Earned media are any touchpoints controlled by your company that customers and potential customers are exposed to. They include:
- Physical stores
- Display units within other retailers’ stores
- Online stores
- Websites/blogs/social media accounts
- Brand apps
- Vehicles used for transportation
 
Here are three ways you can leverage owned media:
 
BOOST MENTAL AVAILABILITY
 
If you have a network of physical stores, your storefronts and interior spaces provide a good opportunity to showcase your products to people passing by or entering your stores. The vehicles you use to distribute your products also provide an opportunity to boost your brand’s mental availability. The sides of your vans and lorries should always feature your brand’s logo prominently, possibly alongside a core brand message. Brands should treat every touchpoint as a promotion opportunity. Owned media can deliver significant coverage at minimal cost.
 
ALLOW POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS TO LEARN MORE
 
Every brand should have a website, mobile app, or both, to give people who have heard about your brand an opportunity to discover more about it. The best websites and apps provide a slick, compelling experience that allows consumers to easily obtain the information they are looking for, whilst highlighting what makes the brand special. The best sites entice visitors by providing free, fun distractions. The most effective distractions are entertaining but also highlight the benefits of the brand’s products or services. Most websites and apps, however, receive only a trickle of visitors. They come into their own when paid-for advertising is used to capture the attention of prospective customers, encouraging them to visit the website or download the app to learn more about the brand.
 
IMPROVE ACCESS TO YOUR PRODUCT
 
If you have your own physical or online stores, these help to boost your brand’s physical availability beyond other distribution channels you have secured. Brands such as Wall’s ice-cream, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Coca-Cola invest heavily in fridges and freezers to ensure their products are physically available, and in tip-top condition, when consumers want to buy the category. Mobile apps can also make it easier to access brands. Anyone with the brand’s app on their phone can buy its products or services in just a few clicks.
 
Most brands find that leveraging their owned media is a good investment. After all, the costs are low. You just need to produce the creative; there is no cost for achieving exposure. However, owned media like apps and websites tend to reach existing customers rather than future prospects. Brands seeking long-term growth need to attract a wide cross-section of buyers, so relying heavily on owned media is a mistake.