What Are the Different Media Types?

What is Earned Media 

Earn influence, not just attention. From media coverage to podcast guest spots to analyst recognition, earned media signals trust, and today, it also trains the LLMs and the algorithms.

Earned Media includes: Media coverage, brand mentions, backlinks, awards, reviews, thought leadership, and AI citations.

What is Owned Media

Your single source of truth. Owned media is where you house expertise, optimize for discoverability, and lead with value. It anchors your authority and powers visibility in both search and AI-generated answers.

Owned Media includes: Website, blog, email, podcast, video library, resource hubs.

What is Paid Media 

Use budget with purpose. Paid media accelerates reach, scales visibility, and helps you test what works, faster. It’s not just about ads but smart amplification across the funnel. Paid Media includes: Sponsored and boosted content, paid influencer programs, search and social ads, lead gen campaigns.

What is Shared Media

Your content in the wild. Shared media is where audiences engage, amplify, and shape your narrative. It builds community, distributes value, and strengthens relationships for both humans and algorithms.
Shared Media includes: Social media posts, comments, shares, community platforms, and co-created content.