OTO One to One Interactive

In an Ad Age article Pete Blackshaw, EVP of Nielsen Online Digital Strategic Services places “earned media” in the context of all the things a brand does to build positive mindshare in its audience.  Not only through social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogs, but through operational activities like support, staff interactions, and product quality. This highlights a challenge for agencies: how do you integrate with a client’s operational behaviors to achieve their social media goals….

Above is a fantastic illustration by David Armano that clearly describes the differences between paid vs earned digital media. As digital media continues to rapidly fragment, I believe it is going to continue to be important for marketers to clearly understand the nuances between paid and earned exposure to their brands online. More importantly, marketers will need to be more understand that its not a either/or option….