to sharing real stories about how our platform solved actual communication problems between agencies and clients, which got picked up by industry blogs naturally. Looking back, I wish I'd focused more on authentic storytelling from the start—journalists and readers can smell manufactured publicity from a mile away.

Joe Davies · Answer

I discovered my biggest earned-media mistake when we got amazing coverage in TechCrunch but barely shared it beyond a single tweet. I learned the hard way that great press means nothing if you don't amplify it. We could've reached thousands more potential clients if we'd created a proper promotion strategy across our email list, LinkedIn, and other channels. Now I make sure we have a 30-day promotion plan ready before any major media hit, including social snippets, email newsletters, and team-sharing guidelines.

Joshua Odmark · Answer

I got too caught up in promoting our AI capabilities and forgot about the human side of our story, which really hurt our media coverage. Instead of sharing how our technology actually helped real businesses, I kept talking about machine-learning algorithms and technical specs that journalists couldn't relate to. I've learned to focus on telling stories about real customer successes and business impact first, then weave in the technical aspects naturally where they matter.

Magee Clegg · Answer

In my experience at Cleartail Marketing, the biggest mistake we made in earned media was neglecting the importance of continuous engagement in our PR efforts. We were initially successful in getting several positive press mentions for a B2B client, but we failed to maintain these relationships, which led to a drop-off in media coverage. We learned that building relationships with journalists and influencers is not a one-time effort but requires ongoing interaction.
One specific solution we implemented was creating a dedicated media-relations team to consistently nurture these connections through regular check-ins and by offering value with exclusive insights or future content-collaboration ideas. For instance, sharing a detailed case study on how we achieved a 278% revenue increase for a client became a hook for future media opportunities, keeping us in the industry's spotlight.
For others, the lesson is clear: don't take earned media for granted post-initial success. Treat your media partners as valued stakeholders, invest time in fostering genuine relationships, and ensure your stories stay relevant and compelling.

Andrew Dunn · Answer

When launching our fiber-internet service, I made the mistake of pitching technical specifications to lifestyle journalists instead of focusing on how it improved people's daily lives. I now know to tailor our stories to each outlet's audience—like highlighting how faster internet helped local businesses thrive for business publications or discussing remote learning benefits for parenting magazines.

Chase Mckee · Answer

In my journey building Rocket Alumni Solutions, one of my biggest missteps in earned media was underestimating the power of interactive content for engagement. Initially, we focused on static content like blogs and articles, which didn't generate the buzz we hoped for. The turning point was when we launched an interactive demo of our digital recognition platform, allowing potential clients to experience the product hands-on. This increased our demo-to-client conversion rates by 40%.
Another lesson came from not leveraging user-generated content (UGC) early enough. When we finally implemented a campaign encouraging users to share testimonials and reviews, customer trust and conversion rates increased by 30% and 60%, respectively. The authentic voices of satisfied clients were far more persuasive than we'd anticipated.
To avoid these pitfalls, others should prioritize developing interactive and UGC strategies from the start. Offering engaging, participative experiences not only sparks interest but can significantly boost engagement and conversion metrics.

Brandon Hardiman · Answer

Coming from engineering, I initially treated media coverage like a technical process—just sending out dry press releases about our house-flips without any compelling stories. I learned that journalists and readers connect more with the human side, like how we helped a family avoid foreclosure while renovating their childhood home. These days, I focus on sharing the real impact stories of our work, especially our owner-financing program that helps families achieve homeownership.

Yarden Morgan · Answer

My biggest mistake at Lusha was not amplifying our TechCrunch feature quickly enough across our social channels and newsletter, which cost us valuable momentum in the first 48 hours. I now make sure we have a ready-to-go promotion plan for any earned media coverage, including pre-written social posts and email templates that we can customize and share immediately.

Itamar Haim · Answer

I made the mistake of chasing viral content without considering its alignment with Elementor’s core audience needs, which led to temporary spikes but no lasting engagement. One particular video got 100K views but generated zero meaningful leads because it focused on trending topics rather than addressing our users’ website-building challenges. These days, I focus on creating helpful, targeted content first and only pursue viral opportunities if they naturally fit our audience’s interests.

Praveen Kumar · Answer

With my experience in digital strategy, I made the classic mistake of chasing viral moments instead of building consistent, authentic media relationships. At Wild Creek Web Studio, we once spent weeks trying to create a 'viral' campaign about our SEO services, but it fell flat because it didn't offer real value to our audience. I now focus on sharing genuine client success stories and industry insights, which naturally attracts better media coverage and builds lasting credibility.

Josiah Lipsmeyer · Answer

I learned the hard way when I ignored negative reviews about one of our surgeon's before/after galleries on social media, thinking they'd just fade away—instead, they snowballed into a bigger reputation issue. Now I immediately address every piece of feedback, good or bad, and turn those conversations into opportunities to showcase our commitment to patient satisfaction and transparency.

Charlie Clark · Answer

I made a huge mistake thinking earned media was just about getting featured anywhere, without considering audience fit. Last year, I spent weeks chasing coverage in a tech publication that had zero overlap with my digital-marketing audience, resulting in absolutely no meaningful engagement or leads. Now I always research a publication's reader demographics and engagement patterns before pursuing any media opportunities, which has helped me land features that actually drive results.

Harmanjit Singh · Answer

My biggest earned media mistake happened during our agency’s rebranding campaign. We focused solely on technical achievements, forgetting the human element that journalists and readers connect with. The story fell flat, generating zero meaningful coverage.This taught us three valuable lessons. First, storytelling matters more than statistics. When we re-launched the campaign highlighting a client’s digital transformation journey, media interest skyrocketed. The story landed features in two major tech publications.Second, relationship-building trumps mass pitching. Instead of blasting press releases, we started engaging with specific journalists who covered web-development trends. This targeted approach doubled our media mentions within six months.Third, timing proves crucial. We learned to align announcements with industry trends or events. One client success story gained significant traction because it addressed emerging concerns about website accessibility.Pro tip: Build your story bank before you need it. Document client wins, team achievements, and innovation milestones regularly. This preparation ensures you’re ready when media opportunities arise.Remember, earned media success comes from sharing authentic stories that provide value to both journalists and their audiences.

Christian Marin · Answer

While managing a game development project, I made the mistake of not addressing a negative review from a major gaming site promptly, letting misconceptions about our features spread unchecked. We learned to set up a dedicated response team with clear guidelines, which has helped us turn critical coverage into constructive dialogues and even opportunities to showcase our improvements.

Josh Cremer · Answer

One of the biggest mistakes I made was embracing overly-complex messaging in our campaigns. There was a time when we crafted marketing copy that focused too much on being clever and unique, ignoring the fact that clarity is king. This backfired when clients started losing traction because their customers were confused by the jargon-laden buzzwords. From this, I learned the importance of prioritizing clear, straightforward messaging.
A concrete example is when we revamped a client's website for a fresher look. Initially, we went for an edgy, creative approach. This ended up decreasing conversion rates because visitors couldn't grasp the product's value proposition immediately. Realizing our mistake, we switched to simplified language and saw a 40% increase in user engagement. This experience solidified my belief that in marketing, cleverness should never overshadow clarity.
For others, my advice is simple: If your message needs a buzzword translator, it's likely missing the mark. Focus on ensuring that your communication is direct, clear, and resonates with your audience. Avoid the temptation to overthink your messaging, because sometimes marketing truly does suck when clarity is sacrificed for cleverness.

Kristin Marquet · Answer

I did not thoroughly research a publication’s audience before pitching a story. Early on (in 2005), I pitched a client story that aligned with the publication’s niche but didn’t fully resonate with readers’ interests. The piece was published but didn’t yield the expected engagement, missing an opportunity to connect with a valuable audience. From that, I learned the importance of going beyond surface-level alignment and digging into the audience’s pain points, interests, and values.
For others, invest extra time in audience research for each media outlet you approach. Make sure your pitch is relevant to the publication and genuinely tailored to spark interest within its unique reader base. This approach ensures that your story not only gets picked up but also engages in a meaningful way.

Kevin Pike · Answer

My biggest mistake was getting too excited about a viral blog post and not having a solid promotion strategy ready when it started gaining traction—we basically missed out on thousands of potential leads. I now have a ready-to-go amplification plan for any content that starts performing well, including email blasts, social-sharing schedules, and paid-boost budgets.

Joshua Uebergang · Answer

My biggest earned-media mistake was not responding quickly enough to journalists' queries about our Shopify optimization case studies. I lost several great opportunities because I waited too long to reply, thinking I needed perfect responses—one reporter even went with our competitor's story instead. I now keep a folder of ready-to-share client success stories and make answering media requests a top priority, even if my response isn't perfectly polished.

Macy Troyer · Answer

I discovered that treating earned media as a one-time transaction, rather than building lasting relationships, was my biggest mistake. When I first started Goaldy, I'd pitch journalists and never follow up or maintain contact after getting coverage; this meant missing out on future opportunities. Now, I regularly engage with media contacts by sharing helpful insights and commenting on their work, which has led to repeat coverage and even being asked to contribute expert quotes for their stories.

Austin Taylor · Answer

My biggest earned-media mistake was pitching our trade-show displays to general business publications without considering their specific audience interests, which led to zero coverage and wasted effort. I learned to focus on industry-specific outlets like event-planning magazines and trade-show blogs, where stories about innovative booth designs and ROI actually resonated with readers who could become real customers.

Sheraz Ali · Answer

One significant mistake I made in earned media was failing to promote a positive feature article about our company. After receiving coverage in a well-respected industry publication, I assumed the exposure would generate its momentum. However, without actively sharing the article across our social media channels and email newsletters, we missed amplifying its reach.
This experience taught me the importance of securing earned media and promoting it effectively. To avoid similar pitfalls, businesses should integrate earned media into their marketing strategy. Actively engage with the content by sharing it widely and encouraging employees and stakeholders to do the same. This approach maximizes visibility and reinforces the positive narrative surrounding your brand, ultimately leading to more significant impact and engagement.

Biggest Mistakes in Earned Media and How to Avoid Them

Biggest Mistakes in Earned Media and How to Avoid Them

Respond Quickly to Earned Media Mentions

Build Genuine Relationships with Journalists

Customize Content for Local Markets

Focus on Authentic Storytelling

Amplify Great Press Coverage

Highlight Human Side of Stories

Maintain Continuous Media Engagement

Tailor Stories to Each Outlet

Leverage Interactive and UGC Strategies

Share Real Impact Stories

Amplify Media Coverage Promptly

Align Content with Core Audience Needs

Focus on Consistent Media Relationships

Address Negative Reviews Immediately

Ensure Audience Fit for Media Coverage

Highlight Human Element in Stories

Address Negative Reviews Promptly

Prioritize Clear Messaging

Research Audience Before Pitching

Have a Promotion Strategy Ready

Respond Quickly to Media Queries

Build Lasting Media Relationships

Focus on Industry-Specific Outlets

Promote Earned Media Effectively