Strategic Content + Earned Media = Success

The phrase "earned media" has taken on a largely different meaning in the second decade of the 21st century. "Earned media" (sometimes previously referred to as "free media" or "unpaid media" in the advertising world) used to nearly exclusively refer to media placements by PR professionals in newspapers, magazines and broadcast TV/radio.

Today, the phrase includes a dramatic shift toward content generated by consumers and users. With hundreds of thousands of opportunities available for customers and activists to blog, post and share, the Voice of the Consumer has become nearly all powerful.

How is this important? A company can make a claim in paid traditional or online advertising, but if the brand promise doesn't hold up, the same company can subjected to a bloody digital onslaught fomented by disgruntled consumers or stakeholders. Want proof? Browse through brand names (particularly one pizza company) on YouTube and see what you come up with. As the last 20+ months have taught us, consumer and shakeholder trust is all important for real and lasting success.

The positive side is -- as Seth Godin advocates -- is that if you have a product or service that meets, or better, exceeds, the perceived brand promise, then give your consumers and stakeholders a digital megaphone. They will reward you with highly credible, believable and widespread commentary that can increase sales, buy-in and lead generation.

As eMarketer recently pointed out in its brief "What You Need to Know about Earned Media," good brand content will be at the heart of any successful strategy. The above chart provides details.

So the question becomes: how do you generate strategic content?

B2B magazine recently pointed out that content/PR/content pros are hiring researchers who can write compelling and huighly relevant material drawing on a variety of primary and secondary sources. Not flamboyant copywriters and creatives who produce "art."

That's not meant to be a slam against traditional ad copywriters or creative professionals, but the point is that truth, honesty and highly relevant content again rule. People want actionable information that is relevant to their lives.

David Ogilvy, the king of content, wherever he is, must be smiling.