BrightEdge Practice Test 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Mastering and Excelling!

Earned media is exposure gained without paying for it, driven by authentic advocacy and independent content. Word of mouth, reviews on review sites, and mentions in blogs fit this category because they come from customers or third-party publishers without the brand paying for coverage. In contrast, paid ads are bought placements (paid media), email newsletters are owned media (the brand controls and distributes to its own list), and influencer partnerships are typically paid endorsements. So the example that reflects earned media is word of mouth, review sites, and blog mentions.